1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Mental Health Care Provider Retention Act of 2017 . 2. Retention of Mental Health Care Provider (a) In General During the transition from receiving treatment furnished by the Secretary of Defense to treatment furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, a covered individual may elect to continue receiving treatment from such individual’s mental health care provider of the Department of Defense. (b) Priority A covered individual shall receive the same level of priority as members of the Armed Forces at the military medical treatment facility at which the covered individual has elected to continue treatment. (c) Reimbursement of Costs The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall reimburse the Secretary of Defense for services rendered pursuant to subsection (a), if such services would have otherwise been furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. (d) Departure of Mental Health Care Provider In the event that the mental health care provider described under subsection (a) departs the military medical treatment facility at which the covered individual is receiving treatment, such individual may elect to obtain the services of— (1) a different mental health care provider at the same military medical treatment facility