Sec. 733. Demonstration project on infant and early childhood mental health services for children of members of the Armed Forces
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The Secretary of Defense shall conduct an assessment of the availability at military installations (and in the surrounding communities) of covered services at the Federal, State, and local level for covered children, for the purpose of ensuring access to such services for covered children with infant and early childhood mental health needs. Such assessment shall address, at a minimum, the following: The availability of covered services that advance social and emotional development for covered children, including any relevant certification or endorsement programs for professionals serving as infant and early childhood mental health consultants for military child development centers.
The availability of adequate diagnostic and non-medical intervention covered services for covered children. The availability of supplemental covered services for covered children, such as consultation services provided by licensed professionals who are appropriately certified or endorsed in infant and early childhood mental health, as determined by the Secretary. The ease of access to adequate covered educational or treatment services for covered children, as appropriate, such as the average duration of time spent on waiting lists prior to receiving such services.
In developing the assessment under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall conduct a review of best practices across the United States for the provision of covered services to covered children. Such review shall include an assessment of any covered services of the Federal or State government available in each State, with an emphasis on the availability in locations where members of the Armed Forces with children reside. The Secretary of Defense may conduct one or more demonstration projects under this subsection to test and evaluate various approaches to the provision of covered services to covered children, for the purposes of determining the efficacy of such approaches, reducing incidents of behavioral issues among those with infant and early childhood mental health needs, ensuring the early identification of such needs that may require non-medical intervention, and such other related purposes as may be determined appropriate by the Secretary.
The Secretary may select for participation in the study— members of the Armed Forces with covered children who elect to so participate; and military child development centers that are located on or near military installations or that otherwise provide services to covered children. In carrying out a demonstration project under this subsection, the Secretary of Defense may assign personnel who hold a covered degree that the Secretary determines appropriate for the provision of covered services to act as consultants for the provision of such services to covered children who are participants in the demonstration project.
Under such demonstration project, such assigned personnel may— develop and monitor promotion and prevention, and non-medical intervention, plans for such participants; provide appropriate training in the provision of covered services to such participants; provide non-medical counseling services to such participants, and any members of the Armed Forces who are the caregivers of such participants, as appropriate; coordinate and collaborate with other relevant service providers on the military installation or in the surrounding community regarding covered services; and become endorsed, or work towards becoming endorsed, by an organization that provides licensing or professional certifications recognized by the Federal or State government for infant and early childhood mental health professionals.
As an activity under the demonstration project, the Secretary of Defense may authorize the development of a comprehensive professional development curriculum for use in training non-medical counselors in infant and early childhood mental health consultation services, so that such counselors may serve as infant early childhood mental health consultants for covered children who are participants in the demonstration project. The curriculum under subparagraph
(A)shall be based on a set of competency guidelines that are— designed to enhance culturally sensitive, relationship-focused practice within the framework of infant and early childhood mental health; and recognized by an organization specified in paragraph (3)(E) for the purposes of certification or endorsement as a infant and early childhood mental health practitioner. The Secretary of Defense may enter into a contract, or multiple contracts, for the conduct of any demonstration project under this subsection. As a term of any contract that is entered into pursuant to subparagraph
(A)for the implementation of special educational and behavioral intervention plans for covered children who are participants in the demonstration project, the Secretary shall require that any such plan be developed, reviewed, and maintained by supervisory-level providers approved by the Secretary. The Secretary shall establish, and ensure the implementation of, the following: Minimum required criteria for the education, training, and experience of any contractor furnishing covered services pursuant to a contract under subparagraph (A). Requirements for the supervision and oversight of contractors who are infant and early childhood mental health consultants, including requirements for relevant credentials for such consultants and the frequency and intensity of such supervision. Such other requirements as the Secretary considers appropriate to ensure the safety and protection of covered children who are participants in the demonstration project. For each demonstration project conducted under this subsection— the Secretary shall commence the demonstration project not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act; and the demonstration project shall be conducted for a period of not less than two years. The Secretary of Defense shall conduct an evaluation of the outcomes of each demonstration project conducted under this subsection, to determine the efficacy of covered services provided under the demonstration project. Each evaluation under subparagraph
(A)shall include, with respect to the relevant demonstration project, an assessment of the extent to which activities under the demonstration project contributed to the following: Positive outcomes for covered children. Improvements to the services and continuity of care for covered children. Improvements to military family readiness and enhanced military retention. Not later than two years and 180 days after the date of the commencement of a demonstration project under subsection (c), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on the demonstration project. Such report shall include the following: A description of the demonstration project. The results of the evaluation under subsection (c)(7) with respect to the demonstration project. A description of plans for the future provision of covered services, in accordance with the model or approach evaluated pursuant to the demonstration project. Nothing in this section shall be construed as precluding a member of the Armed Forces, or a dependent of such a member, from eligibility for benefits under chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, to which such member or dependent would otherwise be eligible. In this section: The term child has the meaning given that term in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code. The term covered child means the infant, toddler, or young child (from birth to age five, inclusive) of a member of the Armed Forces. The term covered degree means a postsecondary degree that— is awarded by an institution of higher of education eligible to participate in programs under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq. ); and is in the field of mental health, human development, social work, or a related field, as determined by the Secretary of Defense. The term covered educational or treatment service — means a service, including a supportive service, that provides quality early childhood education by promoting healthy social and emotional development and providing support for children experiencing mental health challenges; and includes the conduct of assessments, coaching for educators and parents, and referrals to health care professionals with specialties in infant and early childhood mental health for diagnosis, therapeutic treatment, and early intervention. The term covered service means a covered educational and treatment service or any other medical or non-medical service, including consultation services, relating to the improvement of infant and early childhood mental health in the context of family, community, and culture. The term infant and early childhood mental health means the developing capacity of an infant, toddler, or young child (from birth to age five, inclusive), to— form close and secure adult and peer relationships; experience, manage, and express a full range of emotions; and explore the environment and learn.
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Sec. 733
Demonstration project on infant and early childhood mental health services for children of members of the Armed Forces
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