PILOT PROJECTS ON EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS.

SEC. 722. PILOT PROJECTS ON EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS.(a) Pilot Projects Required.—The Secretary of Defense may carry out pilot projects to evaluate the efficacy of various approaches to improving the capability of the military and civilian health care systems to provide early diagnosis and treatment of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health conditions.(b) Pilot Project Requirements.—(1) Mobilization-demobilization facility.—(A) In general.—A pilot project under subsection (a) may be carried out at a military medical facility at a large military installation at which the mobilization or demobilization of members of the Armed Forces occurs.(B) Elements.—The pilot project under this paragraph shall be designed to evaluate and produce effective diagnostic and treatment approaches for use by primary care providers in the military health care system in order to improve the capability of such providers to diagnose and treat post traumatic stress disorder in a manner that avoids the referral of patients to specialty care by a psychiatrist or other mental health professional.(2) National guard or reserve facility.—(A) In general.—A pilot project under subsection (a) may be carried out at the location of a National Guard or Reserve unit or units that are located more than 40 miles from a military medical facility and whose personnel are served primarily by civilian community health resources.119 STAT. 3348(B) Elements.—The pilot project under this paragraph shall be designed—(i) to evaluate approaches for providing evidence-based clinical information on post traumatic stress disorder to civilian primary care providers; and(ii) to develop educational materials and other tools for use by members of the National Guard or Reserve who come into contact with other members of the National Guard or Reserve who may suffer from post traumatic stress disorder in order to encourage and facilitate early reporting and referral for treatment.(c) Report.—Not later than September 1, 2006, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the progress toward identifying pilot projects to be carried out under this section. To the extent possible the report shall include a description of each such pilot project, including the location of the pilot projects under paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b), and the scope and objectives of each such pilot project.