[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 203 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.R.203

                     One Hundred Fourteenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE FIRST SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
           the sixth day of January, two thousand and fifteen


                                 An Act


 
 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide for the conduct 
   of annual evaluations of mental health care and suicide prevention 
   programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to require a pilot 
 program on loan repayment for psychiatrists who agree to serve in the 
 Veterans Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
                         and for other purposes.

    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 ``Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for 
American Veterans Act'' or the ``Clay Hunt SAV Act''.
SEC. 2. EVALUATIONS OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND SUICIDE PREVENTION 
PROGRAMS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
    (a) Evaluations.--
        (1) In general.--Subchapter I of chapter 17 of title 38, United 
    States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
    section:
``Sec. 1709B. Evaluations of mental health care and suicide prevention 
     programs
    ``(a) Evaluations.--(1) Not less frequently than once during each 
period specified in paragraph (3), the Secretary shall provide for the 
conduct of an evaluation of the mental health care and suicide 
prevention programs carried out under the laws administered by the 
Secretary.
    ``(2) Each evaluation conducted under paragraph (1) shall--
        ``(A) use metrics that are common among and useful for 
    practitioners in the field of mental health care and suicide 
    prevention;
        ``(B) identify the most effective mental health care and 
    suicide prevention programs conducted by the Secretary, including 
    such programs conducted at a Center of Excellence;
        ``(C) identify the cost-effectiveness of each program 
    identified under subparagraph (B);
        ``(D) measure the satisfaction of patients with respect to the 
    care provided under each such program; and
        ``(E) propose best practices for caring for individuals who 
    suffer from mental health disorders or are at risk of suicide, 
    including such practices conducted or suggested by other 
    departments or agencies of the Federal Government, including the 
    Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the 
    Department of Health and Human Services.
    ``(3) The periods specified in this paragraph are the following:
        ``(A) The period beginning on the date on which the Secretary 
    awards the contract under paragraph (4) and ending on September 30, 
    2018.
        ``(B) Each fiscal year beginning on or after October 1, 2018.
    ``(4) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
this section, the Secretary shall seek to enter into a contract with an 
independent third party unaffiliated with the Department of Veterans 
Affairs to conduct evaluations under paragraph (1).
    ``(5) The independent third party that is awarded the contract 
under paragraph (4) shall submit to the Secretary each evaluation 
conducted under paragraph (1).
    ``(b) Annual Submission.--Not later than December 1, 2018, and each 
year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 
of the House of Representatives a report that contains the following:
        ``(1) The most recent evaluations submitted to the Secretary 
    under subsection (a)(5) that the Secretary has not previously 
    submitted to such Committees.
        ``(2) Any recommendations the Secretary considers 
    appropriate.''.
        (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning 
    of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
    section 1709A the following new item:

``1709B. Evaluations of mental health care and suicide prevention 
          programs.''.

