Licensure of mental health professionals in TRICARE Program

(a) Qualifications for TRICARE Certified Mental Health Counselors For purposes of determining whether a mental health care professional is eligible for reimbursement under the TRICARE program as a certified mental health counselor, an individual who holds a masters or higher-level degree in counseling from a program that is accredited by a covered institution shall be treated as holding such degree from a mental health counseling program or clinical mental health counseling program that is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. (b) Implementation The Secretary of Defense shall implement this section beginning not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act. (c) Briefing Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the plan of the Secretary to implement this section. (d) Definitions In this section: (1) Covered institution The term covered institution means any of the following: (A) The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges Western Association of Schools and Colleges. (B) The Higher Learning Commission. (C) The Middle States Commission on Higher Education. (D) The New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education. (E) The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. (F) The Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. (G) The Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools. (H) The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. (I) The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. (J) The Distance Education Accreditation Commission. (K) The Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation. (L) The American Psychology Association. (2) TRICARE program The term TRICARE program has the meaning given that term in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code.