I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3011 
To establish a task force of the Department of Defense on mental health. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 28, 2023 
Mr. 
KILMER
(for 
himself, 
Mr. 
WITTMAN, 
Ms. 
HOULAHAN, 
Mr. 
RESCHENTHALER, Ms. NORTON, Mr. STEWART, Mr. RYAN, Mr. NICKEL, 
Mr. KELLY of Mississippi, Ms. SHERRILL, Mr. TONKO, Ms. WILD, Mr. 
WOMACK, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Ms. MCCOLLUM, 
Mrs. MCCLELLAN, Ms. TITUS, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, and Mr. NOR-
CROSS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To establish a task force of the Department of Defense 
on mental health. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. TASK FORCE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE ON MENTAL HEALTH. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall establish a task force to examine matters relating 
to the mental health of members of the Armed Forces. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
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(1) QUALIFICATIONS.—The Secretary of De-
fense shall appoint to the task force individuals who 
have demonstrated expertise in the following areas: 
(A) National mental health policy. 
(B) Military personnel policy. 
(C) Research in the field of mental health. 
(D) Clinical care in mental health. 
(E) Military chaplain or pastoral care. 
(2) NUMBER; COMPOSITION.—The Secretary 
shall appoint not more than 15 individuals to the 
task force in accordance with the following: 
(A) DOD APPOINTEES.—One half of the 
appointees shall include— 
(i) at least one member of each of the 
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and 
the National Guard; 
(ii) at least one surgeon general of an 
Armed Force; and 
(iii) at least one dependent of a mem-
ber of the Armed Forces who has experi-
ence working with military families. 
(B) NON-DOD APPOINTEES.—One half of 
the appointees shall be individuals who are not 
members of the Armed Forces, civilian employ-
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ees of the Department of Defense, or depend-
ents of such members, including— 
(i) an officer or employee of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs; and 
(ii) an officer or employee of the Sub-
stance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration of the Department of 
Health and Human Services. 
(C) DEADLINE.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall appoint all members not later than 90 
days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(D) CO-CHAIRS.—There shall be two co- 
chairs of the task force, one of the whom shall 
be designated by the Secretary at the time of 
appointment from among the individuals ap-
pointed under subparagraph (A). The other co- 
chair shall be selected from among the members 
appointed under subparagraph (B) by members 
so appointed. 
(c) ASSESSMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON MEN-
TAL HEALTH SERVICES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 12 months 
after the date on which all members of the task 
force have been appointed, the task force shall sub-
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mit to the Secretary a report containing an assess-
ment of, and recommendations for improving, the ef-
ficacy of mental health services provided to members 
of the Armed Forces by the Department of Defense. 
(2) UTILIZATION OF OTHER EFFORTS.—In pre-
paring the report, the task force shall take into con-
sideration completed and ongoing efforts by the Sec-
retary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs to improve the efficacy of mental health care 
provided to members of the Armed Forces. 
(3) ELEMENTS.—The assessment and rec-
ommendations (including recommendations for legis-
lative or administrative action) shall include meas-
ures to improve the following: 
(A) The awareness of the potential for 
mental health conditions of members of the 
Armed Forces. 
(B) The access to, and efficacy of, existing 
programs (include telehealth programs) in pri-
mary care and mental health care to prevent, 
identify, and treat mental health conditions of 
members of the Armed Forces, including pro-
grams for— 
(i) forward-deployed troops; 
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(ii) members of the reserve compo-
nents; and 
(iii) members assigned to remote or 
austere duty locations. 
(C) The access to adequate telehealth re-
sources including for members described in sub-
paragraph (B), including access to equipment, 
bandwidth, and platforms used to deliver care. 
(D) The assessment of disruptions to men-
tal health care as a result of frequent changes 
to TRICARE eligibility and coverage for mem-
bers of the National Guard, as well as potential 
benefits of more consistent care. 
(E) Analysis of the potential effect on ac-
cess and outcomes for members serving on ac-
tive duty as a result of proposed cuts to mili-
tary end strengths regarding members with 
medical military occupational specialties. 
(F) The access to and programs for family 
members of members of the Armed Forces, in-
cluding family members overseas. 
(G) Access to, and quality of, private men-
tal health care received by members through 
TRICARE. 
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(H) The reduction or elimination of bar-
riers to care, including the stigma associated 
with mental health conditions, by measures in-
cluding enhanced confidentiality for members 
who seek care for such conditions. 
(I) The awareness of mental health serv-
ices available to dependents of members. 
(J) The adequacy of outreach, education, 
and support programs on mental health matters 
for families of members. 
(K) The early identification and treatment 
of mental health and substance abuse problems 
through the use of internal mass media commu-
nications (including radio, and television, social 
media) and other education tools to change atti-
tudes within the Armed Forces regarding men-
tal health and substance abuse treatment. 
