I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2058 

To require mental health screenings for members of the Armed Forces who 

are deployed in connection with a contingency operation, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 23, 2009 

Mr. REHBERG (for himself and Mr. THOMPSON of California) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, 

and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to 

be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 

concerned 

A BILL 

To require mental health screenings for members of the 

Armed Forces who are deployed in connection with a 

contingency operation, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Post-Deployment 

5 Health Assessment Act of 2009’’. 


hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS
2 

•HR 2058 IH

1 SEC. 2. MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS FOR MEMBERS OF 

2 THE ARMED FORCES DEPLOYED IN CONNEC3 TION WITH A CONTINGENCY OPERATION. 

4 (a) MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

6 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec7 retary of Defense shall issue guidance for the provi8 sion of an in-person mental health screening for 

9 each member of the Armed Forces who is deployed 

10 in connection with a contingency operation as fol11 lows: 

12 (A) At a time during the period beginning 

13 180 days before the date of deployment in con14 nection with the contingency operation and end15 ing 90 days before the date of deployment in 

16 connection with the contingency operation. 

17 (B) At a time during the period beginning 

18 90 days after the date of redeployment from the 

19 contingency operation and ending 180 days 

20 after the date of redeployment from the contin21 gency operation. 

22 (C) Subject to subsection (d), not later 

23 than each of 6 months, 12 months, and 18 

24 months after the screening provided under sub25 paragraph (B). 


hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS
3 

•HR 2058 IH

1 (2) EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN MEMBERS.—A 

2 mental health screening is not required for a mem3 bers of the Armed Forces under subparagraphs (B) 

4 and (C) of paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines 

5 that the member was not subjected or exposed to 

6 combat stress during deployment in the contingency 

7 operation concerned. 

8 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the mental health 

9 screenings provided pursuant to this section shall be to 

10 identify post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal ten11 dencies, and other behavioral health issues identified 

12 among members of the Armed Forces described in sub13 section (a) in order to determine which such members are 

14 in need of additional care and treatment for such health 

15 issues. 

16 (c) ELEMENTS.— 

17 (1) IN GENERAL.—The mental health 

18 screenings provided pursuant to this section shall— 

19 (A) be performed by personnel trained and 

20 certified to perform such screenings in accord21 ance with such criteria as the Secretary of De22 fense shall establish; and 

23 (B) include an in-person dialogue between 

24 members of the Armed Forces described in sub25 section (a) and personnel described by paraVerDate Nov 24 2008 22:01 Apr 24, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2058.IH H2058

hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS
4 

•HR 2058 IH

1 graph (1) on such matters as the Secretary 

2 shall specify in order that the screenings 

3 achieve the purpose specified in subsection (b) 

4 for such screenings. 

5 (2) TREATMENT OF CURRENT ASSESSMENTS

6 AND SCREENINGS.—The Secretary may treat peri7 odic health assessments and other in-person 

8 screenings that are provided to members of the 

9 Armed Forces as of the date of the enactment of 

10 this Act as meeting the requirements for mental 

11 health screenings required under this section if the 

12 Secretary determines that such assessments and in13 person screenings meet the requirements for mental 

14 health screenings established by this section. 

15 (d) CESSATION OF SCREENINGS.—No mental health 

16 screening is required to be provided an individual under 

17 subsection (a)(1)(C) after the individual’s discharge or re18 lease from the Armed Forces. 

19 (e) SHARING OF INFORMATION.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 

21 shall share with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

22 such information on members of the Armed Forces 

23 that is derived from confidential mental health 

24 screenings, including mental health screenings pro25 vided pursuant to this section and health assessVerDate Nov 24 2008 22:01 Apr 24, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2058.IH H2058

hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS
5 

•HR 2058 IH

1 ments and other in-person screenings provided be2 fore the date of the enactment of this Act, as the 

3 Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans 

4 Affairs jointly consider appropriate to ensure con5 tinuity of mental health care and treatment of mem6 bers of the Armed Forces during their transition 

7 from health care and treatment provided by the De8 partment of Defense to health care and treatment 

9 provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

10 (2) PROTOCOLS.—Any sharing of information 

11 under paragraph (1) shall occur pursuant to a pro12 tocol jointly established by the Secretary of Defense 

13 and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for purposes 

14 of this subsection. Any such protocol shall be con15 sistent with the following: 

16 (A) Applicable provisions of the Wounded 

17 Warrior Act (title XVI of Public Law 110–181; 

18 10 U.S.C. 1071 note), including in particular, 

19 section 1614 of that Act (122 Stat. 443; 10 

20 U.S.C. 1071 note). 

21 (B) Section 1720F of title 38, United 

22 States Code. 

23 (f) CONTINGENCY OPERATION DEFINED.—In this 

24 section, the term ‘‘contingency operation’’ has the meanVerDate Nov 24 2008 22:01 Apr 24, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2058.IH H2058

hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS
6 

•HR 2058 IH

1 ing given that term in section 101(a)(13) of title 10, 

2 United States Code. 

3 (g) REPORTS.— 

4 (1) REPORT ON GUIDANCE.—Upon the issuance 

5 of the guidance required by subsection (a), the Sec6 retary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report 

7 describing the guidance. 

8 (2) REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF GUID9 ANCE.—Not later than one year after the date of the 

10 issuance of the guidance required by subsection (a), 

11 the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on 

12 the implementation of the guidance by the military 

13 departments. The report shall include an evidence14 based assessment of the effectiveness of the mental 

15 health screenings provided pursuant to the guidance 

16 in achieving the purpose specified in subsection (b) 

17 for such screenings. 

Æ 


hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS