Sec. 304. Pilot program for interim access to mental health care for survivors of military sexual trauma
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/bill/117/s/3025/rs/section-304·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Commencing not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a pilot program to provide intensive outpatient mental health care to current and former members of the Armed Forces who are survivors of military sexual trauma when the wait times for inpatient mental health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs for the survivor is more than 14 days. The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program under subsection
(a)for a three-year period beginning on the commencement of the pilot program. The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program under subsection
(a)at not fewer than four Veterans Integrated Service Networks of the Department. In selecting locations for the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall select locations that have the longest wait times for inpatient mental health care, particularly for survivors of military sexual trauma. Before commencing the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall notify the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives of the locations selected for the pilot program. Subject to the preference of the survivor participating in the pilot program under subsection
(a)and the capacity of facilities of the Department, the Secretary may provide services under the pilot program via telehealth or at community-based outpatient clinics of the Department. Participation by a survivor in the pilot program under subsection
(a)shall be during the period in which the survivor is waiting for an inpatient bed opening and shall not disqualify the survivor from receiving inpatient mental health care following their participation in the pilot program. Decisions about the participation of a survivor in the pilot program and the transition of the survivor to inpatient mental health care shall be made by the survivor and their health care provider. Not later than 180 days after the conclusion of the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on— participation in the pilot program; clinical outcomes under the pilot program; and such recommendations for continuation or termination of the program as the Secretary may have, including recommendations for legislative or administrative action. In this section, the term military sexual trauma has the meaning given such term in section 1720D(f) of title 38, United States Code, as added by section 301.