PUBLIC LAW 109–364—OCT. 17, 2006
120 STAT. 2303
fund and maintain the Vaccine Healthcare Center of the military department concerned. SEC. 738. ENHANCED MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING AND SERVICES FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.
(a) ADDITIONAL REQUIRED ELEMENTS FOR PREDEPLOYMENT AND POSTDEPLOYMENT MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS.—Subsection (b) of section 1074f of title 10, United States Code, is amended— (1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘The system’’; and (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: ‘‘(2) The predeployment and postdeployment medical examination of a member of the armed forces required under paragraph (1) shall include the following: ‘‘(A) An assessment of the current treatment of the member and any use of psychotropic medications by the member for a mental health condition or disorder. ‘‘(B) An assessment of traumatic brain injury.’’. (b) CRITERIA FOR REFERRAL FOR FURTHER EVALUATIONS.—Such section is further amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘(e) CRITERIA FOR REFERRAL FOR FURTHER EVALUATIONS.—The system described in subsection (a) shall include— ‘‘(1) development of clinical practice guidelines to be utilized by healthcare providers in determining whether to refer a member of the armed forces for further evaluation relating to mental health (including traumatic brain injury); ‘‘(2) mechanisms to ensure that healthcare providers are trained in the application of such clinical practice guidelines; and ‘‘(3) mechanisms for oversight to ensure that healthcare providers apply such guidelines consistently.’’. (c) MINIMUM MENTAL HEALTH STANDARDS FOR DEPLOYMENT.— Such section is further amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘(f) MINIMUM MENTAL HEALTH STANDARDS FOR DEPLOYMENT.— (1) The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe in regulations minimum standards for mental health for the eligibility of a member of the armed forces for deployment to a combat operation or contingency operation. ‘‘(2) The standards required by paragraph (1) shall include the following: ‘‘(A) A specification of the mental health conditions, treatment for such conditions, and receipt of psychotropic medications for such conditions that preclude deployment of a member of the armed forces to a combat operation or contingency operation, or to a specified type of such operation. ‘‘(B) Guidelines for the deployability and treatment of members of the armed forces diagnosed with a severe mental illness or post traumatic stress disorder. ‘‘(3) The Secretary shall take appropriate actions to ensure the utilization of the standards prescribed under paragraph (1) in the making of determinations regarding the deployability of members of the armed forces to a combat operation or continency operation.’’. (d) QUALITY ASSURANCE.—Subsection (d) of such section is amended— (1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘The Secretary of Defense’’; and (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
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