Availability of sexual assault nurse examiner services at military medical treatment facilities

(a) Requirement Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that each military medical treatment facility maintains, at all times, the continuous availability of at least one qualified sexual assault nurse examiner to provide forensic medical examinations and related care to sexual assault survivors. (b) Use of contracts to meet requirement The Secretary may satisfy the requirement in subsection (a) with respect to a military medical treatment facility if the Secretary enters into a contract or other agreement with a private provider under which the provider ensures the continuous availability of a qualified sexual assault nurse examiner to provide services at that facility. In entering into such a contract or other agreement, the Secretary shall ensure the following: (1) A qualified sexual assault nurse examiner is on call 24 hours per day and will arrive at the facility not later than two hours after being called. (2) The qualified sexual assault nurse examiners are located— (A) not more than 25 miles by road from the facility; or (B) within a 30-minute emergency response travel time under normal conditions from the facility. (3) The qualified sexual assault nurse examiners meet or exceed all credentialing, training, and certification standards that the Secretary would otherwise apply to a sexual assault nurse examiner employed directly by the Department of Defense. (c) Information Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— (1) issue updated policy guidance of the Department implementing the requirements of subsections (a) and (b), including standard language for contracts or other agreements under subsection (b); and (2) submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report detailing— (A) the status of sexual assault nurse examiner staffing at each military medical treatment facility; (B) any contracts or other agreements entered into under subsection (b), including the names and locations of providers; (C) the average response times for sexual assault nurse examiners and any gaps in coverage experienced during the one-year period preceding the report; and (D) plans to address any identified shortfalls in service availability. (d) Definitions In this section: (1) The term military medical treatment facility has the meaning given that term in section 1073c of title 10, United States Code. (2) The term sexual assault nurse examiner means a registered nurse who has received specialized training and certification in the forensic examination of sexual assault survivors and the collection of forensic evidence, in accordance with standards established by the International Association of Forensic Nurses or an equivalent certifying body.

(a) Requirement Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that each military medical treatment facility maintains, at all times, the continuous availability of at least one qualified sexual assault nurse examiner to provide forensic medical examinations and related care to sexual assault survivors. (b) Use of contracts to meet requirement The Secretary may satisfy the requirement in subsection (a) with respect to a military medical treatment facility if the Secretary enters into a contract or other agreement with a private provider under which the provider ensures the continuous availability of a qualified sexual assault nurse examiner to provide services at that facility. In entering into such a contract or other agreement, the Secretary shall ensure the following: (1) A qualified sexual assault nurse examiner is on call 24 hours per day and will arrive at the facility not later than two hours after being called. (2) The qualified sexual assault nurse examiners are located— (A) not more than 25 miles by road from the facility; or (B) within a 30-minute emergency response travel time under normal conditions from the facility. (3) The qualified sexual assault nurse examiners meet or exceed all credentialing, training, and certification standards that the Secretary would otherwise apply to a sexual assault nurse examiner employed directly by the Department of Defense. (c) Information Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— (1) issue updated policy guidance of the Department implementing the requirements of subsections (a) and (b), including standard language for contracts or other agreements under subsection (b); and (2) submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report detailing— (A) the status of sexual assault nurse examiner staffing at each military medical treatment facility; (B) any contracts or other agreements entered into under subsection (b), including the names and locations of providers; (C) the average response times for sexual assault nurse examiners and any gaps in coverage experienced during the one-year period preceding the report; and (D) plans to address any identified shortfalls in service availability. (d) Definitions In this section: (1) The term military medical treatment facility has the meaning given that term in section 1073c of title 10, United States Code. (2) The term sexual assault nurse examiner means a registered nurse who has received specialized training and certification in the forensic examination of sexual assault survivors and the collection of forensic evidence, in accordance with standards established by the International Association of Forensic Nurses or an equivalent certifying body.