United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2008-01-25 monographic deposited born digital 18 p. GA 1.13:GAO-08-181R https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-181R P0b002ee180373032 f:d08181r DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-181R machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-181R GAO-08-181R Health care planning Health care programs Health care reform Health care services Mental health Military health services Military personnel Military personnel deployment Military policies Military reserve personnel Strategic planning Correspondence A80150

Congress's long-standing interest in health care services for servicemembers returning from deployment has grown regarding National Guard and Reserve servicemembers because they are being activated in numbers not seen since World War II. For servicemembers who have been deployed overseas--whether National Guard, Reserve, or active duty--the Department of Defense (DOD) has developed a continuum of programs to assess servicemembers' health needs by obtaining information on their health concerns. One health assessment is administered before deployment, another about the time servicemembers return from deployment, and a third 90 to 180 days after deployment, which is called the post-deployment health reassessment (PDHRA). DOD directed the PDHRA to be implemented in June 2005 in response to studies that showed that health concerns were emerging several months after servicemembers' return from deployment. One intent of the PDHRA is to identify servicemembers' health concerns with a specific emphasis on screening for mental health and to assess whether servicemembers need referrals for further evaluation. PDHRAs can result in referrals being made to military treatment facilities, TRICARE providers, chaplains, Military OneSource, or Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, such as VA medical centers, VA community clinics, and Vet Centers. Congressional interest in health care services for National Guard and Reserve servicemembers returning from deployment has increased because of their large numbers and because they have reported post-deployment mental health concerns at a higher rate than their active duty counterparts, though this varies by military service. Related to this interest, Congress asked us to describe the administration of the PDHRA to National Guard and Reserve servicemembers. This report describes: (1) how DOD administers the PDHRA to National Guard and Reserve servicemembers and what information it obtains and (2) how VA interacts with DOD in the PDHRA process for these servicemembers and the information VA obtains. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-181R/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-181R.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-181R/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-181R.pdf GAO-08-181R https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-181R Correspondence GAO-08-181R; VA and DOD Health Care: Administration of DOD's Post-Deployment Health Reassessment to National Guard and Reserve Servicemembers and VA's Interaction with DOD; Health care planning Health care programs Health care reform Health care services Mental health Military health services Military personnel Military personnel deployment Military policies Military reserve personnel Strategic planning Title 10 Section 136 10 U.S.C. 136 Volume 111 Page 1629 111 Stat. 1629 Public Law 105-85