article: SECTION 1. ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE OF FAMILIES OF MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVE DURING THEIR MOBILIZATION, DEPLOYMENT, AND DEMOBILIZATION. (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings: (1) The members of the National Guard and Reserve have made extraordinary contributions to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. (2) The scope and scale of recent mobilizations and deployments of members of the National Guard and Reserve is unprecedented in the modern history of the Armed Forces. (3) The frequency and length of such mobilizations and deployments has placed significant strain on the family members of deployed members. (4) The Department of Defense Task Force on Mental Health determined that family members of deployed members of the National Guard and Reserve are more likely to experience mental health challenges as a result of these mobilizations and deployments. (5) The Department of Defense Task Force on Mental Health also determined that family members of deployed members of the National Guard and Reserve are less likely to have ready access to mental health care during periods of deployment. (6) Family members of members of the National Guard and Reserve often live far from military installations that are the primary locations for mental health care provided by the Department of Defense. (7) Adequate support for family members of deployed members of the Armed Forces is critical to maintaining morale, both on the battlefield and on the home front. (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the Department of Defense should undertake appropriate actions to ensure that family members of members of the National Guard and Reserve who are deployed have full access to mental health care during the periods of mobilization, deployment, and demobilization of such members of the National Guard and Reserve. (c) Initiative To Increase Access to Mental Health Care.-- (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall undertake a nationwide initiative intended to increase access to mental health care for family members of members of the National Guard and Reserve who are mobilized. (2) Elements.--The initiative shall include the following: (A) Programs and activities to educate the family members of members of the National Guard and Reserve who are mobilized on potential mental health challenges connected with such mobilization. (B) Programs and activities to provide such family members with complete information on all mental health care resources available to such family members through the Department of Defense and otherwise. (C) Requirements for mental health counselors at military installations in communities with large numbers of mobilized members of the National Guard and Reserve to expand the reach of their counseling activities to include families of such members in such communities. (d) Mental Health Care Under TRICARE.-- (1) In general.--Under such regulations as the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe, reimbursement shall be provided under the TRICARE program under chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, for any mental health care specified in paragraph (3) that is provided to a family member of a covered member of the National Guard or Reserve during the period of deployment of such covered member of the National Guard or Reserve as described in paragraph (2). (2) Covered members of the national guard or reserve.--For purposes of this subsection, a covered member of the National Guard or Reserve is any member of the National Guard or Reserve on active duty for more than 30 days for a deployment in connection with Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom who, while so on active duty, is covered by the TRICARE program on a for self and family basis. (3) Mental health care.--The mental health care specified in this paragraph is mental health care as follows: (A) Mental health care otherwise provided to covered dependents of members of the uniformed services under the TRICARE program. (B) Any mental health care and treatment that is provided at a facility accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. (C) Any mental health care and treatment that is provided at a facility accredited by a State- accrediting institution, including a facility not otherwise recognized as an authorized provider under the TRICARE program. (D) Chemical dependency treatment at any partial hospital program, substance-abuse disorder rehabilitation facility, or residential treatment center accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations or by a State-accrediting institution. (4) Effective date.--This subsection shall take effect on January 1, 2008. (e) Reports.-- (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on this section. (2) Elements.--Each report shall include the following: (A) A current assessment of the extent to which family members of members of the National Guard and Reserve who are deployed have access to, and are utilizing, mental health care available under this section. (B) A current assessment of the quality of mental health care being provided d to family members of the National Guard and Reserve who are deployed at State- accredited treatment centers. (C) Such recommendations for legislative or administrative action as the Secretary considers appropriate in order to further assure full access by family members of members of the National Guard and Reserve who are deployed to mental health care during the mobilization, deployment, and demobilization of such members of the National Guard and Reserve.
summary: Expresses the sense of Congress that the Department of Defense (DOD) should undertake actions to ensure that family members of National Guard and Reserve personnel who are deployed have full access to mental health care during the periods of mobilization, deployment, and demobilization. Requires the Secretary of Defense to undertake an initiative to increase access to mental health care, including education concerning mental health challenges and information on available resources, for family members of such personnel who are mobilized. Requires reimbursement under the TRICARE program for certain mental health care services, including chemical dependency treatment, provided to a family member of a covered Guard or Reserve member during a period of deployment on active duty for more than 30 days in connection with Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom who, while on such duty, is covered by the TRICARE program on a for self and family basis. Requires regular reports from the Secretary assessing the access and quality of such family mental health care services and recommendations for legislative and administrative action.