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Title V — Health Care Related to Sexual Trauma

H.R. 4841 · 113th Congress · Jun 11, 2014 · Lineage

V Health Care Related to Sexual Trauma

Sec. 501 Expansion of eligibility for sexual trauma counseling and treatment to veterans on inactive duty training

Section 1720D(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking “or active duty for training” and inserting “, active duty for training, or inactive duty training”.

Sec. 502 Provision of counseling and treatment for sexual trauma by the Department of Veterans Affairs to members of the Armed Forces

(a)
Expansion of coverage to members of the Armed Forces— Subsection (a) of section 1720D of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3);
(2)
by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph (2):

“(2)

“(A) In operating the program required by paragraph (1), the Secretary may, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, provide counseling and care and services to members of the Armed Forces (including members of the National Guard and Reserves) on active duty to overcome psychological trauma described in that paragraph.

“(B) A member described in subparagraph (A) shall not be required to obtain a referral before receiving counseling and care and services under this paragraph.”

(3)
in paragraph (3), as redesignated by paragraph (1)—
(A)
by striking “a veteran” and inserting “an individual”; and
(B)
by striking “that veteran” each place it appears and inserting “that individual”.
(b)
Information to members on availability of counseling and services— Subsection (c) of such section is amended—
(1)
by striking “to veterans” each place it appears; and
(2)
in paragraph (3), by inserting “members of the Armed Forces and” before “individuals”.
(c)
Inclusion of members in reports on counseling and services— Subsection (e) of such section is amended—
(1)
in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “to veterans”;
(2)
in paragraph (2)—
(A)
by striking “women veterans” and inserting “individuals”; and
(B)
by striking “training under subsection (d).” and inserting “training under subsection (d), disaggregated by—

“(A) veterans;

“(B) members of the Armed Forces (including members of the National Guard and Reserves) on active duty; and

“(C) for each of subparagraphs (A) and (B)—

“(i) men; and

“(ii) women.”

(3)
in paragraph (4), by striking “veterans” and inserting “individuals”; and
(4)
in paragraph (5)—
(A)
by striking “women veterans” and inserting “individuals”; and
(B)
by inserting “, including specific recommendations for individuals specified in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (2)” before the period at the end.
(d)
Effective date— The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Sec. 503 Reports on military sexual trauma

(a)
Report on services available for military sexual trauma in the Department of Veterans Affairs— Not later than 630 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the treatment and services available from the Department of Veterans Affairs for male veterans who experience military sexual trauma compared to such treatment and services available to female veterans who experience military sexual trauma.
(b)
Reports on transition of military sexual trauma treatment from Department of Defense to Department of Veterans Affairs— Not later than 630 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for five years, the Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense Joint Executive Committee established by section 320(a) of title 38, United States Code, shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on military sexual trauma that includes the following:
(1)
The processes and procedures utilized by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to facilitate transition of treatment of individuals who have experienced military sexual trauma from treatment provided by the Department of Defense to treatment provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(2)
A description and assessment of the collaboration between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense in assisting veterans in filing claims for disabilities related to military sexual trauma, including permitting veterans access to information and evidence necessary to develop or support such claims.
(c)
Definitions— In this section:
(1)
Appropriate committees of congress— The term appropriate committees of Congress means—
(A)
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and
(B)
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.
(2)
Military sexual trauma— The term military sexual trauma means psychological trauma, which in the judgment of a mental health professional employed by the Department, resulted from a physical assault of a sexual nature, battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment which occurred while the veteran was serving on active duty or active duty for training.
(3)
Sexual harassment— The term sexual harassment means repeated, unsolicited verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature which is threatening in character.
(4)
Sexual trauma— The term sexual trauma shall have the meaning given that term by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for purposes of this section.
(d)
Effective date— This section shall take effect on the date that is 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.