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I
116TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 2629
To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility for mental
health services from the Department of Veterans Affairs to include mem-
bers of the reserve components of the Armed Forces, and for other
purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 9, 2019
Mr. BRINDISI (for himself, Mr. RESCHENTHALER, Mr. KATKO, and Mr.
MEADOWS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility
for mental health services from the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs to include members of the reserve compo-
nents of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Care And Readiness
4
Enhancement for Reservists Act of 2019’’ or the ‘‘CARE
5
for Reservists Act of 2019’’.
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SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR READJUSTMENT
1
COUNSELING
AND
RELATED
OUTPATIENT
2
SERVICES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF VET-
3
ERANS AFFAIRS TO INCLUDE MEMBERS OF
4
THE RESERVE COMPONENTS OF THE ARMED
5
FORCES.
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(a)
READJUSTMENT
COUNSELING.—Subsection
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(a)(1) of section 1712A of title 38, United States Code,
8
is amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
9
paragraph:
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‘‘(D)(i) The Secretary, in consultation with the Sec-
11
retary of Defense, may furnish to any member of the re-
12
serve components of the Armed Forces who has a behav-
13
ioral health condition or psychological trauma, counseling
14
under subparagraph (A)(i), which may include a com-
15
prehensive individual assessment under subparagraph
16
(B)(i).
17
‘‘(ii) A member of the reserve components of the
18
Armed Forces described in clause (i) shall not be required
19
to obtain a referral before being furnished counseling or
20
an assessment under this subparagraph.’’.
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(b) OUTPATIENT SERVICES.—Subsection (b) of such
22
section is amended—
23
(1) in paragraph (1)—
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•HR 2629 IH
(A) by inserting ‘‘to an individual’’ after
1
‘‘If, on the basis of the assessment furnished’’;
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and
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(B) by striking ‘‘veteran’’ each place it ap-
4
pears and inserting ‘‘individual’’; and
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(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘veteran’’ and
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inserting ‘‘individual’’.
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(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
8
this section shall take effect on the date that is one year
9
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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SEC. 3. PROVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FROM
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THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
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TO MEMBERS OF THE RESERVE COMPO-
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NENTS OF THE ARMED FORCES.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter VIII of chapter 17 of
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title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the
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end the following new section:
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‘‘§ 1789. Mental health services for members of the re-
18
serve components of the Armed Forces
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‘‘The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of
20
Defense, may furnish mental health services to members
21
of the reserve components of the Armed Forces.’’.
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(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections
23
at the beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended
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•HR 2629 IH
by inserting after the item relating to section 1788 the
1
following new item:
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‘‘1789. Mental health services for members of the reserve components of the
Armed Forces.’’.
SEC. 4. INCLUSION OF MEMBERS OF RESERVE COMPO-
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NENTS IN MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS OF
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THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
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(a) SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM.—
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1720F of title 38,
7
United States Code, is amended by adding at the
8
end the following new subsection:
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‘‘(l)(1) COVERED INDIVIDUAL DEFINED.—In this
10
section, the term ‘covered individual’ means a veteran or
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a member of the reserve components of the Armed Forces.
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‘‘(2) In determining coverage of members of the re-
13
serve components of the Armed Forces under the com-
14
prehensive program, the Secretary shall consult with the
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Secretary of Defense.’’.
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(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such section
17
is further amended—
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(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘vet-
19
erans’’ and inserting ‘‘covered individuals’’;
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(B) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘vet-
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erans’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘cov-
22
ered individuals’’;
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(C) in subsection (c)—
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•HR 2629 IH
(i) in the subsection heading, by strik-
1
ing ‘‘OF VETERANS’’;
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(ii) by striking ‘‘veterans’’ each place
3
it appears and inserting ‘‘covered individ-
4
uals’’; and
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(iii) by striking ‘‘veteran’’ and insert-
6
ing ‘‘individual’’;
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(D) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘to vet-
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erans’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘to
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covered individuals’’;
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(E) in subsection (e), in the matter pre-
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ceding paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘veterans’’
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and inserting ‘‘covered individuals’’;
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(F) in subsection (f)—
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(i) in the first sentence, by striking
15
‘‘veterans’’ and inserting ‘‘covered individ-
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uals’’; and
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(ii) in the second sentence, by insert-
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ing ‘‘or members’’ after ‘‘veterans’’;
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(G) in subsection (g), by striking ‘‘vet-
20
erans’’ and inserting ‘‘covered individuals’’;
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(H) in subsection (h), by striking ‘‘vet-
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erans’’ and inserting ‘‘covered individuals’’;
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(I) in subsection (i)—
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(i) in the subsection heading, by strik-
1
ing ‘‘FOR VETERANS AND FAMILIES’’;
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(ii) in the matter preceding paragraph
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(1), by striking ‘‘veterans and the families
4
of veterans’’ and inserting ‘‘covered indi-
5
viduals and the families of covered individ-
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uals’’;
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(iii) in paragraph (2), by striking
8
‘‘veterans’’ and inserting ‘‘covered individ-
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uals’’; and
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(iv) in paragraph (4), by striking
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‘‘veterans’’ each place it appears and in-
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serting ‘‘covered individuals’’;
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(J) in subsection (j)—
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(i) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘vet-
15
erans’’ each place it appears and inserting
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‘‘covered individuals’’; and
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(ii) in paragraph (4)—
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(I) in subparagraph (A), in the
19
matter preceding clause (i), by strik-
20
ing ‘‘women veterans’’ and inserting
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‘‘covered individuals who are women’’;
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(II) in subparagraph (B), by
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striking ‘‘women veterans who’’ and
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•HR 2629 IH
inserting ‘‘covered individuals who are
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women and’’; and
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(III) in subparagraph (C), by
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striking ‘‘women veterans’’ and insert-
4
ing ‘‘covered individuals who are
5
women’’; and
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(K) in subsection (k), by striking ‘‘vet-
7
erans’’ and inserting ‘‘covered individuals’’.
