Veterans Mental Health Screening and Assessment Act

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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 111th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.

D McMahonSponsor

50 cosponsors · 47 D, 3 R

2 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Mar 4, 2009

Veterans Mental Health Screening and Assessment Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the increasing rate of suicide among veterans returning from Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom is a serious problem; and (2) the Secretary of Defense should conduct mandatory, face-to-face, and confidential mental health and traumatic brain injury screenings for each member of the Armed Forces (member) during the period beginning 90 days after the member completes a deployment in support of a contingency operation and ending 180 days thereafter.

Directs the Secretary to carry out such screenings. Prohibits the Secretary from prohibiting a member from returning to the United States due to any screening result or determination.

Requires the Secretary and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a joint protocol to share existing and future reports from confidential screenings conducted to help aid members in their transition from health care and treatment provided by the Department of Defense (DOD) to health care and treatment provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

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

About this bill and sources

Official title: Veterans Mental Health Screening and Assessment Act

Latest action (Mar 31, 2009): Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security · Origin: House · Introduced: Mar 4, 2009

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

No recorded floor vote found.