[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1873 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1873

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program to 
  establish peer specialists in patient aligned care teams at medical 
 centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 27, 2017

  Mr. Blumenthal (for himself and Mr. Blunt) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program to 
  establish peer specialists in patient aligned care teams at medical 
 centers 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 ``Veteran Partners' Efforts to Enhance 
Reintegration Act'' or the ``Veteran PEER Act''.

SEC. 2. PROGRAM ON ESTABLISHMENT OF PEER SPECIALISTS IN PATIENT ALIGNED 
              CARE TEAM SETTINGS WITHIN MEDICAL CENTERS OF DEPARTMENT 
              OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Program Required.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
carry out a program to establish not fewer than two peer specialists in 
patient aligned care teams at medical centers of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs to promote the use and integration of services for 
mental health, substance use disorder, and behavior health in a primary 
care setting.
    (b) Timeframe for Establishment of Program.--The Secretary shall 
carry out the program at medical centers of the Department as follows:
            (1) Not later than December 31, 2017, at not fewer than 25 
        medical centers of the Department.
            (2) Not later than December 31, 2018, at not fewer than 50 
        medical centers of the Department.
    (c) Selection of Locations.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall select medical centers 
        for the program as follows:
                    (A) Not fewer than five shall be medical centers of 
                the Department that are designated by the Secretary as 
                polytrauma centers.
                    (B) Not fewer than ten shall be medical centers of 
                the Department that are not designated by the Secretary 
                as polytrauma centers.
            (2) Considerations.--In selecting medical centers for the 
        program under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider the 
        feasibility and advisability of selecting medical centers in 
        the following areas:
                    (A) Rural areas and other areas that are 
                underserved by the Department.
                    (B) Areas that are not in close proximity to an 
                active duty military installation.
                    (C) Areas representing different geographic 
                locations, such as census tracts established by the 
                Bureau of the Census.
    (d) Gender-Specific Services.--In carrying out the program at each 
location selected under subsection (c), the Secretary shall ensure 
that--
            (1) the needs of female veterans are specifically 
        considered and addressed; and
            (2) female peer specialists are made available to female 
        veterans who are treated at each location.
    (e) Engagement With Community Providers.--At each location selected 
under subsection (c), the Secretary shall consider ways in which peer 
specialists can conduct outreach to health care providers in the 
community who are known to be serving veterans to engage with those 
providers and veterans served by those providers.
    (f) Reports.--
            (1) Periodic reports.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
                date of the enactment of this Act, and not less 
                frequently than once every 180 days thereafter until 
                the Secretary determines that the program is being 
                carried out at the last location to be selected under 
                subsection (c), the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
                a report on the program.
                    (B) Elements.--Each report required by subparagraph 
                (A) shall, with respect to the 180-day period preceding 
                the submittal of the report, include the following:
                            (i) The findings and conclusions of the 
                        Secretary with respect to the program.
                            (ii) An assessment of the benefits of the 
                        program to veterans and family members of 
                        veterans.
                            (iii) An assessment of the effectiveness of 
                        peer specialists in engaging under subsection 
                        (e) with health care providers in the community 
                        and veterans served by those providers.
            (2) Final report.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        Secretary determines that the program is being carried out at 
        the last location to be selected under subsection (c), the 
        Secretary shall submit to Congress a report detailing the 
        recommendations of the Secretary as to the feasibility and 
        advisability of expanding the program to additional locations.
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