I 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5707 

To direct the Secretary of Defense to carry out a pilot program to improve 

the treatment of members of the Armed Forces for post-traumatic stress 

disorder relating to military sexual trauma. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 8, 2018 

Mr. KNIGHT (for himself and Ms. TSONGAS) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Defense to carry out a pilot 

program to improve the treatment of members of the 

Armed Forces for post-traumatic stress disorder relating 

to military sexual trauma. 

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 ‘‘Sexual Trauma Re5 sponse and Treatment Act’’ or the ‘‘START Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM ON TREATMENT OF MEMBERS OF 

2 THE ARMED FORCES FOR POST-TRAUMATIC 

3 STRESS DISORDER RELATED TO MILITARY 

4 SEXUAL TRAUMA. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense may 

6 carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and ad7 visability of using intensive outpatient programs to treat 

8 members of the Armed Forces suffering from post-trau9 matic stress disorder resulting from military sexual trau10 ma, including treatment for substance abuse, depression, 

11 and other issues related to such conditions. 

12 (b) DISCHARGE THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS.—The 

13 pilot program authorized by subsection (a) shall be carried 

14 out through partnerships with public, private, and non15 profit health care organizations and institutions that— 

16 (1) provide health care to members of the 

17 Armed Forces; 

18 (2) provide evidence-based treatment for psy19 chological and neurological conditions that are com20 mon among members of the Armed Forces, includ21 ing post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain 

22 injury, substance abuse, and depression; 

23 (3) provide health care, support, and other ben24 efits to family members of members of the Armed 

25 Forces; and 


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1 (4) provide health care under the TRICARE 

2 program (as that term is defined in section 1072 of 

3 title 10, United States Code). 

4 (c) PROGRAM ACTIVITIES.—Each organization or in5 stitution that participates in a partnership under the pilot 

6 program authorized by subsection (a) shall— 

7 (1) carry out intensive outpatient programs of 

8 short duration to treat members of the Armed 

9 Forces suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder 

10 resulting from military sexual trauma, including 

11 treatment for substance abuse, depression, and other 

12 issues related to such conditions; 

13 (2) use evidence-based and evidence-informed 

14 treatment strategies in carrying out such programs; 

15 (3) share clinical and outreach best practices 

16 with other organizations and institutions partici17 pating in the pilot program; and 

18 (4) annually assess outcomes for members of 

19 the Armed Forces individually and among the orga20 nizations and institutions participating in the pilot 

21 program with respect to the treatment of conditions 

22 described in paragraph (1). 

23 (d) EVALUATION METRICS.—Before commencement 

24 of the pilot program, the Secretary shall establish metrics 


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1 to be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot pro2 gram and the activities under the pilot program. 

3 (e) REPORTS.— 

4 (1) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 

5 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec6 retary shall submit to the Committees on Armed 

7 Services of the Senate and the House of Representa8 tives a report on the pilot program authorized by 

9 subsection (a). The report shall include a description 

10 of the pilot program and such other matters on the 

11 pilot program as the Secretary considers appro12 priate. 

13 (2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 

14 after the cessation of the pilot program under sub15 section (f), the Secretary shall submit to the com16 mittees of Congress referred to in paragraph (1) a 

17 report on the pilot program. The report shall include 

18 the following: 

19 (A) A description of the pilot program, in20 cluding the partnership under the pilot program 

21 as described in subsection (b). 

22 (B) An assessment of the effectiveness of 

23 the pilot program and the activities under the 

24 pilot program. 


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1 (C) Such recommendations for legislative 

2 or administrative action as the Secretary con3 siders appropriate in light of the pilot program, 

4 including recommendations for extension or 

5 making permanent the authority for the pilot 

6 program. 

7 (f) TERMINATION.—The Secretary may not carry out 

8 the pilot program authorized by subsection (a) after the 

9 date that is three years after the date of the enactment 

10 of this Act. 

Æ 


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