,,ii  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #cbaj  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,janu>y #af1 #bjbj,mr4 
,cassidy 7= himself & ,ms4 ,s9ema7      
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on       
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
require ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1
 9 consultation ) ! ,secret>y ( ,def5se 
& ! ,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human         
,s]vices1 to develop a cl9ical practice 
guidel9e or guidel9es = ! treatm5t (    
s]i\s m5tal illness4  #a4 ,%ort title   
,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,improv+      
,m5tal ,heal? ,c>e = ,vet]ans ,act (    
#bjbj4  #b4 ,e/abli%m5t by ,dep>tm5t (  
,vet]ans ,affairs & ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se 
( cl9ical practice guidel9es = !        
treatm5t ( s]i\s m5tal illness  7a7 ,9  
g5]al ,n lat] ?an two ye>s aft] ! date (
 ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y (   
,vet]ans ,affairs1 9 consultation ) !   
,secret>y ( ,def5se & ! ,secret>y (     
,heal? & ,human ,s]vices1 %all complete 
! developm5t ( a cl9ical practice       

guidel9e or guidel9es = ! treatm5t (    
s]i\s m5tal illness1 to include ! foll[+
 conditions3  7#a7 ,s*izophr5ia4  7#b7  
,s*izoaffective disord]4  7#c7 ,p]si/5t 
mood disord]1 includ+ bipol> disord] ,i 
& ,,ii4  7#d7 ,any o!r m5tal1           
behavioral1 or emotional disord] result+
 9 s]i\s functional impairm5t t         
sub/antially int]f]es ) major life      
activities z ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs1 9 consultation ) ! ,secret>y (
 ,def5se & ! ,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human
 ,s]vices1 consid]s appropriate4  7b7   
,matt]s includ$ 9 guidel9es ,! cl9ical  
practice guidel9e or guidel9es develop$ 
"u subsection 7a7 %all include ! foll[+3
  7#a7 ,guidance conta9$ 9 ! #bjaf      
,cl9ical ,practice ,guidel9es = !       
,managem5t ( ,major ,depressive         
,disord]s ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs & ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se4  7#b7 
,guidance ) respect to ! treatm5t (     
pati5ts ) a condition describ$ 9        
subsection 7a74  7#c7 ,a li/ (          
evid5ce-bas$ !rapies = ! treatm5t (     

conditions describ$ 9 subsection 7a74   
7#d7 ,an appropriate guidel9e = !       
adm9i/ration ( ph>macological !rapy1    
psy*ological or behavioral !rapy1 or o!r
 !rapy = ! managem5t ( conditions       
describ$ 9 subsection 7a74  7c7         
,assessm5t ( exi/+ guidel9es ,n lat] ?an
 two ye>s aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is
 ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 
9 consultation ) ! ,secret>y ( ,def5se &
 ! ,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices1
 %all complete an assessm5t ( ! #bjaf   
,cl9ical ,practice ,guidel9es = !       
,managem5t ( ,major ,depressive         
,disord]s to det]m9e :e!r an update to  
su* guidel9es is necess>y4  7d7 ,"w gr\p
  7#a7 ,e/abli%m5t ,! ,secret>y (       
,vet]ans ,affairs1 ! ,secret>y (        
,def5se1 & ! ,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human
 ,s]vices %all create a "w gr\p to      
develop ! cl9ical practice guidel9e or  
guidel9es "u subsection 7a7 to be kn[n z
 ! ,s]i\s ,m5tal ,illness ,"w ,gr\p 79  
?is subsection ref]r$ to z ! ,"w ,gr\p74
  7#b7 ,memb]%ip ,! ,"w ,gr\p creat$ "u 

p>agraph 7#a7 %all be compris$ (        
individuals t repres5t ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t 
entities & non-,f$]al ,gov]nm5t entities
 ) exp]tise 9 ! areas cov]$ by ! ,"w    
,gr\p1 includ+ ! foll[+ entities3  7,a7 
,academic in/itutions t specialize 9    
rese>* = ! treatm5t ( conditions        
describ$ 9 subsection 7a74  7,b7 ,!     
,heal? ,s]vices ,rese>* & ,developm5t   
,s]vice ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs4  7,c7 ,! ,(fice ( ! ,assi/ant 
,secret>y = ,m5tal ,heal? & ,sub/ance   
,use ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,heal? & ,human    
,s]vices4  7,d7 ,! ,national ,in/itute (
 ,m5tal ,heal?4  7,e7 ,! ,indian ,heal? 
,s]vice4  7,f7 ,relevant organizations )
 exp]tise 9 rese>*+1 diagnos+1 or treat+
 conditions describ$ 9 subsection 7a74  
7#c7 ,relation to o!r "w gr\ps ,! ,"w   
,gr\p %all be creat$ & conduct$ 9 ! same
 mann] z o!r "w gr\ps = ! developm5t (  
cl9ical practice guidel9es = ! ,dep>tm5t
 ( ,vet]ans ,affairs & ! ,dep>tm5t (    
,def5se4  7e7 ,rule ( con/ruction ,no?+ 
9 ?is section %all be con/ru$ to prev5t 

! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs & !     
,secret>y ( ,def5se f consid]+ all      
relevant evid5ce1 z appropriate1 9      
creat+ ! cl9ical practice guidel9e or   
guidel9es requir$ "u subsection 7a7 or f
 ensur+ t ! f9al cl9ical practice       
guidel9e or guidel9es develop$ "u su*   
subsection & subsequ5tly updat$1 z      
appropriate1 rema9 applicable to !      
pati5t populations ( ! ,dep>tm5t (      
,vet]ans ,affairs & ! ,dep>tm5t (       
,def5se4