HR 948
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 948
To amend title 10, United States Code, to require the provision of
behavioral health services to members of the reserve components of the Armed
Forces necessary to meet pre-deployment and post-deployment readiness and
fitness standards, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 8, 2011
Mr. LOEBSACK (for himself and Mr. LATHAM) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services
A BILL
To amend title 10, United States Code, to require the provision of
behavioral health services to members of the reserve components of the Armed
Forces necessary to meet pre-deployment and post-deployment readiness and
fitness standards, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Embedded Mental Health Providers for Reserves
Act of 2011'.
SEC. 2. ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS FOR MEMBERS OF THE RESERVE COMPONENTS
OF THE ARMED FORCES PERFORMING INACTIVE-DUTY TRAINING.
Section 1074a of title 10, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (i);
(2) by inserting after subsection (g) the following new subsection (h):
`(h)(1) The Secretary concerned shall provide to any member of the reserve
components performing inactive-duty training during scheduled unit training
assemblies access to mental health assessments with a licensed mental health
professional who shall be available for referrals during duty hours on the
premises of the principal duty location of the member's unit.
`(2) All mental health services provided under this subsection shall be subject
to and comply with all applicable privacy rules and security rules published
by the Department of Health and Human Services as required by the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
`(3) Mental health services provided to a member under this subsection shall
be at no cost to the member.'; and
(3) in subsection (i), as redesignated by paragraph (1), by striking `medical
and dental readiness' and inserting `medical, dental, and behavioral health
readiness'.
SEC. 3. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR MEMBERS OF THE RESERVE COMPONENTS
OF THE ARMED FORCES.
(a) In General- Each member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces participating
in annual training or individual duty training shall, while so participating,
have access to the behavioral health support programs for members of the reserve
components described in subsection (b).
(b) Behavioral Health Support Programs- The behavioral health support programs
for member of the reserve components described in this subsection shall include
one or any combination of the following:
(1) Programs providing access to licensed mental health providers in armories,
reserve centers, or other places for scheduled unit training assemblies.
(2) Programs providing training on suicide prevention and post-suicide response.
(3) Psychological health programs.
(4) Such other programs as the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with
the Surgeon General for the National Guard of the State in which the members
concerned reside, the Director of Psychological Health of the State in which
the members concerned reside, the Department of Mental Health or the equivalent
agency of the State in which the members concerned reside, or the Director
of the Psychological Health Program of the National Guard Bureau, considers
appropriate.
(c) Availability of Defense Health Program Funds- Subject to applicable provisions
of appropriations Acts, amounts available for the Department of Defense for
Defense Health Program shall be available for behavioral health support programs
for members of the reserve components under this section.
(d) Budget- The Office of the Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs shall
coordinate with the reserve components, including the National Guard Bureau,
in determining the amounts required on a fiscal-year basis for behavioral
support programs for members of the reserve components under this section.
(e) Executive Agent- The Joint Staff of the National Guard Bureau shall be
the executive agent for the implementation of behavioral health support programs
for members of the reserve components under this section.
END
