An ad hoc committee under the auspices of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will assess the examinations given by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to determine compensation for mental and physical conditions linked to military sexual trauma. The review of the way that impairments arising from military sexual trauma are assessed will examine:
1) The adequacy of tools and protocols to include:
a) The Disability Benefits Questionnaires;
b) The VA’s schedule of rating disabilities;
c) Whether certain conditions linked to military sexual trauma require a referral for both a mental and physical health examination, and;
d) The necessity of internal pelvic examinations to diagnose certain conditions, and potential alternatives to these examinations.
2) What credentials and training are necessary for a health care specialist or provider to perform examinations related to physical health conditions linked to military sexual trauma for both men and women, to include:
a) Sexual dysfunction;
b) Pelvic pain;
c) Pelvic dysfunction;
d) Musculoskeletal disabilities;
e) Cardiovascular conditions, including stroke.
3) What credentials and training are necessary for a health care specialist or provider to perform examinations related to mental health conditions linked to military sexual trauma for both men and women.
4) The quality of military sexual trauma training for those who perform these examinations, including recommendations for improvement of the training.
The committee shall produce a final report detailing its process and offer any findings, conclusions, and recommendations, to include those on legislative or administrative action to improve the adjudication of claims.