I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3373 
To direct the Secretary of the Navy to take certain actions relating to 
improved mental health care, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 16, 2023 
Mrs. KIGGANS of Virginia (for herself, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. 
SCOTT of Virginia, Ms. TOKUDA, Mrs. MCCLELLAN, Mr. FITZPATRICK, 
and Mr. JOYCE of Ohio) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of the Navy to take certain actions 
relating to improved mental health care, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Sailor Standard of 
Care Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. ACTIONS BY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY RELATING 
TO IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH CARE. 
(a) REFORMS RELATING TO LIMITED DUTY.— 
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(1) ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES.—The Secretary 
of the Navy shall provide additional resources to any 
unit with greater than 15 members of the Navy des-
ignated for limited duty at a given time, including 
through the establishment of a new billet for a med-
ical officer, chaplain, and civilian employee of the 
Department of Defense in a mental health position 
for such unit. 
(2) MENTAL
HEALTH
SCREENING.—The Sec-
retary of the Navy shall require that each member 
of the Navy designated for limited duty receives, 
upon such designation and once every 60 days there-
after for the duration of such designation, a mental 
health screening by a mental health professional of 
the Department. 
(3) FRAMEWORK.—The Secretary of the Navy 
shall establish a framework to ensure— 
(A) centralized leadership for the manage-
ment of members of the Navy designated for 
limited duty and centralized responsibility for 
the well-being of such members while so des-
ignated; and 
(B) a smooth transition for members of 
the Navy who have suicidal ideations or other 
mental health care needs during transfers be-
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tween units or while designated for limited 
duty. 
(4) REPORT.—Not later than December 31, 
2024, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Senate a report on— 
(A) whether timeliness standards applica-
ble to the timing of appointments between med-
ical providers and members of the Navy des-
ignated for limited duty are sufficient, as deter-
mined by the Secretary of the Navy, and the ex-
tent to which such standards are complied with; 
and 
(B) the number of databases used to track 
the status of such appointments and rec-
ommendations by the Secretary of the Navy re-
garding methods to simplify such tracking. 
(5) BRIEFING.—Not later than January 31, 
2024, the Secretary of the Navy shall provide to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Senate a briefing on— 
(A) the average number of days for the 
medical separation of a member of the Navy 
previously designated for limited duty; and 
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(B) recommendations for steps the Sec-
retary of the Navy may take to streamline and 
expedite applicable processes to ensure such 
separation is timely. 
(b) RESOURCES DASHBOARD.—Not later than De-
cember 31, 2024, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for 
Manpower and Reserve Affairs shall establish and main-
tain a dashboard to track quality of life programs of the 
Department of the Navy (including such programs relat-
ing to childcare, healthcare, education, housing, and 
spouse employment) and the rate of usage of each such 
program. 
(c) BEST PRACTICES IN DEALING WITH MULTIPLE 
SUICIDES.— 
(1) STUDY.—The Secretary of the Navy shall 
conduct a study on recent cases in which multiple 
suicides occurred within 30 days of each other 
among members assigned to the same unit or com-
mand of the Department of the Navy. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The study under paragraph 
(1) shall include an assessment of the following: 
(A) Any underlying quality of life issues 
that may have been prevalent among the unit 
or command leading up to the initial suicide. 
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(B) The culture of the unit or command 
prior to such initial suicide. 
(C) The actions taken immediately fol-
lowing such initial suicide and preceding any 
subsequent suicides. 
(D) Whether the individuals who completed 
suicide had previously expressed suicide ideation 
and whether such individuals engaged with 
mental health resources available prior to com-
pleting suicide. 
(E) The mental health resources that were 
available to such individuals prior to the initial 
suicide, after the initial suicide, and after any 
subsequent suicides. 
(3) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of the Navy shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the House of Representatives and 
the Senate a report containing the findings of the 
study under paragraph (1) and a standard operating 
procedure of the Department of the Navy for re-
sponding to multiple suicides. 
(d) REPORT
ON MENTAL HEALTH CARE UNDER 
TRICARE.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
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submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House 
of Representatives and the Senate a report containing the 
following: 
(1) An analysis of the average timeline to cre-
dential potential mental health care providers under 
the TRICARE program as compared to the timeline 
under Medicare and other major insurance networks, 
including quantitative data regarding, with respect 
to individuals applying for credentialing as mental 
health care providers under the TRICARE program, 
the following: 
(A) The denial of such applications. 
(B) The method and frequency of notifica-
tions regarding the application provided to such 
applicants. 
(C) With respect to denied applications, 
the method of feedback provided to such appli-
cants, and the resolution processes available to 
such applicants. 
(2) The number of current and projected men-
tal health care providers under the TRICARE pro-
gram, as compared to the number of civilian mental 
health care providers outside of such program, and 
a description of any capacity shortfalls with respect 
to mental health care providers under the TRICARE 
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program, taking into account the mental health cri-
sis within the Armed Forces. 
(3) An analysis of the reimbursement rates for 
mental health care providers under the TRICARE 
program, disaggregated by TRICARE provider net-
work region, as compared to the average reimburse-
ment rates for such providers under private health 
insurance plans and Medicare. 
(4) An assessment of— 
(A) whether the Secretary of Defense, in 
carrying out the TRICARE program, has used 
the methods outlined in part 199.14 of title 32, 
Code of Federal Regulations, to increase reim-
bursement rates in certain geographic locations; 
and 
(B) what, if any, corrective measures have 
been taken since the publication by the Comp-
troller General of the United States of the re-
port titled ‘‘Defense Health Care: TRICARE 
Multiyear Surveys Indicate Problems with Ac-
cess to Care for Nonenrolled Beneficiaries 
(GAO 13–364)’’ on April 2, 2013, and in par-
ticular, corrective measures addressing the find-
ing of such report dealing with civilian mental 
health care providers and reimbursement rates. 
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(5) The status of implementing the rec-
ommendations contained in the report of the Inspec-
tor General of the Department of Defense published 
August 10, 2020, titled ‘‘Evaluation of Access to 
Mental Health Care in the Department of Defense 
(DODIG–2020–112)’’ (or any successor report) and 
the estimated implementation date for any such rec-
ommendations that have not been implemented as of 
the date of the submission of the report. 
(6) An assessment of what, if any, additional 
authorities and resources may be needed by the De-
partment of Defense to effectively address the issue 
of timely access to mental healthcare for members of 
the Armed Forces on active duty and the dependents 
thereof. 
Æ 
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