Title: To improve military family readiness.
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to address military family readiness and resiliency.
Specifically, DOD must
The Government Accountability Office must report on disputes between military families and schools.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6489 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6489

                 To improve military family readiness.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 10, 2020

 Mr. Thornberry (for himself and Mr. Kelly of Mississippi) introduced 
   the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 
                                Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
                 To improve military family readiness.

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

SECTION 1. FAMILY READINESS: DEFINITIONS; COMMUNICATION STRATEGY; 
              REPORT.

    (a) Definitions.--Not later than six months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with 
the Secretaries of the military departments, shall define the terms 
``military family readiness'' and ``military family resiliency''.
    (b) Communication Strategy.--Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination 
with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall establish and 
implement a strategy regarding communication with military families. 
The strategy shall include the following:
            (1) The use of a variety of modes of communication to 
        ensure the broadest means of communicating with military 
        families.
            (2) Updating an existing annual standardized survey that 
        assesses military family readiness to address the following 
        issues:
                    (A) Communication with beneficiaries.
                    (B) Child care.
                    (C) Education.
                    (D) Spousal employment.
                    (E) The Exceptional Family Member Program.
                    (F) Financial literacy.
                    (G) Financial stress.
                    (H) Health care (including copayments, network 
                adequacy, and the availability of appointments with 
                health care providers).
    (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of the Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives a report regarding the feasibility of implementing the 
recommendations in--
            (1) chapter 3 of the report of the Inspector General of the 
        Department of Defense for fiscal year 2020, ``Ensuring Wellness 
        and Wellbeing of Service-Members and their Families''; and
            (2) the report, dated July 2019, of the National Academies 
        of Science, Engineering and Medicine, titled ``Strengthening 
        the Military Family Readiness System for a Changing American 
        Society''.

SEC. 2. STANDARDIZATION OF THE EXCEPTIONAL FAMILY MEMBER PROGRAM.

    (a) Policy.--Not later than six months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with 
the Secretaries of the military departments, shall, to the extent 
practicable, standardize the Exceptional Family Member Program (in this 
section referred to as the ``EFMP'') across the military departments.
    (b) Elements.--The EFMP, standardized under subsection (a), shall 
include the following:
            (1) Processes for the identification and enrollment of 
        dependents of covered members with special needs.
            (2) A process for the permanent change of orders for 
        covered members, to ensure seamless continuity of services at 
        the new permanent duty station.
            (3) A review process for installations to ensure that 
        health care furnished through the TRICARE program, special 
        needs education programs, and installation-based family support 
        programs are available to military families enrolled in the 
        EFMP.
            (4) A standardized respite care benefit across the covered 
        Armed Forces, including the number of hours available under 
        such benefit to military families enrolled in the EFMP.
            (5) Outcomes and metrics to evaluate the EFMP.
            (6) A requirement that the Secretary of each military 
        department provide a dedicated EFMP attorney, who specializes 
        in education law, at each military installation--
                    (A) the Secretary determines is a primary receiving 
                installation for military families with special needs; 
                and
                    (B) in a State that the Secretary determines has 
                historically not supported families enrolled in the 
                EFMP.
            (7) The option for a family enrolled in the EFMP to 
        continue to receive all services under that program and the 
        bachelor allowance for housing if--
                    (A) the covered member receives a new permanent 
                duty station; and
                    (B) the covered member and family elect for the 
                family not to relocate with the covered member.
            (8) A process to discuss policy challenges and 
        opportunities, best practices adopted across the covered Armed 
        Forces, a forum period for discussion with members of military 
        families with special needs, and other matters the Secretary of 
        Defense determines appropriate.
    (c) Case Management.--The Secretary of Defense, in coordination 
with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall develop an EFMP 
case management model, including the following:
            (1) A single EFMP office, located at the headquarters of 
        each covered Armed Force, to oversee implementation of the EFMP 
        and coordinate health care services, permanent change of 
        station order processing, and educational support services for 
        that covered Armed Force.
            (2) An EFMP office at each military installation with case 
        managers to assist each family of a covered member in the 
        development of a plan that addresses the areas specified in 
        subsection (b)(1).
    (d) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of the Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives a report on the implementation of the items identified 
under subsections (a), (b), and (c), including any recommendations of 
the Secretary regarding legislation.
    (e) GAO Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the 
House of Representatives a report on--
            (1) whether military families have higher rates of disputes 
        and loss of free and appropriate public education under section 
        504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Public Law 93-112; 29 
        U.S.C. 794) than civilian counterparts; and
            (2) an analysis of the number of due process hearings that 
        were filed by school districts against children of members of 
        the Armed Forces.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``covered Armed Force'' means an Armed Force 
        under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of a military 
        department.
            (2) The term ``covered member'' means a member--
                    (A) of a covered Armed Force; and
                    (B) with a dependent with special needs.

