I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8005 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program 

to provide veterans access to computerized cognitive behavioral therapy. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 11, 2020 

Mr. GOLDEN (for himself and Mr. BANKS) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 

a pilot program to provide veterans access to computerized cognitive behavioral therapy. 

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 ‘‘Veterans Access to 

5 Online Treatment Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE VETERANS ACCESS 

7 TO COMPUTERIZED COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL 

8 THERAPY. 

9 (a) PILOT PROGRAM.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—Beginning not later than 

2 210 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 

3 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a 

4 pilot program to treat eligible veterans suffering 

5 from depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress dis6 order, military sexual trauma, or substance use dis7 order, or a combination thereof, who are already re8 ceiving evidence-based therapy from the Department 

9 of Veterans Affairs. 

10 (2) COMPUTERIZED COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL

11 THERAPY.—In carrying out the pilot program under 

12 paragraph (1), the Secretary may use computerized 

13 cognitive behavioral therapy to treat eligible vet14 erans. 

15 (3) CONTINUATION OF PROGRAMS.—The Sec16 retary may— 

17 (A) continue any cognitive behavioral ther18 apy programs in place on or before the date of 

19 the enactment of this Act; and 

20 (B) may use data or other observations 

21 under any such programs in making the assess22 ment required under subsection (h)(1). 

23 (b) ELIGIBLE VETERANS.—A veteran is eligible to 

24 participate in the pilot program under subsection (a) if 

25 the veteran is enrolled in the system of patient enrollment 


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1 of the Department of Veterans Affairs established and op2 erated under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States 

3 Code. 

4 (c) DURATION.—The Secretary shall carry out the 

5 pilot program under subsection (a) for a two-year period 

6 beginning on the commencement of the program. 

7 (d) LOCATIONS.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall select 

9 not fewer than three facilities of the Department of 

10 Veterans Affairs at which to carry out the pilot pro11 gram under subsection (a). 

12 (2) SELECTION CRITERIA.—In selecting facili13 ties under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure 

14 that— 

15 (A) the locations are in geographically di16 verse areas; and 

17 (B) not fewer than two facilities serve vet18 erans in rural or highly rural areas. 

19 (e) ACCESS TO CHAT.—In carrying out the pilot pro20 gram under subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure that 

21 veterans participating in the pilot program have access via 

22 chat to a mental health provider 24 hours per day, seven 

23 days per week. 

24 (f) PROMOTION OF VETERANS CRISIS LINE.—The 

25 Secretary shall promote the availability of the Veterans 


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1 Crisis Line to veterans participating in the pilot program 

2 under subsection (a). 

3 (g) DEPARTMENT WEBSITE.—In implementing the 

4 pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary, to the 

5 extent feasible, shall use a website of the Department of 

6 Veterans Affairs to host the pilot program. 

7 (h) REPORTS.— 

8 (1) INTERIM REPORT.— 

9 (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year 

10 after the commencement of the pilot program 

11 under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit 

12 to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 

13 Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

14 of the House of Representatives a report on the 

15 progress of the pilot program. 

16 (B) ELEMENTS.—The report required by 

17 subparagraph (A) shall include the following: 

18 (i) The number of participants in the 

19 pilot program and the number of persons 

20 whose experience in any other online cog21 nitive behavioral therapy programs con22 ducted by the Department of Veterans Af23 fairs were used in the assessment under 

24 clause (ii). 


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1 (ii) An assessment of whether partici2 pation by a veteran in the pilot program 

3 resulted in any changes in clinically rel4 evant endpoints for the veteran with re5 spect to the conditions specified in sub6 section (a)(1). 

7 (iii) Any recommendations of the Sec8 retary with respect to extending or expand9 ing the pilot program. 

10 (2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 90 days 

11 after the termination of the pilot program under 

12 subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the 

13 Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 

14 the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of 

15 Representatives a final report on the pilot program. 

16 (i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

17 (1) The term ‘‘highly rural area’’ has the mean18 ing given that term in section 1703(i)(2)(B) of title 

19 38, United States Code. 

20 (2) The term ‘‘Veterans Crisis Line’’ means the 

21 toll-free hotline for veterans established under sec22 tion 1720F(h) of title 38, United States Code. 

Æ 


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