    (b) Interim Reports.--Not later than September 30 of each of 2016 
and 2017, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in coordination with the 
independent third party awarded a contract by the Secretary pursuant to 
section 1709B(a)(4) of title 38, United States Code, as added by 
subsection (a)(1), shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 
of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
Representatives a report on the mental health care and suicide 
prevention programs carried out under the laws administered by the 
Secretary that includes, with respect to each such program, the 
following:
        (1) A description of the program.
        (2) The number of veterans served by the program.
        (3) The budget of the program.
        (4) The number of full-time equivalent employees assigned to 
    the program.
        (5) Whether veterans may repeat participation in the program or 
    participate in the program in addition to other similar programs.
        (6) Any study results or research published regarding the 
    efficacy of the program.
        (7) Any other information the Secretary determines appropriate.
SEC. 3. PUBLICATION OF INTERNET WEBSITE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION 
REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES.
    (a) In General.--Using funds made available to the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to publish the Internet websites of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs, the Secretary shall survey the existing Internet 
websites and information resources of the Department to publish an 
Internet website that serves as a centralized source to provide 
veterans with information regarding all of the mental health care 
services provided by the Secretary.
    (b) Elements.--The Internet website published under subsection (a) 
shall provide to veterans information regarding all of the mental 
health care services available in the Veteran Integrated Service 
Network that the veteran is seeking such services, including, with 
respect to each medical center, Vet Center (as defined in section 1712A 
of title 38, United States Code), and community-based outpatient center 
in the Veterans Integrated Service Network--
        (1) the name and contact information of each social work 
    office;
        (2) the name and contact information of each mental health 
    clinic;
        (3) a list of appropriate staff; and
        (4) any other information the Secretary determines appropriate.
    (c) Updated Information.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
information described in subsection (b) that is published on the 
Internet website under subsection (a) is updated not less than once 
every 90 days.
    (d) Outreach.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall 
ensure that the outreach conducted under section 1720F(i) of title 38, 
United States Code, includes information regarding the Internet website 
published under subsection (a).
SEC. 4. PILOT PROGRAM FOR REPAYMENT OF EDUCATIONAL LOANS FOR CERTAIN 
PSYCHIATRISTS OF VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION.
    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry 
out a pilot program to repay loans of individuals described in 
subsection (b) that--
        (1) were used by such individuals to finance education relating 
    to psychiatric medicine, including education leading to--
            (A) a degree of doctor of medicine; or
            (B) a degree of doctor of osteopathy; and
        (2) were obtained from any of the following:
            (A) A governmental entity.
            (B) A private financial institution.
            (C) A school.
            (D) Any other authorized entity as determined by the 
        Secretary.
    (b) Eligible Individuals.--
        (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), an individual 
    eligible for participation in the pilot program is an individual 
    who--
            (A) either--
                (i) is licensed or eligible for licensure to practice 
            psychiatric medicine in the Veterans Health Administration 
            of the Department of Veterans Affairs; or
                (ii) is enrolled in the final year of a residency 
            program leading to a specialty qualification in psychiatric 
            medicine that is approved by the Accreditation Council for 
            Graduate Medical Education; and
            (B) demonstrates a commitment to a long-term career as a 
        psychiatrist in the Veterans Health Administration, as 
        determined by the Secretary.
        (2) Prohibition on simultaneous eligibility.--An individual who 
    is participating in any other program of the Federal Government 
    that repays the educational loans of the individual is not eligible 
    to participate in the pilot program.
    (c) Selection.--The Secretary shall select not less than 10 
individuals described in subsection (b) to participate in the pilot 
program for each year in which the Secretary carries out the pilot 
program.
    (d) Period of Obligated Service.--The Secretary shall enter into an 
agreement with each individual selected under subsection (c) in which 
such individual agrees to serve a period of 2 or more years of 
obligated service for the Veterans Health Administration in the field 
of psychiatric medicine, as determined by the Secretary.
    (e) Loan Repayments.--
        (1) Amounts.--Subject to paragraph (2), a loan repayment under 
    this section may consist of payment of the principal, interest, and 
    related expenses of a loan obtained by an individual who is 
    participating in the pilot program for all educational expenses 
    (including tuition, fees, books, and laboratory expenses) of such 
    individual relating to education described in subsection (a)(1).
        (2) Limit.--For each year of obligated service that an 
    individual who is participating in the pilot program agrees to 
    serve under subsection (d), the Secretary may pay not more than 
    $30,000 in loan repayment on behalf of such individual.
    (f) Breach.--
        (1) Liability.--An individual who participates in the pilot 
    program and fails to satisfy the period of obligated service under 
    subsection (d) shall be liable to the United States, in lieu of 
    such obligated service, for the amount that has been paid or is 
    payable to or on behalf of the individual under the pilot program, 
    reduced by the proportion that the number of days served for 
    completion of the period of obligated service bears to the total 
    number of days in the period of obligated service of such 
    individual.
        (2) Repayment period.--Any amount of damages that the United 
    States is entitled to recover under this subsection shall be paid 
    to the United States not later than 1 year after the date of the 
    breach of the agreement.
    (g) Report.--
        (1) Initial report.--Not later than 2 years after the date on 
    which the pilot program under subsection (a) commences, the 
    Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
    Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
    Representatives a report on the pilot program.
        (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
    include the following:
            (A) The number of individuals who participated in the pilot 
        program, including the number of new hires.
            (B) The locations in which such individuals were employed 
        by the Department, including how many such locations were rural 
        or urban locations.
            (C) An assessment of the quality of the work performed by 
        such individuals in the course of such employment, including 
        the performance reviews of such individuals.
            (D) The number of psychiatrists the Secretary determines is 
        needed by the Department in the future.
        (3) Final report.--Not later than 90 days before the date on 
    which the pilot program terminates under subsection (i), the 
    Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
    Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
    Representatives an update to the report submitted under paragraph 
    (1) and any recommendations that the Secretary considers 
    appropriate.
    (h) Regulations.--The Secretary shall prescribe regulations to 
carry out this section, including standards for qualified loans and 
authorized payees and other terms and conditions for the making of loan 
