II 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2217 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to enhance the participation of 

mental health professionals in boards for the correction of military 

records and boards for the review of the discharge or dismissal of 

members of the Armed Forces. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 7, 2014 

Mr. TESTER (for himself, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, and Mr. 

WALSH) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to enhance the 

participation of mental health professionals in boards 

for the correction of military records and boards for 

the review of the discharge or dismissal of members 

of the Armed Forces. 

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 ‘‘Military Mental Health 

5 Review Board Improvement Act’’. 


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•S 2217 IS

1 SEC. 2. ENHANCEMENT OF PARTICIPATION OF MENTAL 

2 HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN BOARDS FOR 

3 CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS AND 

4 BOARDS FOR REVIEW OF DISCHARGE OR DIS5 MISSAL OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 

6 FORCES. 

7 (a) BOARDS FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY

8 RECORDS.—Section 1552 of title 10, United States Code, 

9 is amended— 

10 (1) by redesignating subsection (g) as sub11 section (h); and 

12 (2) by inserting after subsection (f) the fol13 lowing new subsection (g): 

14 ‘‘(g) Any medical advisory opinion issued to a board 

15 established under subsection (a)(1) with respect to a mem16 ber or former member of the armed forces who was diag17 nosed while serving in the armed forces as experiencing 

18 a mental health disorder shall include the opinion of a clin19 ical psychologist or psychiatrist if the request for correc20 tion of records concerned relates to a mental health dis21 order.’’. 

22 (b) BOARDS FOR REVIEW OF DISCHARGE OR DIS23 MISSAL.— 

24 (1) REVIEW FOR CERTAIN FORMER MEMBERS

25 WITH PTSD OR TBI.—Subsection (d)(1) of section 

26 1553 of such title is amended by striking ‘‘physician, 


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•S 2217 IS

1 clinical psychologist, or psychiatrist’’ the second 

2 place it appears and inserting ‘‘clinical psychologist 

3 or psychiatrist, or a physician with training on men4 tal health issues connected with post traumatic 

5 stress disorder or traumatic brain injury (as applica6 ble)’’. 

7 (2) REVIEW FOR CERTAIN FORMER MEMBERS

8 WITH MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSES.—Such section 

9 is further amended by adding at the end the fol10 lowing new subsection: 

11 ‘‘(e) In the case of a former member of the armed 

12 forces (other than a former member covered by subsection 

13 (d)) who was diagnosed while serving in the armed forces 

14 as experiencing a mental health disorder, a board estab15 lished under this section to review the former member’s 

16 discharge or dismissal shall include a member who is a 

17 clinical psychologist or psychiatrist, or a physician with 

18 special training on mental health disorders.’’. 

Æ 


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