H.R. 2201 — Improving VA Training for Military Sexual Trauma Claims Act

This section revises training requirements under 38 U.S.C. §1166(c) for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees processing, communicating about evidence for, or deciding disability compensation claims for covered mental health conditions (i.e., post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, or related diagnoses) based on military sexual trauma (MST, i.e., physical assault, battery, or sexual harassment during active service) by (1) expanding mandatory annual sensitivity and other training from specialized teams to each such employee; (2) requiring training tailored to the employee's experience level; and (3) requiring annual updates to the training. It further requires VA, not later than 90 days after enactment, to submit to the congressional Veterans' Affairs Committees (A) a report on prior training under that subsection and plans to implement these changes; and (B) a report on sensitivity training for contracted health care professionals who examine MST claimants, including a plan to improve that training and prevent retraumatization during exams. The section also expands VA's duty to assist under 38 U.S.C. §5103A(c) for MST claims to expressly include obtaining the claimant's service personnel and medical records.