to the congressional defense committees (as defined in sec-
tion 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code) a report 
that— 
(1) describes the shortage of mental health pro-
viders of the Department of Defense; 
(2) explains the reasons for such shortage; 
(3) explains the effect of such shortage on 
members of the Armed Forces; and 
(4) contains a strategy to better recruit and re-
tain mental health providers, including with respect 
to psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health nurse 
practitioners, licensed social workers, and other li-
censed providers of the military health system. 
SEC. 3. MONITORING MEDICATION PRESCRIBING PRAC-
TICES FOR THE TREATMENT OF POST-TRAU-
MATIC STRESS DISORDER. 
(a) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the House of Representatives and 
Senate a report on the practices for prescribing 
medication during the period beginning January 1, 
2012, and ending December 31, 2017, that were in-
consistent with the post-traumatic stress disorder 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:55 Sep 10, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6712.IH
H6712
tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with BILLS
medication guidelines developed by the Department 
of Defense and the Veterans Health Administration. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report under this sub-
section shall include the following: 
(A) A summary of the Army’s, the Navy’s, 
and the Air Force’s practices for prescribing 
medication during the period referred to in 
paragraph (1) that were inconsistent with the 
post-traumatic stress disorder medication guide-
lines developed by the Department of Defense 
and the Veterans Health Administration. 
(B) Identification of medical centers serv-
ing members of the Armed Forces found to 
having higher than average incidences of pre-
scribing medication during the period referred 
to in paragraph (1) that were inconsistent with 
the post-traumatic stress disorder guidelines. 
(C) A plan for such medical centers to re-
duce the prescribing of medications that are in-
consistent with the post-traumatic stress dis-
order guidelines. 
(D) A plan for ongoing monitoring of med-
ical centers found to have higher than average 
incidences of prescribing medication that were 
inconsistent with the post-traumatic stress dis-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:55 Sep 10, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6712.IH
H6712
tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with BILLS
order guidelines by the Department of Defense 
and the Veterans Health Administration. 
(b) MONITORING PROGRAM.—Based on the findings 
of the report under subsection (a), the Secretaries of the 
Army, the Navy, and the Air Force shall each establish 
a monitoring program carried out with respect to such 
branch of the Armed Forces that shall provide as follows: 
(1) The monitoring program shall provide for 
the conduct of periodic reviews, beginning October 1, 
2019, of medication prescribing practices of its own 
providers. 
(2) The monitoring program shall provide for 
regular reports, beginning October 1, 2020, to the 
Department of Defense and the Veterans Health Ad-
ministration, of the results of the periodic reviews 
pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection. 
(3) The monitoring program shall establish in-
ternal procedures, not later than October 1, 2020, to 
address practices for prescribing medication that are 
inconsistent with the post-traumatic stress disorder 
medication guidelines developed by the Department 
of Defense and the Veterans Health Administration. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:55 Sep 10, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H6712.IH
H6712
tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with BILLS