To provide for mental health counselors under TRICARE.

SA 2456. Mr. WARNER (for Mrs. Dole) proposed an amendment to the bill S. 1042, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2006 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe personnel strengths for such fiscal year for the Armed Forces, and for other purposes; as follows:

SEC. 718. MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS UNDER TRICARE.

(a) In General.--Section 1079(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

“(17) Services of mental health counselors, except that--

“(A) such services are limited to services provided by counselors who are licensed under applicable State law to provide mental health services;

“(B) such services may be provided independently of medical oversight and supervision only in areas identified by the Secretary as ‘medically underserved areas' where the Secretary determines that 25 percent or more of the residents are located in primary shortage areas designated pursuant to section 332 of the Public Health Services Act (42 U.S.C. 254e); and

“(C) the provision of such services shall be consistent with such rules as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, including criteria applicable to credentialing or certification of mental health counselors and a requirement that mental health counselors accept payment under this section as full payment for all services provided pursuant to this paragraph.”.

(b) Authority to Enter Into Personal Services Contracts.--Section 704(c)(2) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 (Public Law 103-337; 108 Stat. 2799; 10 U.S.C. 1091 note) is amended by inserting “mental health counselors,” after “psychologists,”.