S.Amdt. 320

SA 320. Mr. OSSOFF (for himself and Mr. Moran) submitted an amendment
intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2226, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2024 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 appropriate place in title VII, insert the
following:

SEC. ___. REPORT ON MILITARY MENTAL HEALTH CARE REFERRAL
POLICIES.

(a) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit
to the congressional defense committees a report--
(1) detailing the mental health care referral policies of
the Armed Forces; and
(2) the impact of removing primary care referral
requirements for outpatient mental health care on--
(A) military readiness;
(B) the uptake of outpatient mental health care services by
members of the Armed Forces; and
(C) suicide prevention.
(b) Recommendations.--The report required by subsection (a)
shall include recommendations and legislative proposals--
(1) to improve resources and access for outpatient mental
health care services by members of the Armed Forces;
(2) to encourage the uptake of such services by such
members; and
(3) to maintain military readiness.
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