Sens. Ossoff, Braun Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Boost Mental Health Care Access for Servicemembers

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is introducing a new bipartisan bill to cut red tape that would expand access to mental health services for servicemembers in Georgia.

Sens. Ossoff and Mike Braun (R-IN) introduced the bipartisan Military Mental Health Professionals Support Act to ensure that those who put their lives on the line to keep our country safe have access to the vital mental health care services they deserve.

Currently, mental and behavioral health specialists count toward caps on military personnel by rank, impacting recruitment and retention of mental health care providers. The bipartisan bill would cut red tape by removing those caps and permitting more specialists to provide vital care to servicemembers.

"I've introduced the bipartisan Military Mental Health Professionals Support Act to ensure our servicemembers, who make tremendous sacrifices in our country's defense, can access the mental health services they need while they defend our nation," Sen. Ossoff said.

"Our servicemembers put their lives on the line for us, and many veterans struggle with their mental health after returning home," Senator Mike Braun said. "This bill will make sure our men and women in the Armed Services have access to mental health services while they are serving their country."

Sen. Ossoff continues to fight for Georgia's servicemembers and to champion mental health care access.

Last year, Sen. Ossoff's bipartisan bill to help Georgia veterans afford mental health and substance abuse treatment became law.

Earlier this year, Sens. Ossoff and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) introduced the bipartisan Military Families Mental Health Services Act to allow the Secretary of Defense to waive out-of-pocket expenses for military families on TRICARE for their first three outpatient mental health visits per year, lowering costs and helping families access the treatment they need.

Click here to read the bipartisan Military Mental Health Professionals Support Act.