II 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 717 

To designate certain non-Department mental health care providers who treat 

members of the Armed Forces and veterans as providers who have 

particular knowledge relating to the provision of mental health care 

to members of the Armed Forces and veterans, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 11, 2015 

Mr. DONNELLY (for himself and Mrs. ERNST) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To designate certain non-Department mental health care providers who treat members of the Armed Forces and 

veterans as providers who have particular knowledge relating to the provision of mental health care to members 

of the Armed Forces and veterans, 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 ‘‘Community Provider 

5 Readiness Recognition Act of 2015’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF CERTAIN NON-DEPARTMENT 

2 MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WITH 

3 KNOWLEDGE RELATING TO TREATMENT OF 

4 MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND VET5 ERANS. 

6 (a) MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER READINESS DES7 IGNATION.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year 

9 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec10 retary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Af11 fairs shall jointly develop a system by which any 

12 non-Department mental health care provider that 

13 meets eligibility criteria jointly established by such 

14 Secretaries relating to the knowledge described in 

15 paragraph (2) receives a mental health provider 

16 readiness designation from the Department of De17 fense and the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

18 (2) KNOWLEDGE.—The knowledge described in 

19 this paragraph is the following: 

20 (A) Knowledge, comfort, and under21 standing with respect to the culture of members 

22 of the Armed Forces, veterans, and family 

23 members and caregivers of members of the 

24 Armed Forces and veterans. 

25 (B) Knowledge with respect to evidence26 based treatments that have been approved by 


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1 the Department of Defense and the Department 

2 of Veterans Affairs for the treatment of mental 

3 health issues among members of the Armed 

4 Forces and veterans. 

5 (b) AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION ON DESIGNA6 TION.— 

7 (1) REGISTRY.—The Secretary of Defense and 

8 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly estab9 lish and update a registry that is available to the 

10 public of all non-Department mental health care pro11 viders that are currently designated under sub12 section (a)(1). 

13 (2) PROVIDER LIST.—The Secretary concerned 

14 shall update all lists maintained by such Secretary 

15 of non-Department mental health care providers that 

16 provide mental health care under the laws adminis17 tered by such Secretary by indicating the providers 

18 that are currently designated under subsection 

19 (a)(1); and 

20 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

21 (1) NON-DEPARTMENT MENTAL HEALTH CARE

22 PROVIDER.—The term ‘‘non-Department mental 

23 health care provider’’— 

24 (A) means a health care provider that— 

25 (i) specializes in mental health; 


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1 (ii) is not a health care provider of 

2 the Department of Defense or the Depart3 ment of Veterans Affairs; and 

4 (iii) provides health care to members 

5 of the Armed Forces or veterans; and 

6 (B) includes psychiatrists, psychologists, 

7 psychiatric nurses, social workers, mental 

8 health counselors, marriage and family thera9 pists, and other mental health care providers 

10 designated by the Secretary of Defense and 

11 Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 

12 (2) SECRETARY CONCERNED.—The term ‘‘Sec13 retary concerned’’ means— 

14 (A) the Secretary of Defense with respect 

15 to matters concerning the Department of De16 fense; and 

17 (B) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs with 

18 respect to matters concerning the Department 

19 of Veterans Affairs. 

Æ 


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