Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) welcomed the inclusion of language in the in the newly-drafted National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference bill requiring the Defense Department to examine the feasibility of providing mental health screenings for servicemembers prior to enlistment and discharge from service. 

Portman filed the Medical Evaluation Parity for Servicemembers (MEPS) Act legislation he introduced with U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) earlier this year, as an amendment to the NDAA. Among other things, this bipartisan legislation would improve the way the military identifies and assesses mental health issues. It would also institute mental health assessments for both incoming recruits and servicemembers separating from active duty, and the NDAA conference bill requires the Department of Defense (DoD) to examine the feasibility of providing mental health assessments to servicemembers entering and leaving service. The entry screening would serve as a baseline for future mental health assessments throughout servicemembers’ careers, while the exit screening would provide more accurate information on their mental health condition as they transition to civilian life.

“I am pleased that the NDAA includes language requiring DoD to examine the feasibility of providing mental health assessments to servicemembers entering and leaving service,” said Portman. “This provision, along with the other requirements included in a thorough study of the military’s programs to address mental health and Traumatic Brain Injuries that DoD must deliver to Congress, is an important step towards ensuring our servicemembers receive the care they deserve. We must promote a more comprehensive and holistic approach to mental health care in the military that improves upon the current system to deliver the best care possible. The provisions in this bill will help focus the military’s efforts to pursue these goals and serve as the foundation for future efforts on this issue. I look forward to building upon this success in the next Congress.”