Bill > HR1942

This bill, the Service Members Mental Health Screening Act, mandates that the Secretary of Defense (Secretary) conduct person-to-person mental health assessments for service members deployed in support of a contingency operation, which refers to a military operation that is not a regular, ongoing activity. These assessments are required at specific intervals: within 60 days before deployment, every 180 days during deployment, between 90 and 180 days after returning from deployment, and annually for the three years following redeployment, though these post-deployment assessments can cease after a service member is discharged or released from the armed forces. Exceptions to these requirements exist, such as when a service member was not exposed to operational risk factors during deployment. The purpose of these assessments is to identify conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), suicidal tendencies, and other behavioral health issues to determine if a service member needs additional care. The bill also allows the Secretary to retire a service member if they are otherwise qualified or redeploy them for medical treatment if it's deemed necessary to prevent suicide, self-harm, harm to others, or under-performance. Furthermore, the Secretary is required to share relevant assessment information with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure a smooth transition of healthcare and treatment from the Department of Defense (DOD) to the VA, with service members being notified of this information sharing beforehand.