I
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1463
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 10, 2013
Mr. Carson of Indiana (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.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
Military Suicide Reduction
Act
.
Mental health assessments for members of the Armed Forces deployed in support of a contingency operation
Increased assessments
Subsection (a) of section 1074m of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
in paragraph (1)—
by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively; and
by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph (B):
Once during each 180-day period in which the member is so deployed.
; and
in paragraph (2),
by striking
subparagraph (B) and (C)
and inserting
subparagraphs (C) and (D)
.
Deployment assessments by medical professionals
Subsection (c) of such section is amended—
in paragraph (1), by striking The
mental health
and inserting Except as provided by paragraph (3),
the mental health
; and
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
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.
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).
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).
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).
.
Uniform standards assessments
Such section is amended—
in subsection
(c)(1)(D), by striking consistent
and inserting
uniform
; and
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.
.
Conforming amendment
Subsection (d) of such section is amended by striking
subsection (a)(1)(C)
and inserting
subsection
(a)(1)(D)
.