SEC. 3. CHILD CARE.

    (a) 24-Hour Child Care.--If the Secretary of Defense determines it 
feasible, the Secretary shall furnish child care to each child of a 
member of the Armed Forces or employee of the Department of Defense 
while that member or employee works on rotating shifts at a military 
installation.
    (b) Metrics.--Not later than six months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall develop and 
implement metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of the child care 
priority system of the Department of Defense, including--
            (1) the speed of placement for children of members of the 
        Armed Forces on active duty;
            (2) the type of child care offered;
            (3) available spaces in such system, if any; and
            (4) other metrics to monitor the child care priority system 
        determined by the Secretary.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of the Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives a report regarding the results of a study that 
evaluates--
            (1) the sufficiency of the stipend furnished by the 
        Secretary to members of the Armed Forces received for civilian 
        child care; and
            (2) whether the amount of such stipend should be based on--
                    (A) cost of living in the applicable locale; and
                    (B) the capacity of licensed civilian child care 
                providers in the local market.

SEC. 4. STUDY AND REPORT ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
              DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study on the 
performance of the Department of Defense Education Activity.
    (b) Elements.--The study under subsection (a) shall include the 
following:
            (1) A review of the curriculum relating to health, 
        resiliency, and nutrition taught in schools operated by the 
        Department of Defense Education Activity and a comparison of 
        such curriculum to appropriate education benchmarks.
            (2) An analysis of the outcomes experienced by students in 
        such schools, as measured by--
                    (A) the performance of such students on the 
                National Assessment of Educational Progress carried out 
                under section 303(b)(3) of the National Assessment of 
                Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. 
                9622(b)(3)); and
                    (B) any other methodologies used by the Department 
                of Defense Education Activity to measure individual 
                student outcomes.
            (3) An assessment of the effectiveness of the School 
        Liaison Officer program of the Department of Defense Education 
        Activity in achieving the goals of the program with an emphasis 
        on goals relating to special education and family outreach.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of the Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives a report that includes the findings of the study 
conducted under subsection (a).

SEC. 5. REPORT ON AUTISM TREATMENTS PROVIDED UNDER TRICARE PROGRAM.

    (a) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives a report assessing the effectiveness of autism 
treatment methodologies under the TRICARE program and the prevalence of 
autism among dependents of members of the Armed Forces.
    (b) Elements.--The report under subsection (a) shall include the 
following:
            (1) An assessment of the effectiveness of applied 
        behavioral analysis and other autism treatment methodologies 
        covered under the TRICARE program, including an independent 
        assessment conducted by an academic institution or other 
        similar nongovernmental entity of the Pervasive Developmental 
        Disorder Behavior Inventory as a basis for drawing conclusions 
        regarding such treatment.
            (2) A descriptive analysis of copayment and other out-of-
        pocket expenses for covered beneficiaries who receive benefits 
        under the Department of Defense Comprehensive Autism Care 
        Demonstration program.
            (3) A comparison of rates of autism among dependents of 
        members of the Armed Forces and such rates among the civilian 
        population.
    (c) TRICARE Program Defined.--In this section, the term ``TRICARE 
program'' has the meaning given that term in section 1072 of title 10, 
United States Code.

