[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 158 (Thursday, September 29, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S5717]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 6192. Mr. TILLIS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 5499 submitted by Mr. Reed (for himself and Mr. Inhofe) 
and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 7900, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2023 for military activities of the 
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense 
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel 
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the end of subtitle A of title VII, add the following:

     SEC. 706. TRANSITIONAL HEALTH BENEFITS: REQUIREMENTS RELATING 
                   TO MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION.

       (a) Mental Health Examination Required.--Paragraph (5) of 
     section 1145(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (A)--
       (A) by striking ``physical examination and a mental health 
     assessment'' and inserting ``comprehensive separation health 
     examination and a comprehensive mental health examination'';
       (B) by striking ``The physical examination'' and inserting 
     ``Such examinations''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``If 
     the Secretary concerned is unable to furnish the examinations 
     required under this subparagraph at a military medical 
     treatment facility, the Secretary concerned shall furnish 
     such examinations at a civilian facility or through the 
     Reserve Health Readiness Program of the Department of 
     Defense, or such successor program.'';
       (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``physical 
     examination'' and inserting ``comprehensive separation health 
     examination'' each place it appears;
       (3) in subparagraph (C), in the matter preceding clause 
     (i), by striking ``physical examination'' and inserting 
     ``comprehensive separation health examination''; and
       (4) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``physical examination 
     and mental health assessment'' and inserting ``comprehensive 
     separation health examination and comprehensive mental health 
     examination''.
       (b) Follow up Treatment.--Paragraph (6) of such section is 
     amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (A)--
       (A) by striking ``medical examination'' and inserting ``a 
     comprehensive separation health examination or a 
     comprehensive mental health examination''; and
       (B) by striking ``for a referral'' and all that follows 
     through the period at the end and inserting the following: 
     ``that a referral for follow up treatment is recommended.''; 
     and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(C) The Secretary concerned shall--
       ``(i) update the electronic health record maintained by the 
     Secretary concerned for a member of the armed forces to 
     include the results of the comprehensive separation health 
     examination and comprehensive mental health examination 
     furnished to the member pursuant to paragraph (5); and
       ``(ii) share with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     information regarding the results specified in clause (i), 
     and the results of any action taken pursuant to subparagraph 
     (A), with respect to a member of the armed forces, to ensure 
     that the member may schedule any necessary appointment for 
     follow up mental health treatment after enrolling in the 
     health care system of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
     specified in subparagraph (B)(iii), as applicable.''.
       (c) Predictive Analytics.--Such section is further amended 
     by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(8)(A) The Secretary concerned, in collaboration with the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall develop a predictive 
     analytics model to be used as a suicide prevention measure 
     for members of the armed forces entitled to health care 
     benefits under this section or the laws administered by the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Such model shall take into 
     account data from--
       ``(i) the comprehensive separation health examinations and 
     comprehensive mental health examinations furnished pursuant 
     to paragraph (5); and
       ``(ii) such other necessary data sources and variables as 
     may be jointly identified by the Secretary concerned and the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
       ``(B) Following the comprehensive separation health 
     examination and comprehensive mental health examination of a 
     member of the armed forces pursuant to paragraph (5), the 
     Secretary concerned shall, using the model developed under 
     subparagraph (A)--
       ``(i) analyze data from the electronic health record of the 
     member (as updated pursuant to paragraph (6)(C)) to identify 
     whether the member is at a statistically elevated risk for 
     suicide, hospitalization, illness, or other adverse health 
     outcomes, and to provide preemptive care and support for the 
     member prior to the member having, or expressing to a 
     qualified mental health provider, suicidal thoughts;
       ``(ii) for any member so identified, indicate such 
     identification in the electronic health record of the member;
       ``(iii) ensure any member so identified is contacted to 
     initiate a plan for mental health care; and
       ``(iv) provide to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs an 
     analysis of the members so identified.''.
       (d) Definitions.--Section 1145(e) of title 10, United 
     States Code, is amended--
       (1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Definition'' 
     and inserting ``Definitions'';
       (2) by striking ``section, the term'' and inserting the 
     following: ``section:
       ``(1) The term''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
       ``(2) The term `comprehensive separation health 
     examination' means a questionnaire, jointly developed and 
     used by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs, for all body systems, to evaluate whether a 
     member of the armed forces may have a physical illness or 
     disability.
       ``(3) The term `comprehensive mental health examination' 
     means a questionnaire, jointly developed by the Secretary of 
     Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and 
     administered by a qualified mental health provider, to 
     evaluate whether a member of the armed forces--
       ``(A) has a mental health disorder; or
       ``(B) is experiencing suicide ideation.
       ``(4) The term `qualified mental health provider' means--
       ``(A) a board certified or board eligible psychiatrist;
       ``(B) a licensed psychologist with a doctoral degree from 
     an accredited graduate program in psychology;
       ``(C) a mental health provider with a doctoral degree from 
     an accredited graduate program in a field relating to mental 
     health, acting under the general supervision of an individual 
     specified in subparagraph (A) or (B);
       ``(D) a student in an accredited graduate program in 
     psychiatry completing a residency, acting under the close and 
     direct supervision of an individual specified in subparagraph 
     (A) or (B); or
       ``(E) a student in an accredited graduate program in 
     clinical or counseling psychology completing a one-year 
     internship or residency (for the purpose of obtaining a 
     doctoral degree from such program), acting under the close 
     and direct supervision of an individual specified in 
     subparagraph (A) or (B).''.
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