repayments.
    (i) Termination.--The authority to carry out the pilot program 
shall expire on the date that is 3 years after the date on which the 
Secretary commences the pilot program.
SEC. 5. PILOT PROGRAM ON COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish 
a pilot program to assist veterans transitioning from serving on active 
duty and to improve the access of veterans to mental health services.
    (b) Locations.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program 
under subsection (a) at not less than five Veterans Integrated Service 
Networks that have a large population of veterans who--
        (1) served in the reserve components of the Armed Forces; or
        (2) are transitioning into communities with an established 
    population of veterans after having recently separated from the 
    Armed Forces.
    (c) Functions.--The pilot program at each Veterans Integrated 
Service Network described in subsection (b) shall include the 
following:
        (1) A community oriented veteran peer support network, carried 
    out in partnership with an appropriate entity with experience in 
    peer support programs, that--
            (A) establishes peer support training guidelines;
            (B) develops a network of veteran peer support counselors 
        to meet the demands of the communities in the Veterans 
        Integrated Service Network;
            (C) conducts training of veteran peer support counselors;
            (D) with respect to one medical center selected by the 
        Secretary in each such Veterans Integrated Service Network, 
        has--
                (i) a designated peer support specialist who acts as a 
            liaison to the community oriented veteran peer network; and
                (ii) a certified mental health professional designated 
            as the community oriented veteran peer network mentor; and
            (E) is readily available to veterans, including pursuant to 
        the Veterans Integrated Service Network cooperating and working 
        with State and local governments and appropriate entities.
        (2) A community outreach team for each medical center selected 
    by the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (1)(D) that--
            (A) assists veterans transitioning into communities;
            (B) establishes a veteran transition advisory group to 
        facilitate outreach activities;
            (C) includes the participation of appropriate community 
        organizations, State and local governments, colleges and 
        universities, chambers of commerce and other local business 
        organizations, and organizations that provide legal aid or 
        advice; and
            (D) coordinates with the Veterans Integrated Service 
        Network regarding the Veterans Integrated Service Network 
        carrying out an annual mental health summit to assess the 
        status of veteran mental health care in the community and to 
        develop new or innovative means to provide mental health 
        services to veterans.
    (d) Reports.--
        (1) Initial report.--Not later than 18 months after the date on 
    which the pilot program under subsection (a) commences, the 
    Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
    Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
    Representatives a report on the pilot program. With respect to each 
    Veterans Integrated Service Network described in subsection (b), 
    the report shall include--
            (A) a full description of the peer support model 
        implemented under the pilot program, participation data, and 
        data pertaining to past and current mental health related 
        hospitalizations and fatalities;
            (B) recommendations on implementing peer support networks 
        throughout the Department;
            (C) whether the mental health resources made available 
        under the pilot program for members of the reserve components 
        of the Armed Forces is effective; and
            (D) a full description of the activities and effectiveness 
        of community outreach coordinating teams under the pilot 
        program, including partnerships that have been established with 
        appropriate entities.
        (2) Final report.--Not later than 90 days before the date on 
    which the pilot program terminates under subsection (e), the 
    Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
    Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
    Representatives an update to the report submitted under paragraph 
    (1).
    (e) Construction.--This section may not be construed to authorize 
the Secretary to hire additional employees of the Department to carry 
out the pilot program under subsection (a).
    (f) Termination.--The authority of the Secretary to carry out the 
pilot program under subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is 
3 years after the date on which the pilot program commences.
SEC. 6. COLLABORATION ON SUICIDE PREVENTION EFFORTS BETWEEN DEPARTMENT 
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND NON-PROFIT MENTAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS.
    (a) Collaboration.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
collaborate with non-profit mental health organizations to prevent 
suicide among veterans as follows:
        (1) To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of suicide 
    prevention efforts carried out by the Secretary and non-profit 
    mental health organizations.
        (2) To assist non-profit mental health organizations with the 
    suicide prevention efforts of such organizations through the use of 
    the expertise of employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
        (3) To jointly carry out suicide prevention efforts.
    (b) Exchange of Resources.--In carrying out any collaboration under 
subsection (a), the Secretary and any non-profit mental health 
organization with which the Secretary is collaborating under such 
subsection shall exchange training sessions and best practices to help 
with the suicide prevention efforts of the Department and such 
organization.
    (c) Director of Suicide Prevention Coordination.--The Secretary 
shall select within the Department a Director of Suicide Prevention 
Coordination to undertake any collaboration with non-profit mental 
health organizations under this section or any other provision of law.
SEC. 7. ADDITIONAL PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY FOR HEALTH CARE FOR CERTAIN 
VETERANS OF COMBAT SERVICE DURING CERTAIN PERIODS OF HOSTILITIES AND 
WAR.
    Paragraph (3) of section 1710(e) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended to read as follows:
    ``(3) In the case of care for a veteran described in paragraph 
(1)(D), hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care may be 
provided under or by virtue of subsection (a)(2)(F) only during the 
following periods:
        ``(A) Except as provided by subparagraph (B), with respect to a 
    veteran described in paragraph (1)(D) who is discharged or released 
    from the active military, naval, or air service after January 27, 
    2003, the five-year period beginning on the date of such discharge 
    or release.
        ``(B) With respect to a veteran described in paragraph (1)(D) 
    who is discharged or released from the active military, naval, or 
    air service after January 1, 2009, and before January 1, 2011, but 
    did not enroll to receive such hospital care, medical services, or 
    nursing home care pursuant to such paragraph during the five-year 
    period described in subparagraph (A), the one-year period beginning 
    on the date of the enactment of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention 
    for American Veterans Act.
        ``(C) With respect to a veteran described in paragraph (1)(D) 
    who is discharged or released from the active military, naval, or 
    air service on or before January 27, 2003, and did not enroll in 
    the patient enrollment system under section 1705 of this title on 
    or before such date, the three-year period beginning on January 27, 
    2008.''.
SEC. 8. PROHIBITION ON NEW APPROPRIATIONS.
    No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act and the amendments made by this Act, and this Act and such 
amendments shall be carried out using amounts otherwise made available 
for such purposes.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.