SEC. 6. REPORT ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STAFFING NEEDS.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report that--
            (1) contains specific information on the amount of funding 
        needed to hire and retain behavioral health professionals to 
        treat members of the Armed Forces and covered beneficiaries (as 
        defined in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code);
            (2) identifies the number and types of military, civilian, 
        direct contract, and managed care support contract behavioral 
        health professionals required to treat such individuals; and
            (3) contains a plan to provide behavioral health treatment 
        to such individuals using telehealth services and other 
        technologies, including any recommendations of the Secretary 
        regarding legislation.

SEC. 7. POLICY TO ADDRESS OPIOID PRESCRIPTION ABUSE PREVENTION.

    (a) Requirement.--The Secretary of Defense shall develop a policy 
and tracking mechanism for opioids that monitors and prohibits the over 
prescribing of opioids to ensure compliance with clinical practice 
guidelines.
    (b) Elements.--The requirements under subsection (a) shall include 
the following:
            (1) Limit the prescribing of opioids to the morphine 
        milligram equivalent level per day specified in the guideline 
        published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
        titled ``CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic 
        Pain--United States, 2016'', or such successor guideline.
            (2) Limit the supply of opioids to within clinically 
        accepted guidelines.
            (3) Develop a waiver process for specific patient 
        categories that will require treatment beyond the limit 
        specified in paragraph (1).
            (4) Implement controls to ensure that the prescriptions in 
        the military health system data repository exist and that the 
        dispense date and the metric quantity field for opioid 
        prescriptions in liquid form are consistent among all systems.
            (5) Implement opioid prescribing controls within the 
        electronic health record system known as ``Genesis''.
            (6) Develop metrics that can be used by the Defense Health 
        Agency and each military medical treatment facility to actively 
        monitor and limit the over prescribing of opioids.
            (7) Develop a report that tracks progression toward reduced 
        levels of opioid use.

SEC. 8. SPOUSAL EMPLOYMENT PILOT PROGRAM WITH THE DEFENSE 
              COUNTERINTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY AGENCY.

    (a) In General.--The Under Secretary of Personnel and Readiness, in 
coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and 
Security, shall conduct a pilot program with the Defense 
Counterintelligence and Security Agency to recruit military spouses 
into a paid internship pilot program that includes specific training 
and on-the-job training designed to prepare the spouse for a position 
within the national security field, including the Federal Government 
and cleared industry.
    (b) Duration.--The Under Secretary of Personnel and Readiness shall 
conduct the pilot program for a period not to exceed three years.
    (c) Security Training.--The pilot program under this section shall 
permit military spouses the opportunity to gain experience in a variety 
of areas, including security clearance background investigations and 
personnel vetting, industrial security and critical technology 
protection, and counterintelligence analysis.
    (d) Reports.--
            (1) Interim report.--Not later than one year after the date 
        of the enactment of the Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
        submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and 
        the House of Representatives a report on the status of the 
        pilot program that shall include the following:
                    (A) Number of spouses that entered the pilot 
                program.
                    (B) Metrics to be used to measure the effectiveness 
                of the pilot program.
                    (C) A description of the employment positions that 
                spouses entered into after the pilot program.
            (2) Final report.--Not later than 180 days after the end of 
        the pilot program, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
        congressional committees specified in paragraph (1) a final 
        report on the pilot program that shall include the following:
                    (A) Number of spouses that completed the pilot 
                program.
                    (B) An evaluation of the pilot program using the 
                metrics of assessment set forth pursuant to paragraph 
                (1)(B).
                    (C) A description of the employment positions that 
                spouses entered into following the pilot program.
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