COMFORT Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-3021
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Sinema, Kyrsten [D-AZ]
Introduced: 2021-10-20
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Health personnel

Mental health

Military medicine

Military personnel and dependents
Latest action: action_date: 2021-10-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-10-20
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Comforting Our Military Families through On-base or Remote Treatment Act of 2021 or the COMFORT Act of 2021</strong></p> <p>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, <em>nonmedical counseling services</em> means mental health care services that are nonclinical, short-term, and solution-focused to address topics related to personal growth, development, and positive functioning.</p> <p>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, <em>mental health professionals</em> include licensed or certified mental health professionals or members of the uniformed services, civilian DOD employees, or DOD contractors.<br> </p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 3021 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES October 20, 2021 Ms. Sinema (for herself and Mr. Blunt ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To provide non-medical counseling services for military families.

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 . 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. .