COMFORT Act of 2021
Bill: S.3021 | Sponsor: Sen. Sinema, Kyrsten (D-AZ)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Comforting Our Military Families through On-base or Remote Treatment Act of 2021 or the COMFORT Act of 2021
This bill authorizes the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy within the Department of Defense (DOD) to coordinate programs and activities for the provision of nonmedical counseling services to military families through the DOD Military and Family Life Counseling Program. Under the bill, nonmedical counseling services means mental health care services that are nonclinical, short-term, and solution-focused to address topics related to personal growth, development, and positive functioning.
The bill authorizes mental health professionals to provide non-medical counseling services regardless of where the provider or recipient is located so long as the provision of service is within the scope of the authorized duties of the provider. For purposes of the bill, mental health professionals include licensed or certified mental health professionals or members of the uniformed services, civilian DOD employees, or DOD contractors.

To provide non-medical counseling services for military families.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Comforting Our Military Families 
through On-base or Remote Treatment Act of 2021'' or the ``COMFORT Act 
of 2021''.

SEC. 2. NON-MEDICAL COUNSELING SERVICES FOR MILITARY FAMILIES.

    Section 1781 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d) Non-Medical Counseling Services.--(1) In carrying out its 
duties under subsection (b), the Office may coordinate programs and 
activities for the provision of non-medical counseling services to 
military families through the Department of Defense Military and Family 
Life Counseling Program.
    ``(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a mental health 
professional described in paragraph (3) may provide non-medical 
counseling services at any location in a State, the District of 
Columbia, or a territory or possession of the United States, without 
regard to where the provider or recipient of such services is located, 
if the provision of such services is within the scope of the authorized 
Federal duties of the provider.
    ``(3) A mental health professional described in this subsection is 
a person who is--
            ``(A) a currently licensed or certified mental health care 
        provider who holds an unrestricted license or certification 
        that is--
                    ``(i) issued by a State, the District of Columbia, 
                or a territory or possession of the United States; and
                    ``(ii) recognized by the Secretary of Defense;
            ``(B) a member of the uniformed services, a civilian 
        employee of the Department of Defense, or a contractor 
        designated by the Secretary; and
            ``(C) performing authorized duties for the Department of 
        Defense under a program or activity referred to in paragraph 
        (1).
    ``(4) In this subsection, the term `non-medical counseling 
services' means mental health care services that are non-clinical, 
short-term, and solution-focused, and address topics related to 
personal growth, development, and positive functioning.''.
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