SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Combat 
Stress Healthcare Improvement Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) More than 1.6 million members of the 
Armed Forces have been deployed in Afghanistan or 
Iraq for Operation Enduring Freedom and Oper-
ation Iraqi Freedom. 
(2) The 2008 RAND Corporation report enti-
tled ‘‘Invisible Wounds of War’’ stated that ‘‘With 
the possibility of more than 300,000 new cases of 
mental health conditions among OEF/OIF veterans, 
a commensurate increase in treatment capacity is 
needed.’’. 
(3) Combat stress refers to the expected and 
predictable emotional, intellectual, physical, or be-
havioral reactions of members of the Armed Forces 
who have been exposed to stressful events in war or 
other military operations, and combat stress is often 
associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, anx-
iety, depression, alcohol or drug abuse, and readjust-
ment difficulties. 
(4) Approximately 18.5 percent of the members 
of the Armed Forces who have served in Afghani-
stan or Iraq are believed to be suffering from post- 
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traumatic stress disorder or depression, and the rate 
of suicide among veterans suffering from post-trau-
matic stress disorder is a serious problem. 
(5) Approximately 19.5 percent of the members 
of the Armed Forces who have served in Afghani-
stan or Iraq report that they experienced a trau-
matic brain injury during their deployment. 
(6) It is estimated that only half of the veterans 
who need treatment for post-traumatic stress dis-
order or traumatic brain injury actually seek treat-
ment, and, of the veterans who receive treatment, 
only slightly more than half receive minimally ade-
quate or better care. 
(7) The Department of Veterans Affairs must 
be prepared to provide lifetime care for veterans who 
were severely wounded physically or psychologically 
in combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. 
(8) The inadequate number of licensed mental 
health professionals trained to treat combat stress 
may have a negative long-term impact on the quality 
of mental health care for veterans. 
(9) There are many challenges surrounding the 
hiring and retention of trained mental health pro-
viders by the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
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(10) The Health Professionals Educational As-
sistance Program under chapter 76 of title 38, 
United States Code, contains a number of scholar-
ship, tuition reimbursement, and education debt re-
duction programs that need to be better utilized by 
the Department of Veterans Affairs to relieve the 
shortage in the number of licensed mental health 
professionals employed by the Department who have 
received specialized training in the treatment of 
combat stress. 
SEC. 3. USE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS EDUCATIONAL 
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO INCREASE NUM-
BER OF LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROFES-
SIONALS EMPLOYED BY THE DEPARTMENT 
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TRAINED TO TREAT 
COMBAT STRESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 7603 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(e)(1) The purpose of this subsection is to establish 
a means to increase the number of licensed mental health 
professionals employed by the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs who have the specialized training necessary to treat 
combat stress by providing a selection priority under the 
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following components of the Educational Assistance Pro-
gram: 
‘‘(A) The scholarship program provided for in 
subchapter II of this chapter. 
‘‘(B) The tuition reimbursement program pro-
vided for in subchapter III of this chapter. 
‘‘(C) The Selected Reserve member stipend pro-
gram provided for under subchapter V of this chap-
ter. 
‘‘(D) The employee incentive scholarship pro-
gram provided for in subchapter VI of this chapter. 
‘‘(E) The education debt reduction program 
provided for in subchapter VII of this chapter. 
‘‘(2) In addition to the priority given under sub-
section (d) in selecting applicants for acceptance in the 
Educational Assistance Program under subchapter II, III, 
V, or VI of this chapter, the Secretary shall give priority 
to the application of an individual who— 
‘‘(A) is otherwise eligible to receive assistance 
under the applicable subchapter; and 
‘‘(B) is accepted for enrollment, or is enrolled, 
as a student at a qualifying educational institution 
in a course of education or training that is approved 
by the Secretary and— 
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‘‘(i) leads to a degree as a licensed mental 
health professional with specialized training in 
the treatment of combat stress; or 
‘‘(ii) in the case of an individual who is al-
ready a licensed mental health professional, 
provides specialized training in the field of com-
bat stress. 
‘‘(3) In addition to the priority given under sub-
section (d) in selecting applicants for acceptance in the 
Educational Assistance Program under subchapter VII of 
this chapter, the Secretary shall give priority to the appli-
cation of an individual who— 
‘‘(A) is otherwise eligible to receive assistance 
under such subchapter; 
‘‘(B) has completed a degree qualifying the in-
dividual as a licensed mental health professional; 
‘‘(C) is an employee of the Department who 
serves in a position related to the treatment of com-
bat stress; and 
‘‘(D) owes any amount of principal or interest 
under a loan used by that individual to pay costs di-
rectly relating to earning the degree as a licensed 
mental health professional. 
‘‘(4) The Secretary shall make available to personnel 
of the Department and to educational institutions offering 
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courses in mental health such materials as the Secretary 
considers appropriate to provide information on the Edu-
cational Assistance Program priorities available under this 
subsection and shall encourage educational institutions to 
disseminate the materials to students. 
‘‘(5) The priority required by paragraphs (2) and (3) 
shall apply until such time as the Secretary certifies to 
Congress that the shortage no longer exists in the number 
of licensed mental health professionals employed by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs who have specialized 
training in the treatment of combat stress. 
‘‘(6) Not later than 60 days after the date of the en-
actment of the Veterans Combat Stress Healthcare Im-
provement Act, the Secretary shall issue guidelines for the 
identification of educational programs that are qualified 
to provide specialized training in the treatment of combat 
stress. 
‘‘(7) In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) The term ‘licensed mental health profes-
sional’ includes individuals certified as a social work-
er, psychologist, psychiatrist, or in such other dis-
ciplines as the Secretary determines to be appro-
priate for purposes of this subsection. 
‘‘(B) The term ‘combat stress’ refers to the ex-
pected and predictable emotional, intellectual, phys-
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ical, or behavioral reactions of veterans who have 
been exposed to stressful events in war or other mili-
tary operations, and combat stress is often associ-
ated with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, de-
pression, alcohol or drug abuse, and readjustment 
difficulties. 
‘‘(8) There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 
through 2011 to carry out this subsection.’’. 
(b) RULE
OF
CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in the 
amendment made by subsection (a) is intended to limit 
or define the diagnosis or treatment of veterans’ medical 
conditions. 
(c) REAUTHORIZATION OF EXPIRED SCHOLARSHIP 
PROGRAM.—Section 7618 of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘1998’’ and inserting ‘‘2011’’. 
Æ 
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