This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to address military family readiness and resiliency.
Specifically, DOD must
The Government Accountability Office must report on disputes between military families and schools.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6489 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6489
To improve military family readiness.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 10, 2020
Mr. Thornberry (for himself and Mr. Kelly of Mississippi) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed
Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve military family readiness.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FAMILY READINESS: DEFINITIONS; COMMUNICATION STRATEGY;
REPORT.
(a) Definitions.--Not later than six months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with
the Secretaries of the military departments, shall define the terms
``military family readiness'' and ``military family resiliency''.
(b) Communication Strategy.--Not later than one year after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination
with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall establish and
implement a strategy regarding communication with military families.
The strategy shall include the following:
(1) The use of a variety of modes of communication to
ensure the broadest means of communicating with military
families.
(2) Updating an existing annual standardized survey that
assesses military family readiness to address the following
issues:
(A) Communication with beneficiaries.
(B) Child care.
(C) Education.
(D) Spousal employment.
(E) The Exceptional Family Member Program.
(F) Financial literacy.
(G) Financial stress.
(H) Health care (including copayments, network
adequacy, and the availability of appointments with
health care providers).
(c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of the Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of
Representatives a report regarding the feasibility of implementing the
recommendations in--
(1) chapter 3 of the report of the Inspector General of the
Department of Defense for fiscal year 2020, ``Ensuring Wellness
and Wellbeing of Service-Members and their Families''; and
(2) the report, dated July 2019, of the National Academies
of Science, Engineering and Medicine, titled ``Strengthening
the Military Family Readiness System for a Changing American
Society''.
SEC. 2. STANDARDIZATION OF THE EXCEPTIONAL FAMILY MEMBER PROGRAM.
(a) Policy.--Not later than six months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with
the Secretaries of the military departments, shall, to the extent
practicable, standardize the Exceptional Family Member Program (in this
section referred to as the ``EFMP'') across the military departments.
(b) Elements.--The EFMP, standardized under subsection (a), shall
include the following:
(1) Processes for the identification and enrollment of
dependents of covered members with special needs.
(2) A process for the permanent change of orders for
covered members, to ensure seamless continuity of services at
the new permanent duty station.
(3) A review process for installations to ensure that
health care furnished through the TRICARE program, special
needs education programs, and installation-based family support
programs are available to military families enrolled in the
EFMP.
(4) A standardized respite care benefit across the covered
Armed Forces, including the number of hours available under
such benefit to military families enrolled in the EFMP.
(5) Outcomes and metrics to evaluate the EFMP.
(6) A requirement that the Secretary of each military
department provide a dedicated EFMP attorney, who specializes
in education law, at each military installation--
(A) the Secretary determines is a primary receiving
installation for military families with special needs;
and
(B) in a State that the Secretary determines has
historically not supported families enrolled in the
EFMP.
(7) The option for a family enrolled in the EFMP to
continue to receive all services under that program and the
bachelor allowance for housing if--
(A) the covered member receives a new permanent
duty station; and
(B) the covered member and family elect for the
family not to relocate with the covered member.
(8) A process to discuss policy challenges and
opportunities, best practices adopted across the covered Armed
Forces, a forum period for discussion with members of military
families with special needs, and other matters the Secretary of
Defense determines appropriate.
(c) Case Management.--The Secretary of Defense, in coordination
with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall develop an EFMP
case management model, including the following:
(1) A single EFMP office, located at the headquarters of
each covered Armed Force, to oversee implementation of the EFMP
and coordinate health care services, permanent change of
station order processing, and educational support services for
that covered Armed Force.
(2) An EFMP office at each military installation with case
managers to assist each family of a covered member in the
development of a plan that addresses the areas specified in
subsection (b)(1).
(d) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of the Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of
Representatives a report on the implementation of the items identified
under subsections (a), (b), and (c), including any recommendations of
the Secretary regarding legislation.
(e) GAO Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States
shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the
House of Representatives a report on--
(1) whether military families have higher rates of disputes
and loss of free and appropriate public education under section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Public Law 93-112; 29
U.S.C. 794) than civilian counterparts; and
(2) an analysis of the number of due process hearings that
were filed by school districts against children of members of
the Armed Forces.
(f) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``covered Armed Force'' means an Armed Force
under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of a military
department.
(2) The term ``covered member'' means a member--
(A) of a covered Armed Force; and
(B) with a dependent with special needs.
SEC. 3. CHILD CARE.
(a) 24-Hour Child Care.--If the Secretary of Defense determines it
feasible, the Secretary shall furnish child care to each child of a
member of the Armed Forces or employee of the Department of Defense
while that member or employee works on rotating shifts at a military
installation.
(b) Metrics.--Not later than six months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall develop and
implement metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of the child care
priority system of the Department of Defense, including--
(1) the speed of placement for children of members of the
Armed Forces on active duty;
(2) the type of child care offered;
(3) available spaces in such system, if any; and
(4) other metrics to monitor the child care priority system
determined by the Secretary.
(c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of the Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of
Representatives a report regarding the results of a study that
evaluates--
(1) the sufficiency of the stipend furnished by the
Secretary to members of the Armed Forces received for civilian
child care; and
(2) whether the amount of such stipend should be based on--
(A) cost of living in the applicable locale; and
(B) the capacity of licensed civilian child care
providers in the local market.
SEC. 4. STUDY AND REPORT ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY.
