DESIGNATION OF CERTAIN NON-DEPARTMENT MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WITH KNOWLEDGE RELATING TO TREATMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.

SEC. 717. [10 U.S.C. 1073 note] DESIGNATION OF CERTAIN NON-DEPARTMENT MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WITH KNOWLEDGE RELATING TO TREATMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. (a) Mental Health Provider Readiness Designation.— (1) In general.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall develop a system by which any non-Department mental health care provider that meets eligibility criteria established by the Secretary relating to the knowledge described in paragraph (2) receives a mental health provider readiness designation from the Department of Defense. (2) Knowledge described.—The knowledge described in this paragraph is the following: (A) Knowledge and understanding with respect to the culture of members of the Armed Forces and family members and caregivers of members of the Armed Forces. (B) Knowledge with respect to evidence-based treatments that have been approved by the Department for the treatment of mental health issues among members of the Armed Forces. (b) Availability of Information on Designation.— (1) Registry.—The Secretary of Defense shall establish and update as necessary a publically available registry of all non-Department mental health care providers that are currently designated under subsection (a)(1). (2) Provider list.—The Secretary shall update all lists maintained by the Secretary of non-Department mental health care providers that provide mental health care under the laws administered by the Secretary by indicating the providers that are currently designated under subsection (a)(1). (c) Non-Department Mental Health Care Provider Defined.—In this section, the term “non-Department mental health care provider”— (1) means a health care provider who— (A) specializes in mental health; (B) is not a health care provider of the Department of Defense at a facility of the Department; and (C) provides health care to members of the Armed Forces; and (2) includes psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, social workers, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, and other mental health care providers designated by the Secretary of Defense.