[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5731 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5731
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for annual reviews of
mental health professionals treating veterans, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 14, 2010
Mrs. Kirkpatrick of Arizona introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for annual reviews of
mental health professionals treating veterans, and for other purposes.
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 Mental Health Professionals
Oversight Act of 2010''.
SEC. 2. REVIEW OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) In General.--
(1) Review.--Subchapter II of chapter 73 of title 38,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
``Sec. 7330B. Review of mental health professionals
``(a) Review.--Not later than January 1 of each year, the Inspector
General of the Department of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a review of
mental health professionals employed by the Veterans Health
Administration during the preceding fiscal year.
``(b) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date on which the
review under subsection (a) is completed, the Inspector General shall
submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate, and
the Advisory Committee on Veterans with Psychological and Mental Health
Needs under section 547 of this title a report on such review.
``(c) Contents.--With respect to each covered facility in each
geographic service area of the Veterans Health Administration, the
report shall include the following:
``(1) The number of full-time psychiatrists and
psychologists employed during the preceding fiscal year.
``(2) The number of part-time (or part-time equivalent)
psychiatrists and psychologists employed during the preceding
fiscal year.
``(3) The number of mental health nursing staff employed
during the preceding fiscal year.
``(4) The number of certified social workers assigned to
mental health programs during the preceding fiscal year.
``(5) The number of other direct-care mental health staff,
including counselors and outreach workers, employed during the
preceding fiscal year.
``(6) The number of administrative and support staff
assigned to mental health programs during the preceding fiscal
year.
``(7) The number of full-time direct-care employees for all
programs of the Veterans Health Administration.
``(8) The number of unfilled vacancies for mental health
positions that have been authorized for each geographic service
area (including the number of positions per each covered
facility) and the average length of time such positions remain
unfilled.
``(d) Definition.--In this section, the term `covered facility'
includes each medical center, facility, and community-based outpatient
clinic of the Veterans Health Administration.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 73 is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 7330A the following new item:
``7330B. Review of mental health professionals''.
(b) Report.--Not later than October 1, 2011, the Inspector General
of the Department of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives, the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate, and the Advisory Committee on Veterans
with Psychological and Mental Health Needs under section 547 of title
38, United States Code, as added by section 3 of this Act, a report
under section 7330B of such title, as added by subsection (a) of this
section, with respect to each of fiscal years 2004 through 2009.
SEC. 3. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL AND MENTAL
HEALTH NEEDS.
(a) In General.--Subchapter III of chapter 5 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 547. Advisory committee on veterans with psychological and
mental health needs
``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish an advisory
committee to be known as the Advisory Committee on Veterans with
Psychological and Mental Health Needs (in this section referred to as
the `Committee').
``(b) Membership.--The Committee shall consist of members appointed
by the Secretary, including--
``(1) mental health practitioners of the Department;
``(2) veterans;
``(3) individuals representing veteran service
organizations; and
``(4) individuals representing other organizations related
to mental health or veterans.
``(c) Responsibilities of Committee.--(1) The Secretary shall, on a
regular basis, consult with and seek the advice of the Committee with
respect to the provision of mental health care to veterans.
``(2) In addition to providing advice under paragraph (1), the
Committee shall--
``(A) analyze data contained in the reports submitted under
section 7330B of this title; and
``(B) collect information related to the provision of
mental health treatment to veterans by the Department,
including by visiting medical facilities of the Department from
time to time.
``(d) Reports.--Not later than March 1 of each year, beginning
March 1, 2011, the Committee shall submit to the Secretary a report on
the programs and activities of the Department that pertain to veterans
with psychological and mental health needs.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
chapter 5 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the
end the following:
``547. Advisory committee on veterans with psychological and mental
health needs.''.
SEC. 4. REPORT ON CHRONIC MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS.
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate a report on chronic mental health
conditions. The report shall include the following:
(1) The number of veterans diagnosed with chronic mental
health conditions.
(2) The anticipated needs of veterans of Operation Enduring
Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom with respect to the
treatment of chronic mental health conditions.
(3) With respect to treating the veterans described in
paragraph (2), the anticipated needs of the Department of
Veterans Affairs related to--
(A) the number (by type) of staff of the Veterans
Health Administration;
(B) the number (by type) of facilities of the
Veterans Health Administration;
(C) the equipment and other resources used in such
treatment; and
(D) the amount of funding required by the
Secretary.
(4) The optimal panel size of patients for mental health
professionals treating the veterans described in paragraphs (1)
and (2).
SEC. 5. STUDY ON SUBSTANCE-USE DISORDERS AND REHABILITATION.
(a) Study.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a study
of substance-use disorders among veterans. Such study shall include--
(1) the barriers to rehabilitation and treatment of such
substance-use disorders;
(2) the effect early intervention services have on treating
substance-use disorders;
(3) the effect counseling, including couples and family
counseling, has on treating substance-use disorders; and
(4) developing programs to combat any stigmas related to
treating substance-use disorders that prevent veterans from
seeking such treatment.
(b) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate a report on the study required by
subsection (a).
SEC. 6. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORTS ON MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS.
(a) MHSP and UMHS.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the
United States shall conduct a study to assess--
(A) the progress of the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs in implementing the Mental Health Strategic
Plan of the Veterans Health Administration of the
Department of Veterans Affairs (published November
2004); and
(B) the status of the Uniform Mental Health
Services handbook of the Veterans Health Administration
(Veterans Health Administration handbook 1160.01,
published September 11, 2008) at the end of fiscal year
2010.
(2) Report.--Not later than 30 days after the study under
paragraph (1) is completed, the Comptroller General shall
submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the
Senate, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs a report on the
study, including the number of full-time mental health
professionals the Comptroller General determines necessary to
implement the Mental Health Strategic Plan and the Uniform
Mental Health Services handbook.
(b) VERA System.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate, and the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs a report on any modifications to the Veterans'
Equitable Resource Allocation system of the Veterans Health
Administration that the Comptroller General determines necessary for
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to meet the mental health needs of
veterans.
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