I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1801 

To direct the Secretary of Defense to develop a strategy to recruit and 

retain mental health providers, to direct the Secretaries of the military 

departments to develop medication monitoring programs, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 14, 2019 

Mr. SMUCKER (for himself and Mr. CARBAJAL) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Defense to develop a strategy 

to recruit and retain mental health providers, to direct 

the Secretaries of the military departments to develop 

medication monitoring programs, 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 ‘‘Warrior Wellness Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. STRATEGY TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN MENTAL 

6 HEALTH PROVIDERS. 

7 Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact8 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 


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1 to the congressional defense committees (as defined in sec2 tion 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code) a report 

3 that— 

4 (1) describes the shortage of mental health pro5 viders of the Department of Defense; 

6 (2) explains the reasons for such shortage; 

7 (3) explains the effect of such shortage on 

8 members of the Armed Forces; and 

9 (4) contains a strategy to better recruit and re10 tain mental health providers, including with respect 

11 to psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health nurse 

12 practitioners, licensed social workers, and other li13 censed providers of the military health system. 

14 SEC. 3. MONITORING MEDICATION PRESCRIBING PRAC15 TICES FOR THE TREATMENT OF POST-TRAU16 MATIC STRESS DISORDER. 

17 (a) REPORT.— 

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

19 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec20 retary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on 

21 Armed Services of the House of Representatives and 

22 Senate a report on the practices for prescribing 

23 medication during the period beginning January 1, 

24 2012, and ending December 31, 2017, that were in25 consistent with the post-traumatic stress disorder 


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1 medication guidelines developed by the Department 

2 of Defense and the Veterans Health Administration. 

3 (2) CONTENTS.—The report under this sub4 section shall include the following: 

5 (A) A summary of the Army’s, the Navy’s, 

6 and the Air Force’s practices for prescribing 

7 medication during the period referred to in 

8 paragraph (1) that were inconsistent with the 

9 post-traumatic stress disorder medication guide10 lines developed by the Department of Defense 

11 and the Veterans Health Administration. 

12 (B) Identification of medical centers serv13 ing members of the Armed Forces found to 

14 having higher than average incidences of pre15 scribing medication during the period referred 

16 to in paragraph (1) that were inconsistent with 

17 the post-traumatic stress disorder guidelines. 

18 (C) A plan for such medical centers to re19 duce the prescribing of medications that are in20 consistent with the post-traumatic stress dis21 order guidelines. 

22 (D) A plan for ongoing monitoring of med23 ical centers found to have higher than average 

24 incidences of prescribing medication that were 

25 inconsistent with the post-traumatic stress disVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:23 Mar 30, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1801.IH H1801

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1 order guidelines by the Department of Defense 

2 and the Veterans Health Administration. 

3 (b) MONITORING PROGRAM.—Based on the findings 

4 of the report under subsection (a), the Secretaries of the 

5 Army, the Navy, and the Air Force shall each establish 

6 a monitoring program carried out with respect to such 

7 branch of the Armed Forces that shall provide as follows: 

8 (1) The monitoring program shall provide for 

9 the conduct of periodic reviews, beginning October 1, 

10 2020, of medication prescribing practices of its own 

11 providers. 

12 (2) The monitoring program shall provide for 

13 regular reports, beginning October 1, 2021, to the 

14 Department of Defense and the Veterans Health Ad15 ministration, of the results of the periodic reviews 

16 pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection. 

17 (3) The monitoring program shall establish in18 ternal procedures, not later than October 1, 2021, to 

19 address practices for prescribing medication that are 

20 inconsistent with the post-traumatic stress disorder 

21 medication guidelines developed by the Department 

22 of Defense and the Veterans Health Administration. 

Æ 


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