Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 122.djvu/4135

 12 2 STA T .4 112 PUBLIC LA W 11 0–387—O CT. 10 , 2008 TI T LE I —SUB ST ANC E USE D IS OR DERS AND M ENTAL H EALTH CARE SEC.10 1. TRIBU TET OJ USTI N B A I L E Y . Thist it le ise nac te d int r i bu tet oJ ustin B aile y,w ho, a f ter returnin g to the U nited S tates fro m ser v ice as a member of the A rmed F orces in Op eration I ra q i Freedom, died in a domiciliary facility of the D epartment of V eterans Affairs while receiving care for post - traumatic stress disorder and a substance use disorder . SEC. 10 2 . F IN D IN G S ON SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS AND M ENTAL H EALTH. C ongress ma k es the following findings
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ore than 1, 50 0,000 members of the Armed Forces have been deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation E nduring Freedom. The 2 005 Department of Defense Survey of H ealth R elated Behaviors Among Active Duty P ersonnel reports that 2 3 percent of members of the Armed Forces on active duty acknowledge a significant problem with alcohol use disorder, with similar rates of acknowledged problems with alcohol use disorder among members of the N ational G uard. (2) The effects of substance use disorder are wide ranging, including significantly increased risk of suicide, e x acerbation of mental and physical health disorders, breakdown of family support, and increased risk of unemployment and homelessness. (3) W hile veterans suffering from mental health conditions, chronic physical illness, and polytrauma may be at increased risk for development of a substance use disorder, treatment for these veterans is complicated by the need to address ade- quately the physical and mental symptoms associated with these conditions through appropriate medical intervention. ( 4 ) While the Veterans Health Administration has dramati- cally increased health services for veterans from 1 9 9 6 through 2006, the number of veterans receiving speciali z ed substance use disorder treatment services decreased 1 8 percent during that time. No comparable decrease in the national rate of substance use disorder has been observed during that time. (5) While some facilities of the Veterans Health Administra- tion provide exemplary substance use disorder treatment serv- ices, the availability of such treatment services throughout the health care system of the Veterans Health Administration is inconsistent. (6) According to a 2006 report by the Government Account- ability Office, the Department of Veterans Affairs significantly reduced its substance use disorder treatment and rehabilitation services between 1996 and 2006, and the Fiscal Y ear 200 7 National Mental Health Program Monitoring System report shows that little progress has been made in restoring these services to their pre-1996 levels. SEC. 10 3 . E XP ANSION OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT SER V ICES PROVIDED BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. (a) I N G E NE RAL . — The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure the provision of such services and treatment to each veteran enrolled in the health care system of the Department of Veterans 38USC1720Anote. 38 USC 1720A note.

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