[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1284 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1284

     To amend title 10, United States Code, to enhance the suicide 
    prevention program of the Department of Defense by specifically 
 requiring suicide prevention training during recruit basic training, 
        preseparation counseling, and mental health assessments.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 31, 2011

   Mr. Baca introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To amend title 10, United States Code, to enhance the suicide 
    prevention program of the Department of Defense by specifically 
 requiring suicide prevention training during recruit basic training, 
        preseparation counseling, and mental health assessments.

    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 ``Armed Forces Suicide Prevention Act 
of 2011''.

SEC. 2. ENHANCEMENT OF SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
              DEFENSE.

    (a) Enhancement.--The Secretary of Defense shall take appropriate 
actions to enhance the suicide prevention program of the Department of 
Defense through the provision of suicide prevention information and 
resources to members of the Armed Forces from their initial enlistment 
or appointment through their final retirement or separation.
    (b) Cooperative Effort.--The Secretary of Defense shall develop 
suicide prevention information and resources in consultation with--
            (1) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the National 
        Institute of Mental Health, and the Substance Abuse and Mental 
        Health Services Administration of the Department of Health and 
        Human Services; and
            (2) to the extent appropriate, institutions of higher 
        education and other public and private entities, including 
        international entities, with expertise regarding suicide 
        prevention.

SEC. 3. SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING COMPONENT DURING RECRUIT BASIC 
              TRAINING.

    (a) Army.--
            (1) Training required.--Chapter 401 of title 10, United 
        States Code, is amended by inserting after section 4320 the 
        following new section:
``Sec. 4320a. Recruit basic training: availability of suicide 
              prevention resources
    ``(a) Availability.--As part of the initial entry training program 
of the Army that constitutes the basic training of new recruits, the 
Secretary of the Army shall include a training component on suicide 
prevention.
    ``(b) Elements.--The suicide prevention training component shall 
include the following:
            ``(1) Methods for recognizing risk factors for suicide.
            ``(2) Protocols for responding to crisis situations 
        involving members who may be at high risk for suicide.
            ``(3) Information about suicide prevention services 
        available to members, including toll-free hotlines and Internet 
        resources.
            ``(4) Information on best practices for suicide 
        prevention.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
        item relating to section 4320 the following new item:

``4320a. Recruit basic training: availability of suicide prevention 
                            resources.''.
    (b) Navy and Marine Corps.--
            (1) Training required.--Chapter 602 of such title is 
        amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 6933. Recruit basic training: availability of suicide prevention 
              resources
    ``(a) Availability.--As part of the initial entry training program 
of the Navy and the Marine Corps that constitutes the basic training of 
new recruits, the Secretary of the Navy shall include a training 
component on suicide prevention.
    ``(b) Elements.--The suicide prevention training component shall 
include the following:
            ``(1) Methods for recognizing risk factors for suicide.
            ``(2) Protocols for responding to crisis situations 
        involving members who may be at high risk for suicide.
            ``(3) Information about suicide prevention services 
        available to members, including toll-free hotlines and Internet 
        resources.
            ``(4) Information on best practices for suicide 
        prevention.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the 
        following new item:

``602. Recruit basic training: availability of suicide prevention 
                            resources.''.
    (c) Air Force.--
            (1) Training required.--Chapter 901 of such title is 
        amended by inserting after section 9320 the following new 
        section:
``Sec. 9320a. Recruit basic training: availability of suicide 
              prevention resources
    ``(a) Availability.--As part of the initial entry training program 
of the Air Force that constitutes the basic training of new recruits, 
the Secretary of the Air Force shall include a training component on 
suicide prevention.
    ``(b) Elements.--The suicide prevention training component shall 
include the following:
            ``(1) Methods for recognizing risk factors for suicide.
            ``(2) Protocols for responding to crisis situations 
        involving members who may be at high risk for suicide.
            ``(3) Information about suicide prevention services 
        available to members, including toll-free hotlines and Internet 
        resources.
            ``(4) Information on best practices for suicide 
        prevention.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
        item relating to section 4320 the following new item:

``4320a. Recruit basic training: availability of suicide prevention 
                            resources.''.

SEC. 4. NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF AND ACCESS TO SUICIDE PREVENTION 
              RESOURCES DURING PRESEPARATION COUNSELING.

    Section 1142(b)(8) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting before the period the following: ``and the availability to 
the member and the member's family of the suicide prevention resources 
described in section 1177(d) of this title''.

SEC. 5. NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF AND ACCESS TO SUICIDE PREVENTION 
              RESOURCES DURING MEDICAL EXAMINATION TO EVALUATE A 
              DIAGNOSIS OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER OR TRAUMATIC 
              BRAIN INJURY.

    Section 1177 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d) Availability of Suicide Prevention Resources.--(1) The 
medical examination required by subsection (a) shall include the 
provision of information to the member regarding the availability of 
the suicide prevention resources described in paragraph (2) and the 
right of the member to access such resources.
    ``(2) The suicide prevention resources available under paragraph 
(1) shall include the following:
            ``(A) Methods for recognizing risk factors for suicide.
            ``(B) Protocols for responding to crisis situations 
        involving members who may be at high risk for suicide.
            ``(C) Information about suicide prevention services 
        available to members, including toll-free hotlines and Internet 
        resources.
            ``(D) Information on best practices for suicide 
        prevention.''.
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