SEC. 174. PROTOCOLS FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT FOR PTSD 
AND WAR-RELATED PAIN. 
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary 
of Defense shall jointly develop protocols for pain manage-
ment for PTSD and war-related pain. 
SEC. 175. PROTOCOLS FOR TREATMENT OF SUBSTANCE 
USE DISORDERS. 
The Secretary of Defense shall develop appropriate 
substance use disorder treatment protocols for assistance 
in combat areas of operations and on return to the United 
States. 
SEC. 176. PROTOCOLS FOR DIAGNOSIS OF POST-TRAU-
MATIC STRESS DISORDER. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as follows: 
(1) The symptoms of post-traumatic stress dis-
order are often similar to those of traumatic brain 
injury and some neurological disorders. 
(2) Some veterans with PTSD have co- 
morbidities that may mask or compound the symp-
toms associated with PTSD. 
(3) Correct diagnosis of PTSD and other dis-
orders is critical to effective treatment of those dis-
orders. 
(b) CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES.—The Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall develop clinical practice 
guidelines to ensure that clinicians are able to effectively
distinguish between diagnoses with similar symptoms that 
may manifest as post-traumatic stress disorder. 
CHAPTER 8—NATIONAL STEERING 
COMMITTEE ON PTSD EDUCATION 
SEC. 181. NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is a National Steering 
Committee on PTSD Education, to be appointed by the 
joint council established under section 151. The committee 
shall be comprised of mental health and other health pro-
fessionals and health educators involved in the care of vet-
erans of a deployment to a theater of combat on or after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The committee shall review training 
protocols for health-care providers and plans for dissemi-
nation of educational materials to veterans, their families, 
and other relevant parties and shall identify the resources 
available to provide for those purposes. 
(c) MEETINGS.—The committee shall meet at least 
once annually. 
SEC. 182. FUNDING SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL CENTER FOR 
PTSD. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs for the National Center for 
PTSD to assist in carrying out a joint educational initia-
tive with the Uniformed Services University of the Health
Sciences the amount of $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2005 through 2014. 
SEC. 183. CONTINUING EDUCATION TO MENTAL HEALTH 
PROVIDERS. 
The National Steering Committee established under 
section 181 shall provide continuing education to mental 
health providers in the Department of Veterans Affairs 
and the Department of Defense. 
SEC. 184. WEB-BASED CURRICULUM TO SPONSOR CLINI-
CIAN TRAINING INITIATIVES. 
The National Steering Committee established under 
section 181 shall develop a Web-based curriculum to spon-
sor clinician training initiatives. 
CHAPTER 9—BENEFITS 
SEC. 191. IDENTIFICATION OF DEFICIENCIES IN PTSD DIS-
ABILITY EXAMINATIONS. 
(a) EVALUATION OF ADJUDICATION OF CLAIMS.— 
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the 
National Center for PTSD, shall obtain an evaluation of 
the quality and consistency of adjudication of claims for 
PTSD, including the adequacy of service-connected com-
pensation examinations for rating purposes and the extent 
to which veterans who are service-connected for PTSD are 
actually employed and employable.