S.Amdt. 2288

SA 2288. Mrs. BOXER (for herself, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Obama, and Mr. Kennedy) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill H.R. 1585, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2008 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 title VII, add the following:

SEC. 703. IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE MENTAL HEALTH TASK FORCE.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense shall implement the recommendations of the Department of Defense Task Force on Mental Health developed pursuant to section 723 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 109-163; 119 Stat. 3348) as soon as practicable to ensure a full continuum of psychological health services and care for members of the Armed Forces and their families.

(b) Implementation of Certain Recommendations.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall implement the following recommendations of the Department of Defense Task Force on Mental Health:

(1) The implementation of a comprehensive public education campaign to reduce the stigma associated with mental health problems.

(2) The appointment of a psychological director of health for each military department, each military treatment facility, the National Guard, and the Reserve Component, and the establishment of a psychological health council.

(3) The establishment of a center of excellence for the study of resilience.

(4) The enhancement of TRICARE benefits and care for mental health problems.

(5) The implementation of an annual psychological health assessment addressing cognition, psychological functioning, and overall psychological readiness for each member of the Armed Forces, including members of the National Guard and Reserve Component.

(6) The development of a model for allocating resources to military mental health facilities, and services embedded in line units, based on an assessment of the needs of and risks faced by the populations served by such facilities and services.

(7) The issuance of a policy directive to ensure that each military department carefully assesses the history of occupational exposure to conditions potentially resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, or related diagnoses in members of the Armed Forces facing administrative or medical discharge.

(8) The maintenance of adequate family support programs for families of deployed members of the Armed Forces.

(9) The movement of clinical psychologists and clinical social workers into the professional YH medical career group of the National Security Personnel System established pursuant to section 9902 of title 5, United States Code.

(c) Recommendations Requiring Statutory Changes.--The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees as part of the plan required by subsection (f) of section 723 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 109-163; 119 Stat. 3348) a description of any statutory changes necessary to implement the recommendations of the Department of Defense Mental Health Task Force.

(d) Progress Reports Required.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every three months thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a progress report on the status of the implementation of the recommendations of the Department of Defense Mental Health Task Force.