Brandon Act

Bill: 116-s-4334
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. McSally, Martha [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2020-07-28
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Medical tests and diagnostic methods

Mental health

Military medicine

Military personnel and dependents
Latest action: action_date: 2020-07-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-07-28
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Brandon Act</b></p> <p>This bill modifies the regulatory requirement for the referral of a member of the Armed Forces for a mental health evaluation. It requires that commanding officers or supervisors make referrals and soon as practicable and that the referral process protect the confidentiality of the member.</p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4334 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 28, 2020 Ms. McSally introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve the process by which a member of the Armed Forces may be referred for a mental health evaluation.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Brandon Act . 2. Mandatory referral of members of the Armed Forces for mental health evaluation Section 1090a of title 10, United States Code, is amended— (1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and (2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new subsection: (e) Process applicable to member disclosure The regulations required by subsection (a) shall— (1) establish a phrase that enables a member of the armed forces to trigger a referral of the member by a commanding officer or supervisor for a mental health evaluation; (2) require a commanding officer or supervisor to make such referral as soon as practicable following disclosure by the member to the commanding officer or supervisor of the phrase established under paragraph (1); and (3) ensure that the referral process protects the confidentiality of the member in a manner similar to the confidentiality provided for members making restricted reports under section 1565b(b) of this title. .