(L) The transition from mental health care 
furnished by the Secretary of Defense to such 
care furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs. 
(M) The availability of long-term follow-up 
and access to care for mental health conditions 
for members of the Individual Ready Reserve 
and the Selected Reserve and for discharged, 
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separated, or retired members of the Armed 
Forces. 
(N) Collaboration between agencies of the 
Department of Defense with responsibility for, 
or jurisdiction over, the provision of mental 
health services. 
(O) Coordination between the Department 
of Defense and civilian communities, including 
State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments, 
and local support organizations, with respect to 
mental health services. 
(P) Coordination between the Department 
of Defense and relevant Federal stakeholders, 
including the Substance Abuse and Mental 
Health Administration, National Institutes of 
Health, and the Centers for Disease Control. 
(Q) The scope and efficacy of curricula 
and training on mental health matters for com-
manders in the Armed Forces. 
(R) The efficiency and effectiveness of pre- 
and post-deployment mental health screenings, 
including mental health screenings for members 
of the Armed Forces. 
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(S) The effectiveness of mental health pro-
grams provided in languages other than 
English. 
(T) Tracking the use of behavioral health 
services and related outcomes, including wait 
times, continuity of care, symptom resolution, 
and maintenance of improvements resulting 
from treatment. 
(U) Other matters the task force deter-
mines appropriate. 
(d) ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.— 
(1) COMPENSATION.—Each member of the task 
force who is a member of the Armed Forces or a ci-
vilian officer or employee of the United States shall 
serve without compensation (other than compensa-
tion to which entitled as a member of the Armed 
Forces or an officer or employee of the United 
States, as the case may be). Other members of the 
task force shall be treated for purposes of section 
3161 of title 5, United States Code, as having been 
appointed under subsection (b) of such section. 
(2) OVERSIGHT.—The Under Secretary of De-
fense for Personnel and Readiness shall oversee the 
activities of the task force. 
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(3) ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPORT.—The Wash-
ington Headquarters Services of the Department of 
Defense shall provide the task force with personnel, 
facilities, and other administrative support as nec-
essary for the performance of the duties of the task 
force. 
(4) ACCESS TO FACILITIES.—The Under Sec-
retary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness shall, 
in coordination with the Secretaries of the military 
departments, ensure appropriate access by the task 
force to military installations and facilities for pur-
poses of the discharge of the duties of the task force. 
(e) REPORT.— 
(1) SUBMISSION
TO
SECRETARY
OF
DE-
FENSE.—The task force shall submit to the Sec-
retary of Defense a report on its activities under this 
section. The report shall include— 
(A) a description of the activities of the 
task force; 
(B) the assessment and recommendations 
required by subsection (c); and 
(C) other matters that the task force de-
termines appropriate. 
(2) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 
90 days after receipt of the report under paragraph 
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(1), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services, and on Veterans’ Affairs, of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives, a copy 
such report. The Secretary may include in such sub-
mission comments on the report the Secretary deter-
mines appropriate. 
(f) TERMINATION.—The task force shall terminate 
90 days after the date on which the report of the task 
force is submitted to Congress under subsection (e)(2). 
(g) PLAN OF THE SECRETARY.—Not later than six 
months after receipt of the report from the task force 
under subsection (e), the Secretary of Defense shall de-
velop a plan based on the recommendations of the task 
force and submit the plan to the congressional defense 
committees. 
(h) REPORTS BY THE SECRETARY.—For each of the 
five years following the submission of the report from the 
Department of Defense Task Force on Mental Health, the 
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees a report on the recommendations made 
by the Department of Defense Task Force on Mental 
Health with respect to the Determinations. Department 
of Defense. Each such report shall include— 
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(1) for each such recommendation, the deter-
mination of the Secretary of Defense whether to im-
plement the recommendation; 
(2) in the case of a recommendation the Sec-
retary intends to implement, the intended timeline 
for implementation, a description of any additional 
resources or authorities required for such implemen-
tation, and the plan for such implementation; 
(3) in the case of a recommendation the Sec-
retary determines is not advisable or feasible, the 
analysis and justification of the Secretary in making 
that determination; and 
(4) in the case of a recommendation the Sec-
retary determines the Department is already imple-
menting, the analysis and justification of the Sec-
retary in making that determination. 
(i) BRIEFINGS BY THE SECRETARY.—Not less than 
once each of the five years following the submission of the 
report, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the con-
gressional defense committees a briefing on— 
(1) the progress of the Secretary in analyzing 
and implementing the recommendations made by the 
task force; 
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(2) any programs, projects, or other activities of 
the Department of Defense that are being carried 
out to implement such recommendations; and 
(3) the amount of funding provided for such 
programs, projects, and activities. 
Æ 
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