[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2915 Engrossed in House (EH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 2915

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to identify mental health care and suicide prevention 
 programs and metrics that are effective in treating women veterans as 
part of the evaluation of such programs by the Secretary, 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 ``Female Veteran Suicide Prevention 
Act''.

SEC. 2. SPECIFIC CONSIDERATION OF WOMEN VETERANS IN EVALUATION OF 
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND 
              SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMS.

    Section 1709B(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by inserting before the semicolon 
        the following: ``, including specific metrics applicable to 
        women'';
            (2) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (3) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            ``(F) identify the mental health care and suicide 
        prevention programs conducted by the Secretary that are most 
        effective for women veterans and such programs with the highest 
        satisfaction rates among women veterans.''.

SEC. 3. MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR VETERANS WHO SERVED IN CLASSIFIED 
              MISSIONS.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that veterans 
who experience combat-related mental health wounds should have 
immediate, appropriate, and consistent access to comprehensive mental 
health care.
    (b) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 17 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following section:
``Sec. 1720H. Mental health treatment for veterans who served in 
              classified missions
    ``(a) Establishment of Standards.--(1) The Secretary shall 
establish standards and procedures to ensure that each covered veteran 
may access mental health care provided by the Secretary in a manner 
that fully accommodates the obligation of the veteran to not improperly 
disclose classified information.
    ``(2) The Secretary shall disseminate guidance to employees of the 
Veterans Health Administration, including mental health professionals, 
on the standards and procedures established under paragraph (1) and how 
to best engage covered veterans during the course of mental health 
treatment with respect to classified information.
    ``(b) Identification.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary 
shall ensure that a veteran may elect to identify as a covered veteran 
on an appropriate form.
    ``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `classified information' means any 
        information or material that has been determined by an official 
        of the United States pursuant to law, an Executive order, or 
        regulation to require protection against unauthorized 
        disclosure for reasons of national security.
            ``(2) The term `covered veteran' means a veteran who--
                    ``(A) is enrolled in the health care system 
                established under section 1705(a) of this title;
                    ``(B) is seeking mental health treatment; and
                    ``(C) in the course of serving in the Armed Forces, 
                participated in a sensitive mission or served in a 
                sensitive unit.
            ``(3) The term `sensitive mission' means a mission of the 
        Armed Forces that, at the time at which a covered veteran seeks 
        treatment, is classified.
            ``(4) The term `sensitive unit' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 130b(c)(4) of title 10.''.
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating to section 
1720G the following new item:

``1720H. Mental health treatment for veterans who served in classified 
                            missions.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives February 9, 2016.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.
114th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 2915

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to identify mental health care and suicide prevention 
 programs and metrics that are effective in treating women veterans as 
part of the evaluation of such programs by the Secretary, and for other 
                               purposes.