,,ii  #aad? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #gad  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,m>* #aa1 #bjae ,mr4   
,donnelly 7= himself & ,mr4 ,boozman7   
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on       
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
require ! ,secret>y ( ,def5se & !       
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to jo9tly 
conduct a pilot program to assess !     
feasibility & advisability ( exp&+ ! use
 by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se & ! ,dep>tm5t 
( ,vet]ans ,affairs ( physician         
assi/ants specializ+ 9 psy*iatric       
m$ic9e1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort    
title  ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !        
,frontl9e ,m5tal ,heal? ,provid] ,tra9+ 
,act4  #b4 ,pilot program on expansion (
 use ( physician assi/ants to provide   
m5tal heal? c>e to memb]s ( ! ,arm$     
,=ces & vet]ans  7a7 ,pilot program ,n  
lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t
 ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,def5se & !  
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 79 ?is    
section ref]r$ to z ! ,secret>ies7 %all 

jo9tly comm5ce ! conduct ( a pilot      
program to assess ! feasibility &       
advisability ( exp&+ ! use by !         
,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se & ! ,dep>tm5t (     
,vet]ans ,affairs ( physician assi/ants 
specializ+ 9 psy*iatric m$ic9e at m$ical
 facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se & ! 
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 9 ord] to 
meet ! increas+ dem& = m5tal heal? c>e  
provid]s at su* facilities ?r\gh ! use (
 an #ah-mon? psy*iatry fell[%ip program 
= physician assi/ants4  7b7 ,locations  
7#a7 ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se ,! ,secret>y ( 
,def5se %all c>ry out ! pilot program at
 n less ?an ?ree milit>y m$ical treatm5t
 facilities1 ( :i*--  7,a7 n less ?an "o
 %all be a milit>y m$ical treatm5t      
facility "u ! jurisdiction ( ! ,secret>y
 ( ! ,army2  7,b7 n less ?an "o %all be 
a milit>y m$ical treatm5t facility "u ! 
jurisdiction ( ! ,secret>y ( ! ,navy2 & 
7,c7 n less ?an "o %all be a milit>y    
m$ical treatm5t facility "u !           
jurisdiction ( ! ,secret>y ( ! ,air     
,=ce4  7#b7 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans        

,affairs ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs %all c>ry out ! pilot program  
at n less ?an ?ree m$ical c5t]s ( !     
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs4  7c7     
,eligible individuals  7#a7 ,9 g5]al    
,except z provid$ 9 p>agraph 7#b71 an   
individual eligible = p>ticipation 9 !  
pilot program is an individual :o--     
7,a7 has successfully graduat$ ) a ma/]s
 degree 9 physician assi/ant /udies f an
 accr$it$ physician assi/ant program2   
7,b7 is c]tifi$ by ! ,national          
,commission on ,c]tification (          
,physician ,assi/ants2  7,c7 has a valid
 lic5se1 c]tification1 & regi/ration    
necess>y to practice m$ic9e2 &  7,d7    
does n h any p5d+ *all5ge1 inve/igation1
 revocation1 re/riction1 discipl9>y     
action1 susp5sion1 reprim&1 probation1  
d5ial1 or )drawal ) respect to any      
lic5se1 c]tification1 or regi/ration    
describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,c74  7#b7      
,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se ,) respect to !     
conduct ( ! pilot program at a milit>y  
m$ical treatm5t facility1 an individual 

eligible = p>ticipation 9 ! pilot       
program is an individual :o--  7,a7     
qualifies z an eligible individual "u   
p>agraph 7#a72  7,b7 is a commission$   
(fic] 9 ! ,arm$ ,=ces2 &  7,c7 meets !  
requirem5ts necess>y to be deploy$ z su*
 an (fic] ?r\gh\t ! _w4  7d7 ,selection 
( individuals  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,ea* ( !   
,secret>ies %all select n less ?an #ab  
individuals describ$ 9 subsection 7c7 to
 p>ticipate 9 ! pilot program = ea*     
#ah-mon? psy*iatry fell[%ip program     
c>ri$ out "u subsection 7e74  7#b7      
,di/ribution ,ea* ( ! ,secret>ies %all  
equally di/ribute ! individuals select$ 
"u p>agraph 7#a7 among ! locations at   
:i* ! pilot program is to be c>ri$ out  
by su* ,secret>y4  7e7 ,psy*iatry       
fell[%ip program  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,9 c>ry+
 out ! pilot program1 ! ,secret>ies %all
 e/abli% an #ah-mon? psy*iatry fell[%ip 
program = physician assi/ants t meets ! 
tra9+ model = acuity1 mixture1 & volume 
e/abli%$ = psy*iatric resid5cy programs4
  7#b7 ,tra9+ & education ,! psy*iatric 