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(3) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—
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(A) IN GENERAL.—Such section is further
10
amended, in the section heading, by inserting
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‘‘AND MEMBERS OF THE RESERVE COMPO-
12
NENTS
OF
THE
ARMED
FORCES’’ after
13
‘‘VETERANS’’.
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(B) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of
15
sections at the beginning of chapter 17 of such
16
title is amended by striking the item relating to
17
section 1720F and inserting the following new
18
item:
19
‘‘1720F. Comprehensive program for suicide prevention among veterans and
members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces.’’.
(b) MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS
20
WHO SERVED IN CLASSIFIED MISSIONS.—
21
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1720H of such title
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is amended—
23
(A) in subsection (a)—
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•HR 2629 IH
(i) in paragraph (1)—
1
(I) by striking ‘‘eligible veteran’’
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and inserting ‘‘eligible individual’’;
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and
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(II) by striking ‘‘the veteran’’
5
and inserting ‘‘the individual’’; and
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(ii) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘eli-
7
gible veterans’’ and inserting ‘‘eligible indi-
8
viduals’’;
9
(B) in subsection (b)—
10
(i) by striking ‘‘a veteran’’ and insert-
11
ing ‘‘an individual’’; and
12
(ii) by striking ‘‘eligible veteran’’ and
13
inserting ‘‘eligible individual’’; and
14
(C) in subsection (c)—
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(i) in paragraph (2), in the matter
16
preceding subparagraph (A), by striking
17
‘‘The term ‘eligible veteran’ means a vet-
18
eran’’ and inserting ‘‘The term ‘eligible in-
19
dividual’ means a veteran or a member of
20
the reserve components of the Armed
21
Forces’’; and
22
(ii) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘eli-
23
gible veteran’’ and inserting ‘‘eligible indi-
24
vidual’’.
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•HR 2629 IH
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—
1
(A) IN GENERAL.—Such section is further
2
amended, in the section heading, by inserting
3
‘‘AND MEMBERS OF THE RESERVE COMPO-
4
NENTS
OF
THE
ARMED
FORCES’’ after
5
‘‘VETERANS’’.
6
(B) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of
7
sections at the beginning of chapter 17 of such
8
title is amended by striking the item relating to
9
section 1720H and inserting the following new
10
item:
11
‘‘1720H. Mental health treatment for veterans and members of the reserve com-
ponents of the Armed Forces who served in classified mis-
sions.’’.
SEC. 5. REPORT ON MENTAL HEALTH AND RELATED SERV-
12
ICES PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
13
VETERANS AFFAIRS TO MEMBERS OF THE
14
ARMED FORCES.
15
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the
16
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet-
17
erans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’
18
Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Sen-
19
ate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Com-
20
mittee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives
21
a report that includes an assessment of the following:
22
(1) The increase, as compared to the day before
23
the date of the enactment of this Act, of the number
24
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•HR 2629 IH
of members of the Armed Forces that use readjust-
1
ment counseling or outpatient mental health care
2
from the Department of Veterans Affairs, disaggre-
3
gated by State, Vet Center location, and clinical care
4
site of the Department, as appropriate.
5
(2) The number of members of the reserve com-
6
ponents of the Armed Forces receiving telemental
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health care from the Department.
8
(3) The increase, as compared to the day before
9
the date of the enactment of this Act, of the annual
10
cost associated with readjustment counseling and
11
outpatient mental health care provided by the De-
12
partment to members of the reserve components of
13
the Armed Forces.
14
(4) The changes, as compared to the day before
15
the date of the enactment of this Act, in staffing,
16
training, organization, and resources required for
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the Department to offer readjustment counseling
18
and outpatient mental health care to members of the
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reserve components of the Armed Forces.
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(5) Any challenges the Department has encoun-
21
tered in providing readjustment counseling and out-
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patient mental health care to members of the reserve
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components of the Armed Forces.
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(b) VET CENTER DEFINED.—In this section, the
1
term ‘‘Vet Center’’ has the meaning given that term in
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section 1712A(h) of title 38, United States Code.
3
Æ
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