I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8147 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to expand an existing pilot 
program, and to establish a new pilot program, related to complementary 
and integrative health services for veterans. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 
Mr. LAMB (for himself and Mr. FITZPATRICK) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to expand an 
existing pilot program, and to establish a new pilot pro-
gram, related to complementary and integrative health 
services for veterans. 
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 ‘‘Testing, Researching, 
and Expanding Alternative Treatments Act’’ or the 
‘‘TREAT Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF CERTAIN COMPLEMENTARY AND IN-
TEGRATIVE HEALTH SERVICES. 
(a) PLAN REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall develop a plan to expand the pilot 
program under section 933 of the Jason Simcakoski Me-
morial and Promise Act (title IX of Public Law 114–198; 
38 U.S.C. 1701 note). 
(b) ASSESSMENT; ELEMENTS.—The plan under sub-
section (a) shall include provisions for assessing the imple-
mentation of the plan and the effectiveness of services and 
programs described in subsection (f) of that section 933, 
including— 
(1) the use and efficacy of complementary and 
integrative health services delivered through the pilot 
program for addressing mental health, pain manage-
ment, and treatment of chronic illness; 
(2) the outreach conducted by the Secretary to 
inform veterans and community organizations of 
such services; and 
(3) the experiences of veterans who received 
such services. 
(c) TREATMENTS DESCRIBED.—Complementary and 
integrative health treatments described in this subjection 
shall consist of the following: 
(1) Yoga. 
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(2) Meditation. 
(3) Acupuncture. 
(4) Chiropractic care. 
(5) Other treatments that show sufficient evi-
dence of efficacy at treating mental or physical 
health conditions, as determined by the Secretary. 
(d) IMPLEMENTATION.—Not later than 270 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall implement the plan under subsection (a). 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than two years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 
House of Representatives a report on activities carried out 
under this section, including— 
(1) the assessment under subsection (b); 
(2) implementation under subsection (d); and 
(3) such recommendations regarding the fur-
nishing of complementary and integrative health 
treatments described in subsection (c) the Secretary 
determines appropriate. 
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SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE VETERANS ACCESS 
TO 
COMPLEMENTARY 
AND 
INTEGRATIVE 
HEALTH SERVICES THROUGH ANIMAL THER-
APY, AGRITHERAPY, AND ADAPTIVE SPORTS, 
RECREATION, AND OUTDOOR ADVENTURE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall commence the conduct of a pilot pro-
gram to provide complementary and integrative health 
services described in subsection (b) to eligible veterans 
from the Department of Veterans Affairs or through the 
use of non-Department entities for the treatment of post- 
traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, or other 
conditions as determined by the Secretary. 
(b) TREATMENTS DESCRIBED.—Complementary and 
integrative health treatments described in this subsection 
shall consist of the following: 
(1) Equine assisted therapy. 
(2) Other animal therapy. 
(3) Agritherapy. 
(4) Post-traumatic growth programming. 
(5) Adaptive sports, recreation, and outdoor ad-
venture. 
(c) ELIGIBLE VETERANS.—A veteran is eligible to 
participate in the pilot program under this section if the 
veteran— 
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(1) is enrolled in the system of patient enroll-
ment of the Department under section 1705(a) of 
title 38, United States Code; and 
(2) during the two-year period preceding the 
initial participation of the veteran in the pilot pro-
gram— 
(A) has received health care under the laws 
administered by the Secretary; or 
(B) has received rehabilitation and coun-
seling services from a Vet Center. 
(d) DURATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry 
out the pilot program under this section for a three- 
year period beginning on the commencement of the 
pilot program. 
(2) EXTENSION.—The Secretary may extend 
the duration of the pilot program under this section 
if the Secretary, based on the results of the interim 
report submitted under subsection (f)(1), determines 
that it is appropriate to do so. 
(e) LOCATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall select 
not fewer than five facilities of the Department at 
which to carry out the pilot program under this sec-
tion. 
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(2) SELECTION CRITERIA.—In selecting facili-
ties under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure 
that— 
(A) the locations are in geographically di-
verse areas; and 
(B) not fewer than three facilities serve 
veterans in rural or highly rural areas (as de-
termined through the use of the Rural-Urban 
Commuting Areas coding system of the Depart-
ment of Agriculture). 
(f) RESEARCH
ON
EFFECTIVENESS
OF
TREAT-
MENT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry 
out the pilot program in conjunction with academic 
researchers affiliated with the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs, including through agreements under 
paragraph (2), in order for those researchers to 
study the effectiveness of the treatments described 
in subsection (b). 
(2) AGREEMENTS.—Before commencing the 
pilot program, the Secretary shall seek to enter into 
agreements with academic researchers to ensure ro-
bust data collection and gathering procedures are in 
place under the pilot program in order to produce 
peer-reviewed journal articles. 
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(g) REPORTS.— 
(1) INTERIM REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the commencement of the pilot program 
under this section, the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Sen-
ate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives a report on the 
progress of the pilot program. 
(B) ELEMENTS.—The report required by 
subparagraph (A) shall include the following: 
(i) The number of participants in the 
pilot program. 
(ii) The type or types of therapy of-
fered at each facility at which the pilot 
program is being carried out. 
(iii) An assessment of whether partici-
pation by a veteran in the pilot program 
resulted in any changes in clinically rel-
evant endpoints for the veteran with re-
spect to the conditions specified in sub-
section (a). 
(iv) An assessment of effect on quality 
of life and well-being of veterans partici-
pating in the pilot program, including the 
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