A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility for mental health services from the Department of Veterans Affairs to include members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.
Care And Readiness Enhancement for Reservists Act of 2017 or the CARE for Reservists Act of 2017 This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide counseling without referral, which may include a comprehensive individual assessment, to any member of the reserve components of the Armed Forces who has a behavioral health condition or psychological trauma. Outpatient services shall also be available to such reservists. The VA shall evaluate current and future workloads to determine whether more Vet Centers, including mobile Vet Centers, are needed to handle an expansion of services resulting from such increased eligibility. If a Vet Center's workload treating members of the Armed Forces exceeds its workload treating veterans, the VA shall enter into discussions with the Department of Defense (DOD) to determine whether a reimbursable memorandum of understanding between the VA and DOD for the center's services is warranted. The VA may furnish mental health services to such reservists. Such reservists are included in the VA programs of: (1) comprehensive suicide prevention, and (2) mental health treatment for veterans who served in classified missions.
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Timeline
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Armed Forces and National Security
Congressional oversightDepartment of Veterans AffairsEmergency medical services and trauma careExecutive agency funding and structureGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment studies and investigationsHealth promotion and preventive careHealth technology, devices, suppliesHome and outpatient careMental healthMilitary medicineMilitary operations and strategyNational Guard and reservesVeterans' medical care
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility for mental health services from the Department of Veterans Affairs to include members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.
USA115th CongressS-1566| Senate
| Updated: 7/13/2017
Care And Readiness Enhancement for Reservists Act of 2017 or the CARE for Reservists Act of 2017 This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide counseling without referral, which may include a comprehensive individual assessment, to any member of the reserve components of the Armed Forces who has a behavioral health condition or psychological trauma. Outpatient services shall also be available to such reservists. The VA shall evaluate current and future workloads to determine whether more Vet Centers, including mobile Vet Centers, are needed to handle an expansion of services resulting from such increased eligibility. If a Vet Center's workload treating members of the Armed Forces exceeds its workload treating veterans, the VA shall enter into discussions with the Department of Defense (DOD) to determine whether a reimbursable memorandum of understanding between the VA and DOD for the center's services is warranted. The VA may furnish mental health services to such reservists. Such reservists are included in the VA programs of: (1) comprehensive suicide prevention, and (2) mental health treatment for veterans who served in classified missions.
Congressional oversightDepartment of Veterans AffairsEmergency medical services and trauma careExecutive agency funding and structureGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment studies and investigationsHealth promotion and preventive careHealth technology, devices, suppliesHome and outpatient careMental healthMilitary medicineMilitary operations and strategyNational Guard and reservesVeterans' medical care