,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #hadg ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #a1 #bjbj ,mr4 ,lamb 7for himself and ,mr4 ,fitzpatrick7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to expand an existing pilot program1 and to establish a new pilot program1 related to complementary and integrative health services for veterans4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,testing1 ,researching1 and ,expanding ,alternative ,treatments ,act or the ,,treat ,act 4 #b4 ,expansion of certain complementary and integrative health services 7a7 ,plan required ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall develop a plan to expand the pilot program under section #icc of the ,jason ,simcakoski ,memorial and ,promise ,act 7title ,,ix of ,public ,law #aad-aih2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #agja note74 7b7 ,assessment2 elements ,the plan under subsection 7a7 shall include provisions for assessing the implementation of the plan and the effectiveness of services and programs described in subsection 7f7 of that section #icc1 including-- 7#a7 the use and efficacy of complementary and integrative health services delivered through the pilot program for addressing mental health1 pain management1 and treatment of chronic illness2 7#b7 the outreach conducted by the ,secretary to inform veterans and community organizations of such services2 and 7#c7 the experiences of veterans who received such services4 7c7 ,treatments described ,complementary and integrative health treatments described in this subjection shall consist of the following3 7#a7 ,yoga4 7#b7 ,meditation4 7#c7 ,acupuncture4 7#d7 ,chiropractic care4 7#e7 ,other treatments that show sufficient evidence of efficacy at treating mental or physical health conditions1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7d7 ,implementation ,not later than #bgj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall implement the plan under subsection 7a74 7e7 ,report ,not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate and ,house of ,representatives a report on activities carried out under this section1 including-- 7#a7 the assessment under subsection 7b72 7#b7 implementation under subsection 7d72 and 7#c7 such recommendations regarding the furnishing of complementary and integrative health treatments described in subsection 7c7 the ,secretary determines appropriate4 #c4 ,pilot program to provide veterans access to complementary and integrative health services through animal therapy1 agritherapy1 and adaptive sports1 recreation1 and outdoor adventure 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall commence the conduct of a pilot program to provide complementary and integrative health services described in subsection 7b7 to eligible veterans from the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs or through the use of non-,department entities for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder1 depression1 anxiety1 or other conditions as determined by the ,secretary4 7b7 ,treatments described ,complementary and integrative health treatments described in this subsection shall consist of the following3 7#a7 ,equine assisted therapy4 7#b7 ,other animal therapy4 7#c7 ,agritherapy4 7#d7 ,post-traumatic growth programming4 7#e7 ,adaptive sports1 recreation1 and outdoor adventure4 7c7 ,eligible veterans ,a veteran is eligible to participate in the pilot program under this section if the veteran-- 7#a7 is enrolled in the system of patient enrollment of the ,department under section #agje7;a7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code2 and 7#b7 during the two-year period preceding the initial participation of the veteran in the pilot program-- 7,a7 has received health care under the laws administered by the ,secretary2 or 7,b7 has received rehabilitation and counseling services from a ,vet ,center4 7d7 ,duration 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall carry out the pilot program under this section for a three-year period beginning on the commencement of the pilot program4 7#b7 ,extension ,the ,secretary may extend the duration of the pilot program under this section if the ,secretary1 based on the results of the interim report submitted under subsection 7f77#a71 determines that it is appropriate to do so4 7e7 ,locations 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall select not fewer than five facilities of the ,department at which to carry out the pilot program under this section4 7#b7 ,selection criteria ,in selecting facilities under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall ensure that-- 7,a7 the locations are in geographically diverse areas2 and 7,b7 not fewer than three facilities serve veterans in rural or highly rural areas 7as determined through the use of the ,rural-,urban ,commuting ,areas coding system of the ,department of ,agriculture74 7f7 ,research on effectiveness of treatment 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall carry out the pilot program in conjunction with academic researchers affiliated with the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 including through agreements under paragraph 7#b71 in order for those researchers to study the effectiveness of the treatments described in subsection 7b74 7#b7 ,agreements ,before commencing the pilot program1 the ,secretary shall seek to enter into agreements with academic researchers to ensure robust data collection and gathering procedures are in place under the pilot program in order to produce peer-reviewed journal articles4 7g7 ,reports 7#a7 ,interim report 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than one year after the commencement of the pilot program under this section1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives a report on the progress of the pilot program4 7,b7 ,elements ,the report required by subparagraph 7,a7 shall include the following3 7i7 ,the number of participants in the pilot program4 7ii7 ,the type or types of therapy offered at each facility at which the pilot program is being carried out4 7iii7 ,an assessment of whether participation by a veteran in the pilot program resulted in any changes in clinically relevant endpoints for the veteran with respect to the conditions specified in subsection 7a74 7iv7 ,an assessment of effect on quality of life and well-being of veterans participating in the pilot program1 including the results of a satisfaction survey of the participants in the pilot program1 disaggregated by treatment under subsection 7b74 7v7 ,an assessment of whether the pilot program is effective in increasing the adherence of veterans to mental health treatment for the conditions described in subsection 7a74 7vi7 ,the determination of the ,secretary with respect to extending the pilot program under subsection 7d77#b74 7vii7 ,any recommendations of the ,secretary with respect to expanding the pilot program4 7#b7 ,final report ,not later than #ij days after the termination of the pilot program under this section1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives a final report on the pilot program4