Key Provisions for Vets Health Care in National Defense Authorization

Key Provisions for Vets Health Care in National Defense Authorization
Posted by Tom Tarantino [1] on May 27 [2] 2010

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Today, the House of Representatives will be voting on the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).  This bill will determine what programs the Department of Defense will undertake in the next year. IAVA has been hard at work combing through the 170 amendments to this critical bill.  If passed, these amendments have the potential to greatly improve the services and lives of veterans and their families.

IAVA is asking members of Congress to vote yes on the following amendments:

Expanding DOD Mental Health Providers: Amendment # 84 (McMahon) will greatly expand the pool of qualified mental providers by allowing servicemembers to use TRICARE to see licensed mental health counselors. Red tape currently excludes this highly effective and large pool of counselors.

To learn more about the red tape veteran’s are facing read IAVA’s groundbreaking issue report Red Tape: Veterans Fight New Battles for Care and Benefits [4].
 
Expanding VA Mental Health Providers: Amendment #148 (Markey) creates a scholarship program for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who are interested in pursuing the mental health profession. Combat veterans make the best counselors for other veterans
 
To read more about IAVA’s suggestions for improving mental health care at the VA read our groundbreaking issue report Invisible Wounds: Psychological and Neurological Injuries Confront A New Generation of Veterans [5].
 
Expanding Mental Health Outreach: Amendment #6 (Holt).  Would require the DOD to conduct periodic mental health screening for all members of the IRR or IMA who have deployed to OIF or OEF.
 
To learn more about IAVA’s plans for improving mental health care outreach, read IAVA’s Deputy Executive Director and recently returned Afghanistan veteran Todd Bowers’ testimony in front of the House Appropriations Committee [6].
 
More Effective TBI Screening Tools: Amendment #111 (Pascrell) requires the DOD to adopt a standardized pre and post deployment TBI screening tool and requires DOD to prioritize and complete studies on more effective screenings.
 
Improving Jobs Training Program for Vets: Amendment #22 (Carson) makes significant improvements to DOD’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP) which many servicemembers participate in before separating from the military.
 
To learn more about the employment issues facing veterans please read IAVA Legislative Assistant and Iraq war veteran Timothy Embree’s testimony before the House Veterans Affairs Committee [7].
 
Enhanced Protections for Victims of Military Sexual Assault: Amendment #80 (Harman) allows victims of assault, expedited consideration for a change of unit or base to reduce retaliation for reporting.
 
To hear more about this serious issue facing our service members and veterans, watch IAVA’s Project Coordinator and Iraq and Afghanistan veteran Jennifer Hunt testify before the House Veteran’s Affairs Committee [8].
 
Standardizing Deployment & Demobilization Procedures: Amendment #108 (Schrader) will instruct the DOD inspector general to investigate the wide disparities in these procedures, which make National Guard and Reserve deployment especially burdensome.
 
Votes on these amendments will happen today.  We urge you to contact your Representative [9] and tell them to have our back by voting yes on these amendments.

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