Frontline Mental Health Provider Training Act

Summary: Frontline Mental Health Provider Training Act  Requires the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to jointly commence a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of expanding use of physician assistants specializing in psychiatric medicine at DOD and VA medical facilities in order to meet the increasing demand for mental health care providers at such facilities through the completion of two 18-month psychiatry fellowship programs for physician assistants. Directs DOD to carry out the pilot program at not less than one military medical treatment facility under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Army, one under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Navy, and one under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Air Force. Requires the VA to carry out the program at not less than three VA medical centers. Requires each Department to select at least 12 physician assistants to participate in each fellowship program. Sets forth qualifications for eligible physician assistants. Requires each fellowship program to: (1) meet the training model for acuity, mixture, and volume established for psychiatric residency programs; and (2) provide to the selected individuals training equivalent to that received during a psychiatric residency, education leading to a clinical doctorate of science in psychiatry, and education that addresses the particular needs of rural and other under served populations of members of the Armed Forces and veterans. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Frontline Mental Health Provider 
Training Act''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM ON EXPANSION OF USE OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS TO 
              PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH CARE TO MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES 
              AND VETERANS.

    (a) Pilot Program.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs (in this section referred to as the ``Secretaries'') 
shall jointly commence the conduct of a pilot program to assess the 
feasibility and advisability of expanding the use by the Department of 
Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs of physician assistants 
specializing in psychiatric medicine at medical facilities of the 
Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs in order 
to meet the increasing demand for mental health care providers at such 
facilities through the use of an 18-month psychiatry fellowship program 
for physician assistants.
    (b) Locations.--
            (1) Department of defense.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
        carry out the pilot program at not less than three military 
        medical treatment facilities, of which--
                    (A) not less than one shall be a military medical 
                treatment facility under the jurisdiction of the 
                Secretary of the Army;
                    (B) not less than one shall be a military medical 
                treatment facility under the jurisdiction of the 
                Secretary of the Navy; and
                    (C) not less than one shall be a military medical 
                treatment facility under the jurisdiction of the 
                Secretary of the Air Force.
            (2) Department of veterans affairs.--The Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs shall carry out the pilot program at not less 
        than three medical centers of the Department of Veterans 
        Affairs.
    (c) Eligible Individuals.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), an 
        individual eligible for participation in the pilot program is 
        an individual who--
                    (A) has successfully graduated with a masters 
                degree in physician assistant studies from an 
                accredited physician assistant program;
                    (B) is certified by the National Commission on 
                Certification of Physician Assistants;
                    (C) has a valid license, certification, and 
                registration necessary to practice medicine; and
                    (D) does not have any pending challenge, 
                investigation, revocation, restriction, disciplinary 
                action, suspension, reprimand, probation, denial, or 
                withdrawal with respect to any license, certification, 
                or registration described in subparagraph (C).
            (2) Department of defense.--With respect to the conduct of 
        the pilot program at a military medical treatment facility, an 
        individual eligible for participation in the pilot program is 
        an individual who--
                    (A) qualifies as an eligible individual under 
                paragraph (1);
                    (B) is a commissioned officer in the Armed Forces; 
                and
                    (C) meets the requirements necessary to be deployed 
                as such an officer throughout the world.
    (d) Selection of Individuals.--
            (1) In general.--Each of the Secretaries shall select not 
        less than 12 individuals described in subsection (c) to 
        participate in the pilot program for each 18-month psychiatry 
        fellowship program carried out under subsection (e).
            (2) Distribution.--Each of the Secretaries shall equally 
        distribute the individuals selected under paragraph (1) among 
        the locations at which the pilot program is to be carried out 
        by such Secretary.
    (e) Psychiatry Fellowship Program.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out the pilot program, the 
        Secretaries shall establish an 18-month psychiatry fellowship 
        program for physician assistants that meets the training model 
        for acuity, mixture, and volume established for psychiatric 
        residency programs.
            (2) Training and education.--The psychiatric fellowship 
        program established under paragraph (1) shall provide to 
        eligible individuals who are selected for the program the 
        following:
                    (A) Training that is equivalent to training 
                received during a psychiatric residency with respect to 
                guidelines, objectives, and milestones.
                    (B) Education leading to a clinical doctorate of 
                science in psychiatry that addresses the following:
                            (i) Inpatient care.
                            (ii) Outpatient care.
                            (iii) Emergency psychiatry.
                            (iv) Neurology, including child, 
                        adolescent, and geriatric neurology.
                            (v) Pain management.
                            (vi) Addictive psychiatry.
                            (vii) Psycho-pharmacology.
                            (viii) Traumatic brain injury.
                            (ix) Clinical practice guidelines.
                    (C) Education that addresses the particular needs 
                of rural and other underserved populations of members 
                of the Armed Forces and veterans to ensure a particular 
                approach to psychiatry that benefits those individuals.
            (3) Use of other programs.--In carrying out the psychiatric 
        fellowship program under paragraph (1), the Secretaries shall 
        use resources available to the Secretaries under existing 
        graduate medical education programs of the Department of 
        Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to the greatest 
        extent possible.
    (f) Reports on Pilot Program.--
            (1) Initial report.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than two years after the 
                date on which the pilot program commences under 
                subsection (a), the Secretaries shall jointly submit to 
                the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the 
                pilot program.
                    (B) Elements.--The report required by subparagraph 
                (A) shall include the following:
                            (i) A description of the implementation of 
                        the pilot program at each location of the pilot 
                        program, including a detailed description of 
                        the education and training provided under the 
                        pilot program at such location.
                            (ii) A description and explanation of 
                        differences, if any, in the implementation and 
                        performance of the pilot program among the 
                        locations of the pilot program.
                            (iii) An assessment of the satisfaction of 
                        members of the Armed Forces and veterans with 
                        mental health care provided under the pilot 
                        program, including an assessment of the 
                        outcomes of such care.
                            (iv) An assessment of cost savings, if any, 
                        to the Federal Government resulting from the 
                        pilot program.
                            (v) A description of improvements, if any, 
                        to the access of members of the Armed Forces 
                        and veterans to mental health care resulting 
                        from the pilot program.
                            (vi) A description of recommendations, if 
                        any, of the Secretaries of alternative methods 
                        to improve the access of members of the Armed 
                        Forces and veterans to mental health care other 
                        than through the pilot program.
                            (vii) A recommendation as to the 
                        feasibility and advisability of extending or 
                        expanding the pilot program.
            (2) Final report.--Not later than 90 days before the date 
        on which the pilot program terminates under subsection (g), the 
        Secretaries shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees 
        of Congress an update to the report submitted under paragraph 
        (1).
            (3) Appropriate committees of congress defined.--In this 
        subsection, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
        means--
                    (A) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
                Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
                Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
                Representatives.
    (g) Termination.--The authority of the Secretaries to carry out the 
pilot program shall terminate upon the completion of two 18-month 
psychiatry fellowship programs conducted under subsection (e).