order or because of the substance use disorder of a 
member of the Armed Forces. 
(9) The need for and appropriate provision of 
confidentiality for members of the Armed Forces 
who seek services or treatment for a substance use 
disorder. 
(10) Such other matters as the Secretary con-
siders appropriate for purposes of the study. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the entity conducting the 
study required by subsection (a) shall submit to the Sec-
retary of Defense and the congressional defense commit-
tees a report on the results of the study. The report shall 
set forth the findings and recommendations of the entity 
as a result of the study. 
SEC. 5. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN THE PREVENTION, DI-
AGNOSIS, 
MITIGATION, 
TREATMENT, 
AND 
MANAGEMENT 
OF 
SUBSTANCE 
USE 
DIS-
ORDERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall es-
tablish within the Department of Defense a Center of Ex-
cellence in the Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitigation, Treat-
ment, and Management of Substance Use Disorders. 
(b) PARTNERSHIPS.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
ensure that the Center collaborates to the maximum ex-
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tent practicable with the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
institutions of higher education, and other appropriate 
public and private entities (including international enti-
ties) to carry out the responsibilities specified in sub-
section (c). 
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Center shall have re-
sponsibilities as follows: 
(1) To implement the comprehensive plan of the 
Department of Defense for the prevention, diagnosis, 
mitigation, treatment, and management of substance 
use disorders under section 3, including the perform-
ance of research on gender and ethnic group-specific 
health needs related to substance use disorders. 
(2) To provide for the development, testing, and 
dissemination within the Department of evidence- 
based best practices for the prevention, diagnosis, 
mitigation, treatment, and management of substance 
use disorders. 
(3) To provide guidance for healthcare profes-
sionals and support service staff of the health sys-
tem of the Department in providing quality health 
care for members of the Armed Forces with sub-
stance use disorders, and their dependents, when 
possible, who are suffering from the effects of sub-
stance use disorders. 
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(4) To provide guidance for healthcare profes-
sionals and support service staff to make members 
of the Armed Forces receiving prescription pain 
medications aware of the potential for abuse of or 
addiction to such substances, and to provide such 
members education on ways of properly securing 
such substances and disposing of such substances 
when no longer needed. 
(5) To recommend uniform credentials and 
other requirements for healthcare professionals and 
support service staff who provide care and support 
for members of the Armed Forces and their depend-
ents who suffer from substance use disorders. 
(6) To establish, implement, and oversee a uni-
form and comprehensive program to train physician 
and non-physician healthcare professionals and sup-
port staff in the Department in the screening, inter-
vention, treatment, and management of substance 
use disorders. 
(7) To coordinate research, data collection, and 
data dissemination on the prevention, diagnosis, 
mitigation, treatment, and management of substance 
use disorders, and to maintain a database of infor-
mation for that purpose. 
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(8) To facilitate advancements in the study of 
the short-term and long-term physical and psycho-
logical effects of substance use disorders. 
(9) To disseminate evidence-based best prac-
tices within the military medical treatment facilities 
for training healthcare professionals and support 
staff with respect to substance use disorders. 
(10) To conduct basic science and translational 
research on substance use disorders in members of 
the Armed Forces for the purposes of understanding 
the etiology of substance use disorders and devel-
oping preventive interventions and new treatments. 
(11) To develop programs and outreach strate-
gies for families of members of the Armed Forces 
with substance use disorders to address and to miti-
gate the impact of substance use disorders on such 
family members and to support the recovery of such 
members from substance use disorders. 
(12) To conduct research on the health needs of 
families of members of the Armed Forces with sub-
stance use disorders and develop protocols to ad-
dress any needs identified through such research. 
(13) To disseminate information to families of 
members of the Armed Forces regarding ways to 
help prevent alcohol and drug abuse among their 
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children, as well as educational materials to address 
how situations unique to military families, such as 
having a parent deployed, can increase stress levels 
and put a child at increased risk of abusing drugs 
or alcohol. 
(14) To develop and oversee a long-term plan to 
increase the number of healthcare professionals and 
support personnel within the Department in order to 
facilitate the meeting by the Department of the 
needs of members of the Armed Forces with sub-
stance use disorders while they remain on active 
duty and until their transition to care and treatment 
from the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(15) To develop and deploy an education and 
awareness training initiative designed to reduce the 
negative stigma associated with substance use dis-
orders and treatment. 
(16) Such other responsibilities as the Secretary 
shall specify. 
SEC. 6. CONGRESSIONAL DEFENSE COMMITTEES DEFINED. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘congressional defense commit-
tees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and 
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(2) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
Æ 
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