Title: Veterans Access to Online Treatment Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Veterans Access to Online Treatment Act
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a two-year pilot program to treat eligible veterans suffering from depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, military sexual trauma, or substance use disorder who are already receiving evidence-based therapy from the VA. Under the program, the VA is authorized to use computerized cognitive behavioral therapy to treat eligible veterans.
Eligible veterans are those who are enrolled in the VA health care system.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8005 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8005

   To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot 
program to provide veterans access to computerized cognitive behavioral 
                                therapy.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            August 11, 2020

 Mr. Golden (for himself and Mr. Banks) introduced the following bill; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot 
program to provide veterans access to computerized cognitive behavioral 
                                therapy.

    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 ``Veterans Access to Online Treatment 
Act''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE VETERANS ACCESS TO COMPUTERIZED 
              COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY.

    (a) Pilot Program.--
            (1) In general.--Beginning not later than 210 days after 
        the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs shall carry out a pilot program to treat 
        eligible veterans suffering from depression, anxiety, post-
        traumatic stress disorder, military sexual trauma, or substance 
        use disorder, or a combination thereof, who are already 
        receiving evidence-based therapy from the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs.
            (2) Computerized cognitive behavioral therapy.--In carrying 
        out the pilot program under paragraph (1), the Secretary may 
        use computerized cognitive behavioral therapy to treat eligible 
        veterans.
            (3) Continuation of programs.--The Secretary may--
                    (A) continue any cognitive behavioral therapy 
                programs in place on or before the date of the 
                enactment of this Act; and
                    (B) may use data or other observations under any 
                such programs in making the assessment required under 
                subsection (h)(1).
    (b) Eligible Veterans.--A veteran is eligible to participate in the 
pilot program under subsection (a) if the veteran is enrolled in the 
system of patient enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
established and operated under section 1705(a) of title 38, United 
States Code.
    (c) Duration.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program 
under subsection (a) for a two-year period beginning on the 
commencement of the program.
    (d) Locations.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall select not fewer than 
        three facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs at which 
        to carry out the pilot program under subsection (a).
            (2) Selection criteria.--In selecting facilities under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure that--
                    (A) the locations are in geographically diverse 
                areas; and
                    (B) not fewer than two facilities serve veterans in 
                rural or highly rural areas.
    (e) Access to Chat.--In carrying out the pilot program under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure that veterans participating 
in the pilot program have access via chat to a mental health provider 
24 hours per day, seven days per week.
    (f) Promotion of Veterans Crisis Line.--The Secretary shall promote 
the availability of the Veterans Crisis Line to veterans participating 
in the pilot program under subsection (a).
    (g) Department Website.--In implementing the pilot program under 
subsection (a), the Secretary, to the extent feasible, shall use a 
website of the Department of Veterans Affairs to host the pilot 
program.
    (h) Reports.--
            (1) Interim report.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than one year after the 
                commencement of the pilot program under subsection (a), 
                the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
                Veterans' Affairs of the Senate 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 and the number of persons whose 
                        experience in any other online cognitive 
                        behavioral therapy programs conducted by the 
                        Department of Veterans Affairs were used in the 
                        assessment under clause (ii).
                            (ii) An assessment of whether participation 
                        by a veteran in the pilot program resulted in 
                        any changes in clinically relevant endpoints 
                        for the veteran with respect to the conditions 
                        specified in subsection (a)(1).
                            (iii) Any recommendations of the Secretary 
                        with respect to extending or expanding the 
                        pilot program.
            (2) Final report.--Not later than 90 days after the 
        termination of the pilot program under subsection (a), the 
        Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of 
        the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House 
        of Representatives a final report on the pilot program.
    (i) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``highly rural area'' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 1703(i)(2)(B) of title 38, United States 
        Code.
            (2) The term ``Veterans Crisis Line'' means the toll-free 
        hotline for veterans established under section 1720F(h) of 
        title 38, United States Code.
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