SERVE Act

To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for eating disorders treatment for members and certain former members of the uniformed services, and dependents of such members, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Supporting Eating disorders Recovery through Vital Expansion Act SERVE Act 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Eating disorders affect approximately 30,000,000 Americans, including individuals from every age, gender, body size, race, and socioeconomic status. (2) Eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, avoidant/restrictive intake disorder, and Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders. (3) Eating disorders result in the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness, and the suicide rate for individuals with such disorders is 23 percent higher than the suicide rate for the general population. (4) Research demonstrates that— (A) eating disorders often co-occur with complex medical conditions, mental illnesses, and substance use disorders; and (B) up to 35 percent of individuals with a substance use disorder have a co-occurring eating disorder. (5) Studies indicate that there is a higher prevalence of eating disorders among members of the Armed Forces and veterans than among the general population. (6) Family members of members of the Armed Forces have a higher prevalence of eating disorders than the general population, with 20 percent of children of members of the Armed Forces found at risk of developing an eating disorder. (7) Research has found a significant relationship between eating disorders and members of the Armed Forces and veterans with a history of post-traumatic stress and sexual trauma. (8) Female members of the Armed Forces have a particularly high risk for an eating disorder, as studies have found that 16 percent of such members have an eating disorder and 34 percent of such members are at risk of developing an eating disorder. 3. Eating disorders treatment for dependents Section 1077 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a)(5), by inserting , including, in accordance with subsection (i), eating disorders chronic conditions (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (i) (1) The provision of health care services for an eating disorder under subsection (a)(5) shall include treatment at facilities providing the following hospital-based or freestanding services: (A) Inpatient services. (B) Residential services. (C) Partial hospitalization services. (D) Intensive outpatient services. (E) Outpatient services. (2) A dependent may be provided health care services for an eating disorder under subsection (a)(5) without regard to— (A) the age of the dependent; and (B) whether the dependent has a primary diagnosis of such disorder. (3) In this section, the term eating disorder . 4. Identification and treatment of eating disorders for members of the Armed Forces Section 1090 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— (1) by striking The Secretary of Defense (a) Identification and treatment of eating disorders and drug and alcohol dependence The Secretary of Defense ; (2) by inserting have an eating disorder or are dependent on drugs or alcohol (3) by adding at the end the following new subsections: (b) Facilities available to individuals with eating disorders For purposes of this section, necessary facilities (c) Eligibility for treatment The Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, may not deny a member of the armed forces treatment for an eating disorder on the basis that such disorder is not the primary diagnosis of such member. (d) Eating disorder defined In this section, the term eating disorder . 5. Mental health early identification training Section 1090a of title 10, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (b)— (A) by striking and (B) by striking the period and inserting ; and (C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (3) encourage commanders and supervisory personnel to undertake mental health early identification training. ; and (2) in subsection (e), by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (4) The term mental health early identification training (A) warning signs and symptoms of mental health illness, including an eating disorder; and (B) how to refer an individual for mental health treatment. . 6. Expedited access to mental health care (a) Facilities providing mental health services Chapter 55 section 1095g 1095h. Expedited approval of certain facilities providing mental health services The Secretary shall prescribe regulations to establish that a facility may receive expedited authorization to provide services under this chapter if— (1) such facility is affiliated with a facility or provider authorized to provide services under this chapter; and (2) such facility only provides mental health services. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1095g the following new item: 1095h. Expedited approval of certain facilities providing mental health services. .

Summary: Supporting Eating disorders Recovery through Vital Expansion Act or the SERVE Act This bill provides coverage of the treatment of eating disorders under the TRICARE program. The services include both inpatient and outpatient care and shall be furnished without regard to age of a military dependent or whether there is a primary diagnosis of the disorder. As part of the process for referrals for mental health evaluations of members, the Department of Defense (DOD) shall encourage commanders and supervisory personnel to undertake mental health early identification training, to include recognition of warning signs and symptoms of an eating disorder. DOD shall establish that a facility may receive expedited authorization to provide services if the facility is affiliated with an authorized TRICARE facility or provider and it only provides mental health services.