To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use the Health Professionals Educational Assistance Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase the number of licensed mental health professionals in the Department of Veterans Affairs available to assist veterans suffering from the effects of combat stress, and for other purposes.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Combat Stress Healthcare 
Improvement Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) More than 1.6 million members of the Armed Forces have 
        been deployed in Afghanistan or Iraq for Operation Enduring 
        Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
            (2) The 2008 RAND Corporation report entitled ``Invisible 
        Wounds of War'' stated that ``With the possibility of more than 
        300,000 new cases of mental health conditions among OEF/OIF 
        veterans, a commensurate increase in treatment capacity is 
        needed.''.
            (3) Combat stress refers to the expected and predictable 
        emotional, intellectual, physical, or behavioral reactions of 
        members of the Armed Forces who have been exposed to stressful 
        events in war or other military operations, and combat stress 
        is often associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, 
        anxiety, depression, alcohol or drug abuse, and readjustment 
        difficulties.
            (4) Approximately 18.5 percent of the members of the Armed 
        Forces who have served in Afghanistan or Iraq are believed to 
        be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or depression, 
        and the rate of suicide among veterans suffering from post-
        traumatic stress disorder is a serious problem.
            (5) Approximately 19.5 percent of the members of the Armed 
        Forces who have served in Afghanistan or Iraq report that they 
        experienced a traumatic brain injury during their deployment.
            (6) It is estimated that only half of the veterans who need 
        treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain 
        injury actually seek treatment, and, of the veterans who 
        receive treatment, only slightly more than half receive 
        minimally adequate or better care.
            (7) The Department of Veterans Affairs must be prepared to 
        provide lifetime care for veterans who were severely wounded 
        physically or psychologically in combat operations in 
        Afghanistan and Iraq.
            (8) The inadequate number of licensed mental health 
        professionals trained to treat combat stress may have a 
        negative long-term impact on the quality of mental health care 
        for veterans.
            (9) There are many challenges surrounding the hiring and 
        retention of trained mental health providers by the Department 
        of Veterans Affairs.
            (10) The Health Professionals Educational Assistance 
        Program under chapter 76 of title 38, United States Code, 
        contains a number of scholarship, tuition reimbursement, and 
        education debt reduction programs that need to be better 
        utilized by the Department of Veterans Affairs to relieve the 
        shortage in the number of licensed mental health professionals 
        employed by the Department who have received specialized 
        training in the treatment of combat stress.

SEC. 3. USE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO 
              INCREASE NUMBER OF LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS 
              EMPLOYED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TRAINED TO 
              TREAT COMBAT STRESS.

    (a) In General.--Section 7603 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(e)(1) The purpose of this subsection is to establish a means to 
increase the number of licensed mental health professionals employed by 
the Department of Veterans Affairs who have the specialized training 
necessary to treat combat stress by providing a selection priority 
under the following components of the Educational Assistance Program:
            ``(A) The scholarship program provided for in subchapter II 
        of this chapter.
            ``(B) The tuition reimbursement program provided for in 
        subchapter III of this chapter.
            ``(C) The Selected Reserve member stipend program provided 
        for under subchapter V of this chapter.
            ``(D) The employee incentive scholarship program provided 
        for in subchapter VI of this chapter.
            ``(E) The education debt reduction program provided for in 
        subchapter VII of this chapter.
    ``(2) In addition to the priority given under subsection (d) in 
selecting applicants for acceptance in the Educational Assistance 
Program under subchapter II, III, V, or VI of this chapter, the 
Secretary shall give priority to the application of an individual who--
            ``(A) is otherwise eligible to receive assistance under the 
        applicable subchapter; and
            ``(B) is accepted for enrollment, or is enrolled, as a 
        student at a qualifying educational institution in a course of 
        education or training that is approved by the Secretary and--
                    ``(i) leads to a degree as a licensed mental health 
                professional with specialized training in the treatment 
                of combat stress; or
                    ``(ii) in the case of an individual who is already 
                a licensed mental health professional, provides 
                specialized training in the field of combat stress.
    ``(3) In addition to the priority given under subsection (d) in 
selecting applicants for acceptance in the Educational Assistance 
Program under subchapter VII of this chapter, the Secretary shall give 
priority to the application of an individual who--
            ``(A) is otherwise eligible to receive assistance under 
        such subchapter;
            ``(B) has completed a degree qualifying the individual as a 
        licensed mental health professional;
            ``(C) is an employee of the Department who serves in a 
        position related to the treatment of combat stress; and
            ``(D) owes any amount of principal or interest under a loan 
        used by that individual to pay costs directly relating to 
        earning the degree as a licensed mental health professional.
    ``(4) The Secretary shall make available to personnel of the 
Department and to educational institutions offering courses in mental 
health such materials as the Secretary considers appropriate to provide 
information on the Educational Assistance Program priorities available 
under this subsection and shall encourage educational institutions to 
disseminate the materials to students.
    ``(5) The priority required by paragraphs (2) and (3) shall apply 
until such time as the Secretary certifies to Congress that the 
shortage no longer exists in the number of licensed mental health 
professionals employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs who have 
specialized training in the treatment of combat stress.
    ``(6) Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of the 
Veterans Combat Stress Healthcare Improvement Act, the Secretary shall 
issue guidelines for the identification of educational programs that 
are qualified to provide specialized training in the treatment of 
combat stress.
    ``(7) In this subsection:
            ``(A) The term `licensed mental health professional' 
        includes individuals certified as a social worker, 
        psychologist, psychiatrist, or in such other disciplines as the 
        Secretary determines to be appropriate for purposes of this 
        subsection.
            ``(B) The term `combat stress' refers to the expected and 
        predictable emotional, intellectual, physical, or behavioral 
        reactions of veterans who have been exposed to stressful events 
        in war or other military operations, and combat stress is often 
        associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, 
        depression, alcohol or drug abuse, and readjustment 
        difficulties.
    ``(8) There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 
$15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2011 to carry out 
this subsection.''.
    (b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in the amendment made by 
subsection (a) is intended to limit or define the diagnosis or 
treatment of veterans' medical conditions.
    (c) Reauthorization of Expired Scholarship Program.--Section 7618 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking ``1998'' and 
inserting ``2011''.

Summary: Veterans Combat Stress Healthcare Improvement Act - Revises the veterans' health professionals educational assistance program to provide a selection priority under various program components for those seeking to obtain the specialized training necessary to treat combat stress. Provides a similar priority for individuals who have completed the degree requirements necessary for qualification as a licensed mental health professional, are employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in positions related to the treatment of combat stress, and owe any principal or interest on loans used to pay costs related to earning the degree.

Reauthorizes the program's scholarship program for FY2009-FY2011.