I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8108 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop clinical practice 

guidelines for the treatment of serious mental illnesses. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 25, 2020 

Mr. MALINOWSKI (for himself and Mr. DUNN) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Armed Services, 

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 direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop clinical 

practice guidelines for the treatment of serious mental 

illnesses. 

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 ‘‘VA Serious Mental 

5 Illness Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

2 AFFAIRS AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OF 

3 CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR THE 

4 TREATMENT OF SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than three years after 

6 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 

7 Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of De8 fense and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 

9 shall complete the development of a clinical practice guide10 line or guidelines for the treatment of serious mental ill11 ness, to include the following conditions: 

12 (1) Schizophrenia. 

13 (2) Schizoaffective disorder. 

14 (3) Persistent mood disorder, including bipolar 

15 disorder I and II. 

16 (4) Any other mental, behavioral, or emotional 

17 disorder resulting in serious functional impairment 

18 that substantially interferes with major life activities 

19 as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation 

20 with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 

21 Health and Human Services, considers appropriate. 

22 (b) MATTERS INCLUDED IN GUIDELINES.—The clin23 ical practice guideline or guidelines developed under sub24 section (a) shall include the following: 

25 (1) Guidance contained in the 2016 Clinical 

26 Practice Guidelines for the Management of Major 


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1 Depressive Disorders of the Department of Veterans 

2 Affairs and the Department of Defense. 

3 (2) Guidance with respect to the treatment of 

4 patients with a condition described in subsection (a). 

5 (3) A list of evidence-based therapies for the 

6 treatment of conditions described in subsection (a). 

7 (4) An appropriate guideline for the administra8 tion of pharmacological therapy, psychological or be9 havioral therapy, or other therapy for the manage10 ment of conditions described in subsection (a). 

11 (c) PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND DISSEMINA12 TION.—The Secretary shall carry out an explicit plan to 

13 implement and disseminate the clinical practice guideline 

14 or guidelines developed under subsection (a). 

15 (d) ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING GUIDELINES.—Not 

16 later than two years after the date of the enactment of 

17 this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation 

18 with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Health 

19 and Human Services, shall complete an assessment of the 

20 2016 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of 

21 Major Depressive Disorders to determine whether an up22 date to such guidelines is necessary. 

23 (e) WORK GROUP.— 

24 (1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Vet25 erans Affairs, the Secretary of Defense, and the SecVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:35 Sep 04, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8108.IH H8108

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1 retary of Health and Human Services shall create a 

2 work group to develop the clinical practice guideline 

3 or guidelines under subsection (a) to be known as 

4 the ‘‘Serious Mental Illness Work Group’’ (in this 

5 subsection referred to as the ‘‘Work Group’’). 

6 (2) MEMBERSHIP.—The Work Group created 

7 under paragraph (1) shall be comprised of individ8 uals that represent Federal Government entities and 

9 non-Federal Government entities with expertise in 

10 the areas covered by the Work Group, including the 

11 following entities: 

12 (A) Academic institutions that specialize in 

13 research for the treatment of conditions de14 scribed in subsection (a). 

15 (B) The Health Services Research and De16 velopment Service of the Department of Vet17 erans Affairs. 

18 (C) The Office of the Assistant Secretary 

19 for Mental Health and Substance Use of the 

20 Department of Health and Human Services. 

21 (D) The National Institute of Mental 

22 Health. 

23 (E) The Indian Health Service. 


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1 (F) Relevant organizations with expertise 

2 in researching, diagnosing, or treating condi3 tions described in subsection (a). 

4 (3) RELATION TO OTHER WORK GROUPS.—The 

5 Work Group shall be created and conducted in the 

6 same manner as other work groups for the develop7 ment of clinical practice guidelines for the Depart8 ment of Veterans Affairs and the Department of De9 fense. 

10 (f) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec11 tion shall be construed to prevent the Secretary of Vet12 erans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense from consid13 ering all relevant evidence, as appropriate, in creating the 

14 clinical practice guideline or guidelines required under 

15 subsection (a) or from ensuring that the final clinical prac16 tice guideline or guidelines developed under such sub17 section and subsequently updated, as appropriate, remain 

18 applicable to the patient populations of the Department 

19 of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense. 

Æ 


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