S.Amdt. 1616

SA 1616. Mr. DONNELLY (for himself and Mr. Bennet) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 1463 proposed by Mr.
McCain to the bill H.R. 1735, to authorize appropriations for fiscal
year 2016 for military activities of the Department of Defense and for
military construction, to prescribe military personnel strengths for
such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on
the table; as follows:

Strike section 716 and insert the following:

SEC. 716. DESIGNATION OF CERTAIN NON-DEPARTMENT MENTAL HEALTH
CARE PROVIDERS WITH KNOWLEDGE RELATING TO
TREATMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND
VETERANS.

(a) Mental Health Provider Readiness Designation.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in
consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall
develop a system by which any non-Department mental health
care provider that meets eligibility criteria established by
the Secretary of Defense relating to the knowledge described
in paragraph (2) receives a mental health provider readiness
designation from the Department of Defense.
(2) Knowledge described.--The knowledge described in this
paragraph is the following:
(A) Knowledge and understanding with respect to the culture
of members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and family members
and caregivers of members of the Armed Forces and veterans.
(B) Knowledge with respect to evidence-based treatments
that have been approved by the Department for the treatment
of mental health issues among members of the Armed Forces and
veterans.
(b) Availability of Information on Designation.--
(1) Registry.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish and
update as necessary a registry that is available to the
public of all non-Department mental health care providers
that are currently designated under subsection (a)(1).
(2) Provider list.--The Secretary concerned shall update
all lists maintained by such Secretary of non-Department
mental health care providers that provide mental health care
under the laws administered by such Secretary by indicating
the providers that are currently designated under subsection
(a)(1).
(3) Publication of information.--The Secretary concerned
shall ensure that the registry established and updated under
paragraph (1) is available to the public on an Internet
website maintained by each such Secretary.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Non-department mental health care provider defined.--
The term ``non-Department mental health care provider''--
(A) means a health care provider that--
(i) specializes in mental health;
(ii) is not a health care provider of the Department of
Defense or the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
(iii) provides health care to members of the Armed Forces
or veterans; and
(B) includes psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric
nurses, social workers, mental health counselors, marriage
and family therapists, and other mental health care providers
designated by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs.
(2) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned''
means the Secretary of Defense with respect to matters
concerning the Department of Defense and the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs with respect to matters concerning the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
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