,i  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #adfd  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,april #aj1 #bjac    
,mr4 ,carson of ,indiana 7for himself1  
,mr4 ,rangel1 ,ms4 ,wilson of ,florida1 
,mr4 ,conyers1 ,ms4 ,moore1 ,mr4        
,bucshon1 and ,mr4 ,mc,govern7          
introduced the following bill2 which was
 referred to the ,committee on ,armed   
,services  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend title   
#aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 to provide  
notice to members of the ,armed ,forces1
 beginning with recruit basic training  
and the initial training of officer     
candidates1 regarding the availability  
of mental health services1 to help      
eliminate perceived stigma associated   
with seeking and receiving mental health
 services1 and to clarify the extent to 
which information regarding a member    
seeking and receiving mental health     
services may be disclosed4  #a4 ,short  
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,military ,mental ,health ,empowerment  
,act4  #b4 ,provision of information to 

members of the ,armed ,forces on        
availability of mental health services  
and related privacy rights  7a7 ,in     
general ,chapter #ee of title #aj1      
,united ,states ,code1 is amended by    
inserting after section #ajij;a the     
following new section3  #ajij;b4 ,notice
 to members of the armed forces of the  
availability of mental health services  
and privacy rights related to receipt of
 such services  7a7 ,provision of       
information required ,the ,secretaries  
of the military departments shall ensure
 that the information described in      
subsection 7b7 is provided--  7#a7 to   
each officer candidate during initial   
training2  7#b7 to each recruit during  
basic training2 and  7#c7 to other      
members of the armed forces at such     
times as the ,secretary of ,defense     
considers appropriate4  7b7 ,required   
information ,the information required to
 be provided under subsection 7a7 shall 
include at a minimum the following3     
7#a7 ,information regarding the         

availability of mental health services  
under this chapter4  7#b7 ,information  
on the applicability of ,department of  
,defense ,directive #fjbe4ah and other  
regulations regarding privacy prescribed
 pursuant to the ,health ,insurance     
,portability and ,accountability ,act of
 #aiif 7,public ,law #ajd-aia7 to       
records regarding a member seeking and  
receiving mental health services1       
including the extent to which--  7,a7   
any such records can be shared with     
promotion boards1 commanding officers1  
and other members of the armed forces2  
7,b7 any adverse actions can be taken   
against the member for seeking and      
receiving mental health services2 and   
7,c7 a diagnosis of a mental health     
condition can result in negative        
personnel action4  7c7 ,reduction of    
perceived stigma ,as provided in section
 #ajij;a7b77#a7 of this title1 in       
providing information under subsection  
7a71 the ,secretary of a military       
department shall seek to eliminate      

perceived stigma associated with seeking
 and receiving mental health services   
and to promote the use of mental health 
services on a basis comparable to the   
use of other medical and health         
services4  4  7b7 ,clerical amendment   
,the table of sections at the beginning 
of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section      
#ajij;a the following new item3         
#ajij;b4 ,notice to members of the armed
 forces of the availability of mental   
health services and privacy rights      
related to receipt of such services4  4 
7c7 ,provision of information to current
 members ,as soon as practicable after  
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
the ,secretary of ,defense shall ensure 
that all members of the ,armed ,forces1 
including members of the reserve        
components1 serving in the ,armed       
,forces as of that date are provided the
 information required to be provided to 
new recruits and officer candidates     
pursuant to section #ajij;b of title    

#aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 as added by 
subsection 7a74