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H.R. 1463 (113th): Military Suicide Reduction Act

The text of the bill below is as of Apr 10, 2013 (Introduced).

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I

113th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1463

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 10, 2013

(for himself, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Takano, and Mr. Enyart) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve the mental health assessments provided to members of the Armed Forces deployed in support of a contingency operation.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Military Suicide Reduction Act .

2.

Mental health assessments for members of the Armed Forces deployed in support of a contingency operation

(a)

Increased assessments

Subsection (a) of section 1074m of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1)—

(A)

by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively; and

(B)

by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph (B):

(B)

Once during each 180-day period in which the member is so deployed.

; and

(2)

in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph (B) and (C) and inserting subparagraphs (C) and (D) .

(b)

Deployment assessments by medical professionals

Subsection (c) of such section is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1), by striking The mental health and inserting Except as provided by paragraph (3), the mental health; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(3)
(A)

If the Secretary determines that a mental health assessment conducted under subsection (a)(1)(B) cannot be performed by an individual described in clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary shall ensure that the mental health assessment is conducted using an Internet-based questionnaire.

(B)

After a member completes a questionnaire conducted under subparagraph (A), the immediate commanding officer of the member shall complete a separate Internet-based questionnaire regarding the observations of the commanding officer with respect to the mental health of the member. The commanding officer may not have access to the questionnaire of the member conducted under subparagraph (A).

(C)

The Secretary shall ensure that the questionnaires conducted under subparagraphs (A) and (B) to assess a member are combined and such combined document is reviewed and acted upon by personnel described in paragraph (1)(A) in the same manner as an assessment conducted pursuant to subparagraph (A), (C), or (D) of subsection (a)(1).

(D)

Nothing in this paragraph may be construed to treat a questionnaire conducted under subparagraph (A) or subparagraph (B) as being exempt from Department of Defense Directive 6025.18, a successor directive, or any other relevant regulation regarding privacy prescribed pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–191).

.

(c)

Uniform standards assessments

Such section is amended—

(1)

in subsection (c)(1)(D), by striking consistent and inserting uniform; and

(2)

in subsection (f)(1), by adding at the end the following new sentence: Such regulations shall ensure that this section is carried out in a uniform manner among the military departments..

(d)

Conforming amendment

Subsection (d) of such section is amended by striking subsection (a)(1)(C) and inserting subsection (a)(1)(D) .