123STA T . 23 4 1 PUBLIC LA W 111 –8 4 —O CT. 28 , 2 0 0 9(C)includes uc hot he rf indin g s a nd reco m mendations on im p ro v ements to the current capa b ilities of the D epart - ment of Defense for the prevention , diagnosis, and treat- ment of substance use disorders in members of the A rmed F orces and the policies relating to the disposition, including disciplinar y action and administrative separation, of mem- bers of the Armed Forces for substance abuse, as the S ec- retary considers appropriate . (b) PLANFORIMP RO VE MEN T AN DE N H AN C EMENT OF PRO G RAM S AND POL I CIES. — ( 1 ) PLAN RE QU IRED.— N ot later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a com- prehensive plan for the improvement and enhancement of the follo w ing
(A) T he programs and activities of the Department of Defense for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of substance use disorders in members of the Armed Forces and their dependents. ( B ) The policies of the Department of Defense relating to the disposition of substance abuse offenders in the Armed Forces, including disciplinary action and administrative separation. (2) BASIS.—The comprehensive plan re q uired by paragraph (1) shall ta k e into account the following: (A) The results of the review and assessment conducted under subsection (a). (B) Similar initiatives of the Secretary of V eterans Affairs to e x pand and improve care for substance use dis- orders among veterans, including the programs and activi- ties conducted under title I of the Veterans ’M ental H ealth and O ther Care Improvements Act of 200 8 (Public L aw 110 –3 87
112 Stat. 4 112). (3) COMPREHENSIVE STATEMENT OF POLIC Y .—The com- prehensive plan required by paragraph (1) shall include a com- prehensive statement of the following: (A) The policy of the Department of Defense regarding the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of substance use disorders in members of the Armed Forces and their dependents. (B) The policies of the Department of Defense relating to the disposition of substance abuse offenders in the Armed Forces, including disciplinary action and administrative separation. (4) AVAILA B ILITY OF SERVICES AND TREATMENT.—The com- prehensive plan required by paragraph (1) shall include mecha- nisms to ensure the availability to members of the Armed Forces and their dependents of a core of evidence-based prac- tices across the spectrum of medical and non-medial services and treatments for substance use disorders, including the reestablishment of regional long-term inpatient substance abuse treatment programs. The Secretary may use contracted services for not longer than three years after the date of the enactment of this Act to perform such inpatient substance abuse treatment until the Department of Defense reestablishes this capability within the military health care system. Deadlin e .
