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Senate Bill 3210
116th Congress(2019-2020)
Improving Mental Health Care for Veterans Act of 2020
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced in Senate on Jan 16, 2020
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Text
Introduced in Senate 
Jan 16, 2020
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Introduced in Senate(Jan 16, 2020)
Jan 16, 2020
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Multiple bills can contain the same text. This could be an identical bill in the opposite chamber or a smaller bill with a section embedded in a larger bill.
Bill Sponsor regularly scans bill texts to find sections that are contained in other bill texts. When a matching section is found, the bills containing that section can be viewed by clicking "View Bills" within the bill text section.
Bill Sponsor is currently only finding exact word-for-word section matches. In a future release, partial matches will be included.
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S. 3210 (Introduced-in-Senate)


116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3210


To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to develop a clinical practice guideline or guidelines for the treatment of serious mental illness.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

January 16, 2020

Mr. Cassidy (for himself and Ms. Sinema) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to develop a clinical practice guideline or guidelines for the treatment of serious mental illness.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. Short title.

This Act may be cited as the “Improving Mental Health Care for Veterans Act of 2020”.

SEC. 2. Establishment by Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense of clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of serious mental illness.

(a) In general.—Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall complete the development of a clinical practice guideline or guidelines for the treatment of serious mental illness, to include the following conditions:

(1) Schizophrenia.

(2) Schizoaffective disorder.

(3) Persistent mood disorder, including bipolar disorder I and II.

(4) Any other mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder resulting in serious functional impairment that substantially interferes with major life activities as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, considers appropriate.

(b) Matters included in guidelines.—The clinical practice guideline or guidelines developed under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) Guidance contained in the 2016 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Major Depressive Disorders of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense.

(2) Guidance with respect to the treatment of patients with a condition described in subsection (a).

(3) A list of evidence-based therapies for the treatment of conditions described in subsection (a).

(4) An appropriate guideline for the administration of pharmacological therapy, psychological or behavioral therapy, or other therapy for the management of conditions described in subsection (a).

(c) Assessment of existing guidelines.—Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall complete an assessment of the 2016 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Major Depressive Disorders to determine whether an update to such guidelines is necessary.

(d) Work group.—

(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall create a work group to develop the clinical practice guideline or guidelines under subsection (a) to be known as the “Serious Mental Illness Work Group” (in this subsection referred to as the “Work Group”).

(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The Work Group created under paragraph (1) shall be comprised of individuals that represent Federal Government entities and non-Federal Government entities with expertise in the areas covered by the Work Group, including the following entities:

(A) Academic institutions that specialize in research for the treatment of conditions described in subsection (a).

(B) The Health Services Research and Development Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(C) The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use of the Department of Health and Human Services.

(D) The National Institute of Mental Health.

(E) The Indian Health Service.

(F) Relevant organizations with expertise in researching, diagnosing, or treating conditions described in subsection (a).

(3) RELATION TO OTHER WORK GROUPS.—The Work Group shall be created and conducted in the same manner as other work groups for the development of clinical practice guidelines for the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense.

(e) Rule of construction.—Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense from considering all relevant evidence, as appropriate, in creating the clinical practice guideline or guidelines required under subsection (a) or from ensuring that the final clinical practice guideline or guidelines developed under such subsection and subsequently updated, as appropriate, remain applicable to the patient populations of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense.