Senate “Servicemember and Veteran Mental Health Care Package” Bill
The Senate today passed military mental health provisions from U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly’s “Servicemember and Veteran Mental Health Care Package “(“Care Package”) as a part of this year’s national defense bill. The Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed the Senate with bipartisan support, 71-25. Serving on the Senate Armed Services Committee, which oversees the Department of Defense, Donnelly has made military and veterans’ mental health his top priority. Last year, 434 servicemembers took their own lives, making it the third straight year that more servicemembers have been lost to suicide than in combat, and it is estimated that we lose 22 veterans to suicide every day.
Donnelly said, “With the Senate passing the national defense bill, the military provisions of the ‘Care Package’ have a good chance of becoming law this year. Our troops and veterans sacrifice for our country, and we owe them our support, through good times and bad.
“Last year, we made great progress with the Jacob Sexton Military Suicide Prevention Act being signed into law. Under the Sexton Act, for the first time, all servicemembers will receive an annual mental health assessment. This year, with the Care Package, we are improving mental health care services through the DoD, VA, and our local community providers, so they are better able to serve troops, veterans, and their families. The annual defense bill includes Care Package improvements for servicemembers and their families, and I am determined to see that veterans benefit from these same reforms.”
The Senate and House passed different versions of the national defense bill and now will work to reach a compromise on the legislation. The annual defense bill has been signed into law for 53 consecutive years. Donnelly’s original “Care Package” also includes measures related to strengthening mental health care services at the VA. The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee has committed to considering veterans-related provisions of Donnelly’s “Care Package” in the months ahead.
Since introducing the bipartisan “Care Package” in March 2015, Donnelly has pushed for its passage as part of the national defense bill. Last week, he delivered a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate remembering two Hoosier servicemembers lost to suicide. In May, the Senate Armed Services Committee approved military mental health provisions from Donnelly’s “Care Package” as part of the national defense bill, along with several provisions Donnelly authored that support critical contributions that Hoosiers make to national security. Learn more about Donnelly’s “Care Package” provisions included in the national defense bill here.
