S.Amdt. 6192

1. Adds SEC. 706. TRANSITIONAL HEALTH BENEFITS: REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION at the end of subtitle A of title VII

   Adds a section

   Inserted: SEC. 706. TRANSITIONAL HEALTH BENEFITS: REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION.

   Inserted: (a) Mental Health Examination Required.--Paragraph (5) of section 1145(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended--

   Inserted: (1) in subparagraph (A)--

   Inserted: (A) by striking "physical examination and a mental health assessment" and inserting "comprehensive separation health examination and a comprehensive mental health examination";

   Inserted: (B) by striking "The physical examination" and inserting "Such examinations"; and

   Inserted: (C) by adding at the end the following new sentence: "If the Secretary concerned is unable to furnish the examinations required under this subparagraph at a military medical treatment facility, the Secretary concerned shall furnish such examinations at a civilian facility or through the Reserve Health Readiness Program of the Department of Defense, or such successor program.";

   Inserted: (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking "physical examination" and inserting "comprehensive separation health examination" each place it appears;

   Inserted: (3) in subparagraph (C), in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking "physical examination" and inserting "comprehensive separation health examination"; and

   Inserted: (4) in subparagraph (D), by striking "physical examination and mental health assessment" and inserting "comprehensive separation health examination and comprehensive mental health examination".

   Inserted: (b) Follow up Treatment.--Paragraph (6) of such section is amended--

   Inserted: (1) in subparagraph (A)--

   Inserted: (A) by striking "medical examination" and inserting "a comprehensive separation health examination or a comprehensive mental health examination"; and

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   Inserted: (B) by striking "for a referral" and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting the following: "that a referral for follow up treatment is recommended."; and

   Inserted: (2) by adding at the end the following:

   Inserted: "(C) The Secretary concerned shall--

   Inserted: "(i) update the electronic health record maintained by the Secretary concerned for a member of the armed forces to include the results of the comprehensive separation health examination and comprehensive mental health examination furnished to the member pursuant to paragraph (5); and

   Inserted: "(ii) share with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs information regarding the results specified in clause (i), and the results of any action taken pursuant to subparagraph (A), with respect to a member of the armed forces, to ensure that the member may schedule any necessary appointment for follow up mental health treatment after enrolling in the health care system of the Department of Veterans Affairs specified in subparagraph (B)(iii), as applicable.".

   Inserted: (c) Predictive Analytics.--Such section is further amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

   Inserted: "(8)(A) The Secretary concerned, in collaboration with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall develop a predictive analytics model to be used as a suicide prevention measure for members of the armed forces entitled to health care benefits under this section or the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Such model shall take into account data from--

   Inserted: "(i) the comprehensive separation health examinations and comprehensive mental health examinations furnished pursuant to paragraph (5); and

   Inserted: "(ii) such other necessary data sources and variables as may be jointly identified by the Secretary concerned and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

   Inserted: "(B) Following the comprehensive separation health examination and comprehensive mental health examination of a member of the armed forces pursuant to paragraph (5), the Secretary concerned shall, using the model developed under subparagraph (A)--

   Inserted: "(i) analyze data from the electronic health record of the member (as updated pursuant to paragraph (6)(C)) to identify whether the member is at a statistically elevated risk for suicide, hospitalization, illness, or other adverse health outcomes, and to provide preemptive care and support for the member prior to the member having, or expressing to a qualified mental health provider, suicidal thoughts;

   Inserted: "(ii) for any member so identified, indicate such identification in the electronic health record of the member;

   Inserted: "(iii) ensure any member so identified is contacted to initiate a plan for mental health care; and

   Inserted: "(iv) provide to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs an analysis of the members so identified.".

   Inserted: (d) Definitions.--Section 1145(e) of title 10, United States Code, is amended--

   Inserted: (1) in the subsection heading, by striking "Definition" and inserting "Definitions";

   Inserted: (2) by striking "section, the term" and inserting the following: "section:

   Inserted: "(1) The term"; and

   Inserted: (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:

   Inserted: "(2) The term 'comprehensive separation health examination' means a questionnaire, jointly developed and used by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, for all body systems, to evaluate whether a member of the armed forces may have a physical illness or disability.

   Inserted: "(3) The term 'comprehensive mental health examination' means a questionnaire, jointly developed by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and administered by a qualified mental health provider, to evaluate whether a member of the armed forces--

   Inserted: "(A) has a mental health disorder; or

   Inserted: "(B) is experiencing suicide ideation.

   Inserted: "(4) The term 'qualified mental health provider' means--

   Inserted: "(A) a board certified or board eligible psychiatrist;

   Inserted: "(B) a licensed psychologist with a doctoral degree from an accredited graduate program in psychology;

   Inserted: "(C) a mental health provider with a doctoral degree from an accredited graduate program in a field relating to mental health, acting under the general supervision of an individual specified in subparagraph (A) or (B);

   Inserted: "(D) a student in an accredited graduate program in psychiatry completing a residency, acting under the close and direct supervision of an individual specified in subparagraph (A) or (B); or

   Inserted: "(E) a student in an accredited graduate program in clinical or counseling psychology completing a one-year internship or residency (for the purpose of obtaining a doctoral degree from such program), acting under the close and direct supervision of an individual specified in subparagraph (A) or (B).".

   Original wording

   At the end of subtitle A of title VII, add the following:

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As printed