II 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 832 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize the provision of behavioral health readiness services to certain members of the Selected Reserve 

of the Armed Forces based on need, to expand eligibility to such members 

for readjustment counseling from the Department of Veterans Affairs, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 23, 2015 

Mr. TESTER 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 authorize the 

provision of behavioral health readiness services to certain members of the Selected Reserve of the Armed 

Forces based on need, to expand eligibility to such members for readjustment counseling from the Department 

of Veterans Affairs, 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 ‘‘Care and Readiness 

5 Enhancement for Reservists Act of 2015’’ or the ‘‘CARE 

6 for Reservists Act of 2015’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PROVISION OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH READINESS 

2 SERVICES TO CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE SE3 LECTED RESERVE BASED ON NEED. 

4 (a) PROVISION AUTHORIZED.—Section 1074a(g) of 

5 title 10, United States Code, is amended— 

6 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 

7 paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; and 

8 (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol9 lowing new paragraph (2): 

10 ‘‘(2) The Secretary concerned may also provide to 

11 any member of the Selected Reserve not described in sub12 section (d)(1) or (f) care for behavioral health conditions 

13 if the Secretary determines, based on the most recent med14 ical exam or mental health assessment of such member, 

15 that the receipt of such care by such member will ensure 

16 that such member meets applicable standards of medical 

17 readiness.’’. 

18 (b) FUNDING.—Subject to applicable provisions of 

19 appropriations Acts, amounts available to the Department 

20 of Defense for the Defense Health Program shall be avail21 able for the provision of behavioral health services under 

22 section 1074a(g) of title 10, United States Code (as 

23 amended by subsection (a)). 

24 (c) BUDGETING FOR HEALTH CARE.—In deter25 mining the amounts to be required for behavioral health 

26 services for members of the Selected Reserve under section 


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1 1074a(g) of title 10, United States Code (as so amended), 

2 for purposes of the budget of the President for fiscal years 

3 after fiscal year 2016, as submitted to Congress pursuant 

4 to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, the Assist5 ant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs shall consult 

6 with appropriate officials having responsibility for the ad7 ministration of the reserve components of the Armed 

8 Forces, including the Chief of the National Guard Bureau 

9 with respect to the National Guard. 

10 SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR READJUSTMENT 

11 COUNSELING FROM DEPARTMENT OF VET12 ERANS AFFAIRS TO INCLUDE MEMBERS OF 

13 THE SELECTED RESERVE OF THE ARMED 

14 FORCES. 

15 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1712A(a)(1) of title 38, 

16 United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 

17 following new subparagraph: 

18 ‘‘(D)(i) The Secretary, in consultation with the Sec19 retary of Defense, may furnish to any member of the Se20 lected Reserve of the Armed Forces who has a behavioral 

21 health condition or psychological trauma, counseling under 

22 subparagraph (A)(i), which may include a comprehensive 

23 individual assessment under subparagraph (B)(i). 

24 ‘‘(ii) A member of the Selected Reserve of the Armed 

25 Forces described in clause (i) shall not be required to obVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:13 Mar 28, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S832.IS S832

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1 tain a referral before being furnished counseling or an as2 sessment under this subparagraph.’’. 

3 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

4 subsection (a) shall take effect on the date that is one 

5 year after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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