ENHANCED MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING AND SERVICES FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.

SEC. 738. ENHANCED MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING AND SERVICES FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.(a) Additional Required Elements for Predeployment and Postdeployment Medical Examinations.—Subsection (b) of section 1074f of title 10, United States Code, is amended—(1) by inserting “(1)” before “The system”; and(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:“(2) The predeployment and postdeployment medical examination of a member of the armed forces required under paragraph (1) shall include the following:“(A) An assessment of the current treatment of the member and any use of psychotropic medications by the member for a mental health condition or disorder.“(B) An assessment of traumatic brain injury.”.(b) Criteria for Referral for Further Evaluations.—Such section is further amended by adding at the end the following:“(e) Criteria for Referral for Further Evaluations.—The system described in subsection (a) shall include—“(1) development of clinical practice guidelines to be utilized by healthcare providers in determining whether to refer a member of the armed forces for further evaluation relating to mental health (including traumatic brain injury);“(2) mechanisms to ensure that healthcare providers are trained in the application of such clinical practice guidelines; and“(3) mechanisms for oversight to ensure that healthcare providers apply such guidelines consistently.”.(c) Minimum Mental Health Standards for Deployment.—Such section is further amended by adding at the end the following:“(f) Minimum Mental Health Standards for Deployment.—(1) The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe in regulations minimum standards for mental health for the eligibility of a member of the armed forces for deployment to a combat operation or contingency operation.“(2) The standards required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:“(A) A specification of the mental health conditions, treatment for such conditions, and receipt of psychotropic medications for such conditions that preclude deployment of a member of the armed forces to a combat operation or contingency operation, or to a specified type of such operation.“(B) Guidelines for the deployability and treatment of members of the armed forces diagnosed with a severe mental illness or post traumatic stress disorder.“(3) The Secretary shall take appropriate actions to ensure the utilization of the standards prescribed under paragraph (1) in the making of determinations regarding the deployability of members of the armed forces to a combat operation or continency operation.”.(d) Quality Assurance.—Subsection (d) of such section is amended—(1) by inserting “(1)” before “The Secretary of Defense”; and(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:120 STAT. 2304 “(2) The quality assurance program established under paragraph (1) shall also include the following elements:“(A) The types of healthcare providers conducting postdeployment health assessments.“(B) The training received by such providers applicable to the conduct of such assessments, including training on assessments and referrals relating to mental health.“(C) The guidance available to such providers on how to apply the clinical practice guidelines developed under subsection (e)(1) in determining whether to make a referral for further evaluation of a member of the armed forces relating to mental health.“(D) The effectiveness of the tracking mechanisms required under this section in ensuring that members who receive referrals for further evaluations relating to mental health receive such evaluations and obtain such care and services as are warranted.“(E) Programs established for monitoring the mental health of each member who, after deployment to a combat operation or contingency operations, is known—“(i) to have a mental health condition or disorder; or“(ii) to be receiving treatment, including psychotropic medications, for a mental health condition or disorder.”.(e) Comptroller General Reports on Implementation of Requirements.—(1) Study on implementation.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall carry out a study of the implementation of the requirements of the amendments made by this section.(2) Reports.—Not later than March 1, 2008, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the study carried out under paragraph (1).(f) Implementation.—The Secretary of Defense shall implement the requirements of the amendments made by this section not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act.(g) Report Required.—The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the actions taken to implement the requirements of the amendments made by this section not later than June 1, 2007.