I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1942 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve the mental health assess-
ments provided to members of the Armed Forces deployed in support 
of a contingency operation. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 23, 2011 
Mr. CARSON of Indiana (for himself, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. BACA, Mr. MCGOV-
ERN, and Mr. STARK) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve the 
mental health assessments provided to members of the 
Armed Forces deployed in support of a contingency oper-
ation. 
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 ‘‘Service Members Men-
tal Health Screening Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS FOR MEMBERS OF 
THE ARMED FORCES DEPLOYED IN SUPPORT 
OF A CONTINGENCY OPERATION. 
(a) MENTAL HEALTH EXAMINATIONS DURING A DE-
PLOYMENT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 55 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after 
section 1074l the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1074m. Mental health assessments for members of 
the armed forces deployed in support of a 
contingency operation 
‘‘(a) MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS.—(1) The Sec-
retary of Defense shall provide a person-to-person mental 
health assessment for each member of the armed forces 
who is deployed in support of a contingency operation as 
follows: 
‘‘(A) Once during the period beginning 60 days 
before the date of the deployment. 
‘‘(B) Once during each 180-day period in which 
the member is so deployed. 
‘‘(C) Once during the period beginning 90 days 
after the date of redeployment from the contingency 
operation and ending 180 days after such redeploy-
ment date. 
‘‘(D) Subject to subsection (d), not later than 
once during each of— 
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‘‘(i) the period beginning 180 days after 
the date of redeployment from the contingency 
operation and ending one year after such rede-
ployment date; 
‘‘(ii) the period beginning one year after 
such redeployment date and ending two years 
after such redeployment date; and 
‘‘(iii) the period beginning two years after 
such redeployment date and ending three years 
after such redeployment date. 
‘‘(2) A mental health assessment is not required for 
a member of the armed forces under subparagraphs (C) 
and (D) of paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines 
that— 
‘‘(A) the member was not subjected or exposed 
to operational risk factors during deployment in the 
contingency operation concerned; or 
‘‘(B) providing such assessment to the member 
during the time periods under such subparagraphs 
would remove the member from forward deployment 
or put members or operational objectives at risk. 
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the mental health 
assessments provided pursuant to this section shall be to 
identify post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain in-
jury, suicidal tendencies, and other behavioral health con-
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ditions identified among members of the armed forces de-
scribed in subsection (a) in order to determine which such 
members are in need of additional care and treatment for 
such health conditions. 
‘‘(c) ELEMENTS.—(1) The mental health assessments 
provided pursuant to this section shall— 
‘‘(A) be performed by personnel trained and 
certified to perform such assessments and may be 
performed— 
‘‘(i) by licensed mental health professionals 
if such professionals are available and the use 
of such professionals for the assessments would 
not impair the capacity of such professionals to 
perform higher priority tasks; and 
‘‘(ii) by personnel at private facilities in ac-
cordance with section 1074(c) of this title. 
‘‘(B) include a person-to-person dialogue be-
tween members of the armed forces described in sub-
section (a) and the professionals or personnel de-
scribed by paragraph (1), as applicable, on such 
matters as the Secretary shall specify in order that 
the assessments achieve the purpose specified in sub-
section (b) for such assessments; 
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‘‘(C) be conducted in a private setting to foster 
trust and openness in discussing sensitive health 
concerns; 
‘‘(D) be provided in a consistent manner across 
the military departments; and 
‘‘(E) include a review of the health records of 
the member that are related to each previous deploy-
ment of the member or other relevant activities of 
the member while serving in the armed forces, as de-
termined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary may treat periodic health assess-
ments and other person-to-person assessments that are 
provided to members of the armed forces, including exami-
nations under section 1074f, as meeting the requirements 
for mental health assessments required under this section 
if the Secretary determines that such assessments and 
person-to-person assessments meet the requirements for 
mental health assessments established by this section. 
‘‘(d) CESSATION
OF
ASSESSMENTS.—No mental 
health assessment is required to be provided to an indi-
vidual under subsection (a)(1)(D) after the individual’s 
discharge or release from the armed forces. 
‘‘(e) DIAGNOSES DURING DEPLOYMENT.—(1) In 
order to prevent suicide, self-harm, harm to others, and 
under-performance of members of the armed forces, the 
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