(a) Study.--The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study on the
performance of the Department of Defense Education Activity.
(b) Elements.--The study under subsection (a) shall include the
following:
(1) A review of the curriculum relating to health,
resiliency, and nutrition taught in schools operated by the
Department of Defense Education Activity and a comparison of
such curriculum to appropriate education benchmarks.
(2) An analysis of the outcomes experienced by students in
such schools, as measured by--
(A) the performance of such students on the
National Assessment of Educational Progress carried out
under section 303(b)(3) of the National Assessment of
Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C.
9622(b)(3)); and
(B) any other methodologies used by the Department
of Defense Education Activity to measure individual
student outcomes.
(3) An assessment of the effectiveness of the School
Liaison Officer program of the Department of Defense Education
Activity in achieving the goals of the program with an emphasis
on goals relating to special education and family outreach.
(c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of the Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of
Representatives a report that includes the findings of the study
conducted under subsection (a).
SEC. 5. REPORT ON AUTISM TREATMENTS PROVIDED UNDER TRICARE PROGRAM.
(a) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of
Representatives a report assessing the effectiveness of autism
treatment methodologies under the TRICARE program and the prevalence of
autism among dependents of members of the Armed Forces.
(b) Elements.--The report under subsection (a) shall include the
following:
(1) An assessment of the effectiveness of applied
behavioral analysis and other autism treatment methodologies
covered under the TRICARE program, including an independent
assessment conducted by an academic institution or other
similar nongovernmental entity of the Pervasive Developmental
Disorder Behavior Inventory as a basis for drawing conclusions
regarding such treatment.
(2) A descriptive analysis of copayment and other out-of-
pocket expenses for covered beneficiaries who receive benefits
under the Department of Defense Comprehensive Autism Care
Demonstration program.
(3) A comparison of rates of autism among dependents of
members of the Armed Forces and such rates among the civilian
population.
(c) TRICARE Program Defined.--In this section, the term ``TRICARE
program'' has the meaning given that term in section 1072 of title 10,
United States Code.
SEC. 6. REPORT ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STAFFING NEEDS.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed
Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report that--
(1) contains specific information on the amount of funding
needed to hire and retain behavioral health professionals to
treat members of the Armed Forces and covered beneficiaries (as
defined in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code);
(2) identifies the number and types of military, civilian,
direct contract, and managed care support contract behavioral
health professionals required to treat such individuals; and
(3) contains a plan to provide behavioral health treatment
to such individuals using telehealth services and other
technologies, including any recommendations of the Secretary
regarding legislation.
SEC. 7. POLICY TO ADDRESS OPIOID PRESCRIPTION ABUSE PREVENTION.
(a) Requirement.--The Secretary of Defense shall develop a policy
and tracking mechanism for opioids that monitors and prohibits the over
prescribing of opioids to ensure compliance with clinical practice
guidelines.
(b) Elements.--The requirements under subsection (a) shall include
the following:
(1) Limit the prescribing of opioids to the morphine
milligram equivalent level per day specified in the guideline
published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
titled ``CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic
Pain--United States, 2016'', or such successor guideline.
(2) Limit the supply of opioids to within clinically
accepted guidelines.
(3) Develop a waiver process for specific patient
categories that will require treatment beyond the limit
specified in paragraph (1).
(4) Implement controls to ensure that the prescriptions in
the military health system data repository exist and that the
dispense date and the metric quantity field for opioid
prescriptions in liquid form are consistent among all systems.
(5) Implement opioid prescribing controls within the
electronic health record system known as ``Genesis''.
(6) Develop metrics that can be used by the Defense Health
Agency and each military medical treatment facility to actively
monitor and limit the over prescribing of opioids.
(7) Develop a report that tracks progression toward reduced
levels of opioid use.
SEC. 8. SPOUSAL EMPLOYMENT PILOT PROGRAM WITH THE DEFENSE
COUNTERINTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY AGENCY.
(a) In General.--The Under Secretary of Personnel and Readiness, in
coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and
Security, shall conduct a pilot program with the Defense
Counterintelligence and Security Agency to recruit military spouses
into a paid internship pilot program that includes specific training
and on-the-job training designed to prepare the spouse for a position
within the national security field, including the Federal Government
and cleared industry.
(b) Duration.--The Under Secretary of Personnel and Readiness shall
conduct the pilot program for a period not to exceed three years.
(c) Security Training.--The pilot program under this section shall
permit military spouses the opportunity to gain experience in a variety
of areas, including security clearance background investigations and
personnel vetting, industrial security and critical technology
protection, and counterintelligence analysis.
(d) Reports.--
(1) Interim report.--Not later than one year after the date
of the enactment of the Act, the Secretary of Defense shall
submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and
the House of Representatives a report on the status of the
pilot program that shall include the following:
(A) Number of spouses that entered the pilot
program.
(B) Metrics to be used to measure the effectiveness
of the pilot program.
(C) A description of the employment positions that
spouses entered into after the pilot program.
(2) Final report.--Not later than 180 days after the end of
the pilot program, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the
congressional committees specified in paragraph (1) a final
report on the pilot program that shall include the following:
(A) Number of spouses that completed the pilot
program.
(B) An evaluation of the pilot program using the
metrics of assessment set forth pursuant to paragraph
(1)(B).
(C) A description of the employment positions that
spouses entered into following the pilot program.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line