,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bedh ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #ad1 #bjah,mr4 ,heller 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,cornyn1 ,mr4 ,rubio1 and ,mr4 ,gardner7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 to direct the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to furnish mental health care to certain former members of the ,armed ,forces who are not otherwise eligible to receive such care1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,veteran ,urgent ,access to ,mental ,healthcare ,act4 #b4 ,expansion of mental health care for certain former members of the ,armed ,forces 7a7 ,in general ,chapter #ag of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by inserting after section #agbj;,h the following new section3 #agbj;,i4 ,expansion of mental health care for certain former members of the ,armed ,forces 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall furnish to former members of the ,armed ,forces described in subsection 7b7-- 7#a7 an initial mental health assessment2 and 7#b7 the mental health care services authorized under this chapter that the ,secretary determines are required to treat the mental health care needs of the former member1 including risk of suicide or harming others4 7b7 ,former members of the ,armed ,forces described ,a former member of the ,armed ,forces described in this subsection is an individual who meets the following criteria3 7#a7 ,the individual is a former member of the ,armed ,forces1 including the reserve components1 who-- 7,a7 served in the active military1 naval1 or air service1 and was discharged or released therefrom under a condition that is not honorable except-- 7i7 dishonorable2 or 7ii7 bad conduct discharge2 7,b7 has applied for a character of service determination and such determination has not been made2 and 7,c7 is not otherwise eligible to enroll in the health care system established under section #agje of this title by reason of such discharge or release not meeting the requirements of section #aja7b7 of this title4 7#b7 ,while serving in the ,armed ,forces1 the former member-- 7,a7 was deployed in a theater of combat operations or an area at a time during which hostilities occurred in that area2 7,b7 participated in or experienced such combat operations or hostilities1 including by controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle from a location other than such theater or area2 or 7,c7 was the victim of a physical assault of a sexual nature1 battery of a sexual nature1 or sexual harassment 7as defined in section #agbj;,d7f7 of this title74 7c7 ,non-,department care 7#a7 ,in furnishing mental health care services to an individual under this section1 the ,secretary may provide such mental health care services at a non-,department facility if-- 7,a7 in the judgment of a mental health professional employed by the ,department1 the receipt of mental health care services by that individual in facilities of the ,department would be clinically inadvisable2 or 7,b7 facilities of the ,department are not capable of furnishing such mental health care services to that individual economically because of geographical inaccessibility4 7#b7 ,the ,secretary shall carry out paragraph 7#a7 pursuant to section #agjc of this title or any other provision of law authorizing the ,secretary to enter into contracts or agreements to furnish hospital care and medical services to veterans at non-,department facilities4 7d7 ,setting and referrals ,in furnishing mental health care services to an individual under this section1 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 seek to ensure that such mental health care services are furnished in a setting that is therapeutically appropriate1 taking into account the circumstances that resulted in the need for such mental health care services2 and 7#b7 provide referral services to assist former members who are not eligible for services under this chapter to obtain services from sources outside the ,department4 7e7 ,information 7#a7 ,the ,secretary shall provide information on the mental health care services available under this section4 7#b7 ,efforts by the ,secretary to provide information under paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 shall include availability of a toll-free telephone number 7commonly referred to as an #hjj number72 7,b7 shall ensure that information about the mental health care services available under this section-- 7i7 is revised and updated as appropriate2 7ii7 is made available and visibly posted at appropriate facilities of the ,department2 and 7iii7 is made available to ,state veterans agencies and through appropriate public information services2 and 7,c7 shall include coordination with the ,secretary of ,defense seeking to ensure that members of the ,armed ,forces and individuals who are being separated from active military1 naval1 or air service are provided appropriate information about programs1 requirements1 and procedures for applying for mental health care services under this section4 7f7 ,annual reports 7#a7 ,not less frequently than annually1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report on the mental health care services provided pursuant to this section4 7#b7 ,each report submitted under paragraph 7#a7 shall include data for the year covered by the report with respect to each of the following3 7,a7 ,the number of individuals who received mental health care services under subsection 7a71 disaggregated by the number of men who received such services and the number of women who received such services4 7,b7 ,such other information as the ,secretary considers appropriate4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of chapter #ag of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #agbj;,h the following new item3 #agbj;,i4 ,expansion of mental health care for certain former members of the ,armed ,forces4 4 #c4 ,character of service determinations 7a7 ,in general ,chapter #ec of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by inserting after section #ecjc;,a the following new section3 #ecjc;,b4 ,character of service determinations 7a7 ,determination ,the ,secretary shall establish a process by which an individual who served in the ,armed ,forces and was discharged or dismissed therefrom may seek a determination from the ,secretary with respect to whether such discharge or release was under a condition that bars the right of such individual to a benefit under the laws administered by the ,secretary based upon the period of service from which discharged or dismissed4 7b7 ,provision of information ,if the ,secretary determines under subsection 7a7 that an individual is barred to a benefit under the laws administered by the ,secretary1 the ,secretary shall provide to such individual information regarding the ability of the individual to address such condition1 including pursuant to section #ecjc of this title and chapter #gi of title #aj4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of chapter #ec of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #ecjc;,a the following new item3 #ecjc;,b4 ,character of service determinations4 4