Boxer and Lieberman Pleased Defense Authorization Bill Includes Critical Reforms for Mental Health Conditions and Traumatic Brai

December 14, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Joseph Lieberman (ID-CT) today lauded passage of the FY 2008 Defense Authorization Bill, which included provisions they championed to help improve mental health services for members of the United States Armed Forces.

Senator Boxer said, “Our military men and women, especially those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, are under tremendous stress right now. It’s not enough to just take care of their physical needs—we’re seeing an alarming number of our soldiers committing or attempting suicide. It’s our responsibility to ensure that the members of our Armed Forces are afforded the finest treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury and mental health conditions, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The Boxer-Lieberman legislation will help do just that."

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“No matter what side of the aisle we are on, or how we feel about the war, we can all agree that the health of our soldiers is vitally important,” Senator Lieberman said. “My work with Senator Boxer has focused on ensuring that the Department of Defense has a plan to treat combat related mental health conditions and brain injuries, to make sure that all of our troops, including our female soldiers, get the care they need, and to provide the best treatment for conditions such as PTSD and traumatic brain injury, to all service members. The passage of this bill will bring us one step closer to these goals.”

Senators Boxer and Lieberman worked to include the following provisions in the final Defense Authorization Bill:

Centers of Excellence: The provision will establish Centers of Excellence within the Department of Defense for the development and implementation of comprehensive strategies to identify and treat combat-related mental health conditions, with an emphasis on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). The Centers will also be charged with working to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health illnesses.

Review of Mental Health Services for Females and Minorities: This provision will require the Secretary of Defense, within 90 days of the bill’s enactment, to conduct a comprehensive review of the need for gender- and ethnic group-specific mental health services for members of the armed forces. It also requires a review of the adequacy of these current, specific services, including availability of and access to such programs.

Implementation of Mental Health Task Force Recommendations: This provision requires the DoD to report on the status of implementing the Defense Task Force on Mental Health recommendations by March 1, 2008. The Secretary of Defense intends to implement nearly all of the 95 recommendations of the Task Force for improvements in the psychological health of members of the armed forces and their families.

Source: Senator Barbara Boxer