Detailed Summary

Armed Forces Mental Health Professionals Recruitment and Retention Enhancement Act of 2008 - Amends federal military pay provisions to provide: (1) a bonus of up to $25,000 per year for officers who agree to remain on active duty as clinical psychologists; (2) an accession bonus of up to $400,000 to clinical psychologists with a critically short wartime specialty who agree to accept a commission and remain on active duty for at least four years; and (3) special pay for officers serving as clinical psychologists for at least one year.

Provides: (1) an accession bonus of up to $30,000 for social workers in critically short wartime specialties agreeing to serve as officers on active duty for at least three years; and (2) special pay for officers serving as social workers for at least one year.

Provides special pay for officers serving as mental health nurses for at least one year.

Includes psychiatrists, social workers, and mental health nurses under Department of Defense (DOD) authority to provide retention incentives for members of the Armed Forces qualified in critical military skills or assigned to high priority units.

Includes psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers, mental health nurses, and other behavioral health professionals as eligible health professions under the DOD health professions scholarship and financial assistance program.

Authorizes the Secretary of each military department to use the authorities in this Act to facilitate the recruitment and retention in the reserve components of psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers, and mental health nurses.

Status of the Legislation

Latest Major Action: 3/13/2008: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Points in Favor

(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)

Points Against

(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)