fell[%ip program e/abli%$ "u p>agraph   
7#a7 %all provide to eligible           
individuals :o are select$ = ! program !
 foll[+3  7,a7 ,tra9+ t is equival5t to 
tra9+ receiv$ dur+ a psy*iatric resid5cy
 ) respect to guidel9es1 objectives1 &  
mile/ones4  7,b7 ,education lead+ to a  
cl9ical doctorate ( sci5ce 9 psy*iatry t
 addresses ! foll[+3 7i7 ,inpati5t c>e4 
7ii7 ,outpati5t c>e4  7iii7 ,em]g5cy    
psy*iatry4  7iv7 ,neurology1 includ+    
*ild1 adolesc5t1 & g]iatric neurology4  
7v7 ,pa9 managem5t4  7vi7 ,addictive    
psy*iatry4  7vii7 ,psy*o-ph>macology4   
7viii7 ,traumatic bra9 injury4  7ix7    
,cl9ical practice guidel9es4  7,c7      
,education t addresses ! p>ticul> ne$s (
 rural & o!r und]s]v$ populations (     
memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces & vet]ans to     
ensure a p>ticul> approa* to psy*iatry t
 b5efits ^? individuals4  7#c7 ,use (   
o!r programs ,9 c>ry+ out ! psy*iatric  
fell[%ip program "u p>agraph 7#a71 !    
,secret>ies %all use res\rces available 
to ! ,secret>ies "u exi/+ graduate      

m$ical education programs ( ! ,dep>tm5t 
( ,def5se & ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs to ! greate/ ext5t possible4   
7f7 ,reports on pilot program  7#a7     
,initial report  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat]  
?an two ye>s aft] ! date on :i* ! pilot 
program comm5ces "u subsection 7a71 !   
,secret>ies %all jo9tly submit to !     
appropriate committees ( ,congress a    
report on ! pilot program4  7,b7        
,elem5ts ,! report requir$ by           
subp>agraph 7,a7 %all include ! foll[+3 
7i7 ,a description ( ! implem5tation ( !
 pilot program at ea* location ( ! pilot
 program1 includ+ a detail$ description 
( ! education & tra9+ provid$ "u ! pilot
 program at su* location4  7ii7 ,a      
description & explanation ( diff]5ces1  
if any1 9 ! implem5tation & p]=mance ( !
 pilot program among ! locations ( !    
pilot program4  7iii7 ,an assessm5t ( ! 
satisfaction ( memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces & 
vet]ans ) m5tal heal? c>e provid$ "u !  
pilot program1 includ+ an assessm5t ( ! 
outcomes ( su* c>e4  7iv7 ,an assessm5t 

( co/ sav+s1 if any1 to ! ,f$]al        
,gov]nm5t result+ f ! pilot program4    
7v7 ,a description ( improvem5ts1 if    
any1 to ! access ( memb]s ( ! ,arm$     
,=ces & vet]ans to m5tal heal? c>e      
result+ f ! pilot program4  7vi7 ,a     
description ( recomm5dations1 if any1 ( 
! ,secret>ies ( alt]native me?ods to    
improve ! access ( memb]s ( ! ,arm$     
,=ces & vet]ans to m5tal heal? c>e o!r  
?an ?r\gh ! pilot program4  7vii7 ,a    
recomm5dation z to ! feasibility &      
advisability ( ext5d+ or exp&+ ! pilot  
program4  7#b7 ,f9al report ,n lat] ?an 
#ij days be=e ! date on :i* ! pilot     
program t]m9ates "u subsection 7g71 !   
,secret>ies %all jo9tly submit to !     
appropriate committees ( ,congress an   
update to ! report submitt$ "u p>agraph 
7#a74  7#c7 ,appropriate committees (   
congress def9$ ,9 ?is subsection1 ! t]m 
appropriate committees ( ,congress      
means-- 7,a7 ! ,committee on ,arm$      
,s]vices & ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'    
,affairs ( ! ,s5ate2 &  7,b7 !          

,committee on ,arm$ ,s]vices & !        
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives4  7g7 ,t]m9ation
 ,! au?ority ( ! ,secret>ies to c>ry out
 ! pilot program %all t]m9ate ^u !      
completion ( two #ah-mon? psy*iatry     
fell[%ip programs conduct$ "u subsection
 7e74