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H.R. 1639 · 109th Congress

Military Health Services Improvement Act of 2005

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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 109th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.

RDD DeLauroSponsor
52 cosponsors · 51 D, 1 I

Military Health Services Improvement Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of Defense to prescribe a requirement that members of the Armed Forces: (1) deploying to a combat theater receive a pre-deployment mental health evaluation conducted by a qualified mental health professional; and (2) returning from service of more than 30 days in a combat theater, or…

What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Apr 14, 2005

Military Health Services Improvement Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of Defense to prescribe a requirement that members of the Armed Forces: (1) deploying to a combat theater receive a pre-deployment mental health evaluation conducted by a qualified mental health professional; and (2) returning from service of more than 30 days in a combat theater, or injured in a combat theater, receive a post-deployment combat stress evaluation conducted by a qualified mental health professional.

Directs the Secretary to implement a program designed to: (1) raise awareness about mental health issues that members may encounter during and after deployment; and (2) reduce the stigma associated with mental health care.

Directs the Secretary to develop a program to improve awareness of the availability of mental health services for, and warning signs about mental health problems in, dependents of members who served or will serve in a combat theater during the previous or next 60 days. Requires such program to include a toll-free number and informational website.

Directs the Secretary: (1) and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into a memorandum of understanding to improve the transition of mental health-related cases from the Department of Defense (DOD) to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); (2) to create an information clearinghouse to improve the availability of information about mental health professionals who treat combat stress; and (3) to provide for the availability (for a two-year period) of mental health services under the TRICARE program (a DOD managed health care program) for reserve personnel who performed certain active duty (and their family members).

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: Military Health Services Improvement Act of 2005

Latest action (May 6, 2005): Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security · Origin: House · Introduced: Apr 14, 2005

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

No recorded floor vote found.