I 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4798 

To improve post-traumatic stress disorder treatment for veterans of service 

in Afghanistan and Iraq and the war on terror. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 9, 2004 

Mr. FORD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on 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 improve post-traumatic stress disorder treatment for veterans of service in Afghanistan and Iraq and the war 

on terror. 

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 ‘‘Enhancement of Vet5 erans Mental Health Services Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 
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1 (1) A study published in the New England 

2 Journal of Medicine reported that about one in six 

3 soldiers of the Iraq war displays symptoms of post4 traumatic stress disorder. 

5 (2) Clinical experts are anticipating an increase 

6 in the number of post-traumatic stress disorder 

7 cases in light of the increasing duration of military 

8 deployment. 

9 (3) 86 of 163 Department of Veterans Affairs 

10 Medical Centers have post-traumatic stress disorder 

11 treatment programs. 

12 (4) Section 1706 of title 38, United States 

13 Code, requires that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

14 ensure, in accordance with that section, that the De15 partment of Veterans Affairs maintains its capacity 

16 to provide for the specialized treatment and rehabili17 tative needs of disabled veterans within distinct pro18 grams or facilities of the Deparment. 

19 SEC. 3. POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER TREATMENT 

20 FOR VETERANS OF SERVICE IN AFGHANI21 STAN AND IRAQ AND THE WAR ON TERROR. 

22 (a) ENHANCED CAPACITY FOR DEPARTMENT OF

23 VETERANS AFFAIRS.— 

24 (1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

25 There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
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1 retary of Veterans Affairs for ‘‘Medical Care’’ the 

2 amount of $100,000,000 for the employment of ad3 ditional psychiatrists and other mental health serv4 ices specialists at Department of Veterans Affairs 

5 medical centers and outpatient facilities specializing 

6 in the diagnosis and treatment of post-traumatic 

7 stress disorder. 

8 (2) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.—Funds made 

9 available pursuant to the authorization of appropria10 tions in paragraph (1) shall, to the extent funds are 

11 available for such purpose, be used to employ at 

12 least one psychiatrist and a complementary clinical 

13 team at each medical center of the Department of 

14 Veterans Affairs in order to conduct a specialized 

15 program for the diagnosis and treatment of post16 traumatic stress disorder and to employ additional 

17 mental health services specialists at the medical cen18 ter. 

19 (b) OUTREACH AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL.— 

20 (1) PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Veterans Af21 fairs shall, within the authorities of the Secretary 

22 under title 38, United States Code, carry out a pro23 gram to provide outreach at the community level to 

24 veterans who participated in Operation Iraqi Free25 dom or Operation Enduring Freedom who are or 
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1 may be suffering from post-traumatic stress dis2 order. 

3 (2) PROGRAM SITES.—The program shall be 

4 carried out on a nation-wide basis through facilities 

5 of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

6 (3) PROGRAM CONTENT.—The program shall 

7 provide for individualized case management to be 

8 conducted on a one-on-one basis, counseling, edu9 cation, and group therapy to help participants cope 

10 with post-traumatic stress disorder. The program— 

11 (A) shall emphasize early identification of 

12 veterans who may be experiencing symptoms of 

13 post-traumatic stress disorder; and 

14 (B) shall include group-oriented, peer-to15 peer settings for treatment. 

16 (4) PROGRAM MODEL.—The Secretary shall es17 tablish and carry out the program under this sub18 section using as a model the program for the treat19 ment of post-traumatic stress disorder conducted at 

20 the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center 

21 in Memphis, Tennessee. 

22 SEC. 4. ARMED FORCES REVIEW OF MENTAL HEALTH PRO23 GRAMS. 

24 (a) REVIEW OF MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS.—The 

25 Secretary of each military department shall conduct a 
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1 comprehensive review of the mental health care programs 

2 of the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of that Sec3 retary in order to determine ways to improve the efficacy 

4 of such care, including a review of joint Department of 

5 Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs clinical 

6 guidelines to ensure a seamless delivery of care during 

7 transitions from active duty or reserve status to civilian 

8 life. 

9 (b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary of De10 fense shall submit to Congress a report setting forth the 

11 results of such review not later than 90 days after the 

12 date of the enactment of this Act. 

13 SEC. 5. TRANSITION TO VETERANS HEALTH CARE. 

14 The Secretary of each military department shall take 

15 special care in providing for as seamless a transition as 

16 possible from Department of Defense health care services 

17 to Department of Veterans Affairs health care services in 

18 the case of members of the Armed Forces who are being 

19 discharged or separated from active duty and who have 

20 been identified by the Secretary as having been exposed 

21 to combat or otherwise as being at particular risk for post22 traumatic stress disorder. 

23 SEC. 6. PRIVACY SAFEGUARDS. 

24 The Secretary of each military department and the 

25 Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall assess privacy and pa-
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1 tient confidentiality standards and practices of their re2 spective departments to ensure that those standards and 

3 practices are adequate to protect the privacy of patients, 

4 particularly in the case of patients seeking treatment for 

5 post-traumatic stress disorder. Each of those Secretaries 

6 shall also assess and identify other factors that may deter 

7 members of the Armed Forces and veterans from seeking 

8 treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. 

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