[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 327 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 327
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop and implement a
comprehensive program designed to reduce the incidence of suicide among
veterans.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 9, 2007
Mr. Boswell (for himself, Mr. Kind, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr.
Lipinski, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Engel, Mr. Ross, Mr. Weiner, Ms. Woolsey,
Mr. Schiff, Mr. Lincoln Davis of Tennessee, Mrs. Capps, Mr. Brady of
Pennsylvania, Mr. Gutierrez, Mrs. Lowey, Mr. Lantos, Ms. Schwartz, Mr.
Meeks of New York, Mr. Ortiz, Mr. Neal of Massachusetts, Mr. McGovern,
Mr. Rahall, Mr. Spratt, Mr. Boucher, Mr. Honda, Ms. Matsui, Mr.
McIntyre, Ms. Waters, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Mollohan, Mr. Wexler, Mr. Miller
of North Carolina, Mr. Crowley, Ms. McCollum of Minnesota, Ms.
Schakowsky, Mr. Moore of Kansas, Mr. Ruppersberger, Mr. Olver, Mr.
Costello, Mr. Pomeroy, Mr. Salazar, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Latham, Mr.
Michaud, Mrs. Maloney of New York, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Pascrell, Mrs.
McCarthy of New York, Mr. Stark, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Moran of Virginia,
Mr. King of Iowa, Mr. Berman, Mr. Etheridge, Mr. Loebsack, Mr.
Marshall, Mr. Filner, Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida, Mr. McDermott, Mr.
Braley of Iowa, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Ms. Zoe Lofgren
of California, Mr. Baird, Mr. Watt, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Taylor, Mr.
Chandler, Mr. Berry, Mr. Holden, Mr. Donnelly, Mr. Hill, Mr. Boyd of
Florida, Mr. Cardoza, Mr. Melancon, Ms. Harman, Ms. Bean, Mr. Peterson
of Minnesota, Mr. Baca, Mr. Costa, Mr. Matheson, Mr. Barrow, Mr. Scott
of Georgia, Mr. Shuler, Mr. Wilson of Ohio, Mr. Patrick Murphy of
Pennsylvania, Ms. Herseth, Mr. Mahoney of Florida, Mr. Ellsworth, Mr.
Hayes, and Mr. Wamp) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop and implement a
comprehensive program designed to reduce the incidence of suicide among
veterans.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide
Prevention Act''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) suicide among veterans suffering from post-traumatic
stress disorder (in this section referred to as ``PTSD'') is a
serious problem; and
(2) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should take into
consideration the special needs of veterans suffering from PTSD
and the special needs of elderly veterans who are at high risk
for depression and experience high rates of suicide in
developing and implementing the comprehensive program under
this Act.
SEC. 3. COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION AMONG VETERANS.
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs (in this Act referred to as the
``Secretary'') shall develop and carry out a comprehensive program
designed to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans. The program
shall incorporate the components described in section 4.
SEC. 4. COMPONENTS OF PROGRAM.
(a) Staff Education.--In carrying out the comprehensive program
under section 3, the Secretary shall provide for mandatory training for
appropriate staff and contractors (including all medical personnel) of
the Department of Veterans Affairs who interact with veterans. This
training shall cover information appropriate to the duties being
performed by such staff and contractors. The training shall include
information on--
(1) recognizing risk factors for suicide;
(2) proper protocols for responding to crisis situations
involving veterans who may be at high risk for suicide; and
(3) best practices for suicide prevention.
(b) Screening of Veterans Receiving Medical Care.--In carrying out
the comprehensive program, the Secretary shall provide for screening of
veterans who receive medical care at a Department of Veterans Affairs
medical facility (including a center established under section 1712A of
title 38, United States Code) for risk factors for suicide.
(c) Tracking of Veterans.--In carrying out the comprehensive
program, the Secretary shall provide for appropriate tracking of
veterans.
(d) Counseling and Treatment of Veterans.--In carrying out the
comprehensive program, the Secretary shall provide for referral of
veterans at risk for suicide for appropriate counseling and treatment.
(e) Designation of Suicide Prevention Counselors.--In carrying out
the comprehensive program, the Secretary shall designate a suicide
prevention counselor at each Department of Veterans Affairs medical
facility other than centers established under section 1712A of title
38, United States Code. Each counselor shall work with local emergency
rooms, police departments, mental health organizations, and veterans
service organizations to engage in outreach to veterans and improve the
coordination of mental health care to veterans.
(f) Best Practices Research.--In carrying out the comprehensive
program, the Secretary shall provide for research on best practices for
suicide prevention among veterans. Research shall be conducted under
this subsection in consultation with the heads of the following
entities:
(1) The Department of Health and Human Services.
(2) The National Institute of Mental Health.
(3) The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration.
(4) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(g) Sexual Trauma Research.--In carrying out the comprehensive
program, the Secretary shall provide for research on mental health care
for veterans who have experienced sexual trauma while in military
service. The research design shall include consideration of veterans of
a reserve component.
(h) 24-Hour Mental Health Care.--In carrying out the comprehensive
program, the Secretary shall provide for mental health care
availability to veterans on a 24-hour basis.
(i) Hotline.--In carrying out the comprehensive program, the
Secretary may provide for a toll-free hotline for veterans to be
staffed by appropriately trained mental health personnel and available
at all times.
(j) Outreach and Education for Veterans and Families.--In carrying
out the comprehensive program, the Secretary shall provide for outreach
to and education for veterans and the families of veterans, with
special emphasis on providing information to veterans of Operation
Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom and the families of such
veterans. Education to promote mental health shall include information
designed to--
(1) remove the stigma associated with mental illness;
(2) encourage veterans to seek treatment and assistance for
mental illness;
(3) promote skills for coping with mental illness; and
(4) help families of veterans with--
(A) understanding issues arising from the
readjustment of veterans to civilian life;
(B) identifying signs and symptoms of mental
illness; and
(C) encouraging veterans to seek assistance for
mental illness.
(k) Peer Support Counseling Program.--
(1) In general.--In carrying out the comprehensive program,
the Secretary shall establish and carry out a peer support
counseling program, under which veterans shall be permitted to
volunteer as peer counselors--
(A) to assist other veterans with issues related to
mental health and readjustment; and
(B) to conduct outreach to veterans and the
families of veterans.
(2) Training for volunteers.--In carrying out the peer
support counseling program under this subsection, the Secretary
shall provide adequate training for peer counselors.
(l) Other Components.--In carrying out the comprehensive program,
the Secretary may provide for other actions to reduce the incidence of
suicide among veterans that the Secretary deems appropriate.
SEC. 5. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
(a) Report Required.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress.
(b) Contents of Report.--The report shall contain the following:
(1) Information on the status of the implementation of the
program developed pursuant to section 3.
(2) Information on the time line and costs for complete
implementation of the program within two years.
(3) A plan for additional programs and activities designed
to reduce the occurrence of suicide among veterans.
(4) Recommendations for further legislation or
administrative action that the Secretary considers appropriate
to improve suicide prevention programs within the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
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