Veteran Urgent Access to Mental Healthcare Act
- Last Action
- 11/8/2017
Actions
- 2017-11-08Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- 2017-11-07Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- 2017-11-07On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H8550)
- 2017-11-07Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H8550)
- 2017-11-07DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 918.
- 2017-11-07Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8550-8553)
- 2017-11-07Mr. Bilirakis moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- 2017-11-06Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 287.
- 2017-11-06Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 115-390.
- 2017-11-06Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 115-390.
- 2017-07-19Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- 2017-07-19Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- 2017-04-06Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
- 2017-03-29Subcommittee Hearings Held.
- 2017-03-03Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Showing 15 of 18 actions. Full history on Congress.gov.
CRS Summary
As of 2017-11-07 (36)
Veteran Urgent Access to Mental Healthcare Act
(Sec. 2) This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish to former members of the Armed Forces: (1) an initial mental health assessment; and (2) the mental health care services required to treat the member's urgent mental health care needs, including risk of suicide or harming others.
A former member of the Armed Forces is an individual who:
- served in the active military, naval, or air service, was discharged or released under a condition less than honorable (except a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge), has applied for a character of service determination that has not yet been made, and is not otherwise eligible to enroll in the VA health care system by reason of such discharge or release; or
- while serving in the Armed Forces, was deployed in a theater of combat operations or an area at a time during which hostilities occurred in that area, participated in or experienced such combat operations or hostilities (including by controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle from a location other than such theater or area), or was the victim of a physical assault of a sexual nature, battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment.
The VA may provide such mental health care services at a non-VA facility if: (1) the receipt of mental health care services by an individual in VA facilities would be clinically inadvisable, or (2) VA facilities are not capable of furnishing such mental health care services to that individual economically because of geographical inaccessibility.
The VA shall: (1) seek to ensure that such mental health care services are furnished in a therapeutically appropriate setting, and (2) provide referral services to assist former members who are not eligible for such VA services in obtaining services from non-VA sources.
(Sec. 3) The VA shall establish a process by which an individual who was discharged from the Armed Forces can seek a VA determination as to whether the discharge was under a condition barring the individual from receiving a VA benefit. If the VA determines that the individual is so barred, the VA shall provide such individual with information regarding his or her ability to address such condition.
Cosponsors (20)
- Derek Kilmer (D-WA)
- Kathleen Rice (D-NY)
- Patrick Meehan (R-PA)
- WALTER JONES (R-NC)
- SANFORD BISHOP (D-GA)
- Ryan Costello (R-PA)
- Lynn Jenkins (R-KS)
- PETER KING (R-NY)
- Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
- James Himes (D-CT)
- Jack Bergman (R-MI)
- Ann Kuster (D-NH)
- Aumua Amata Radewagen (R-AS)
- Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH)
- ED ROYCE (R-CA)
- Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
- Joe Courtney (D-CT)
- Joseph Kennedy (D-MA)
- Vern Buchanan (R-FL)
- John Rutherford (R-FL)
Subjects
- Assault and harassment offenses
- Conflicts and wars
- Congressional oversight
- Crime victims
- Crimes against women
- Government studies and investigations
- Health care coverage and access
- Medical tests and diagnostic methods
- Mental health
- Military operations and strategy
- National Guard and reserves
- Sex offenses
- Veterans' medical care
Sourced from Congress.gov (public domain).
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.