[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5029 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5029

  To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to staff each medical 
center of the Department of Veterans Affairs with at least one suicide 
            prevention coordinator, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 8, 2019

 Mr. Watkins introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to staff each medical 
center of the Department of Veterans Affairs with at least one suicide 
            prevention coordinator, 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 ``VA Suicide Prevention Services 
Act''.

SEC. 2. SUICIDE PREVENTION COORDINATORS AT MEDICAL CENTERS OF THE 
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure 
that each medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs is 
staffed with not fewer than one full-time employee whose primary job 
responsibility is serving as a suicide prevention coordinator.
    (b) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Mental health clinician.--The term ``mental health 
        clinician'' means a psychologist, social worker, marriage and 
        family therapist, or licensed professional mental health 
        counselor hired under section 7401(3) of title 38, United 
        States Code, or a nurse hired under section 7401(1) of such 
        title.
            (2) Suicide prevention coordinator.--The term ``suicide 
        prevention coordinator'' means a mental health clinician who is 
        responsible for--
                    (A) coordinating local suicide prevention 
                strategies and activities, including those supporting 
                the identification of veterans at a high risk of 
                suicide;
                    (B) coordination of enhanced care for veterans 
                identified as being at a high risk of suicide; and
                    (C) suicide prevention education and outreach to 
                stakeholders, including health care providers, 
                veterans, caregivers, families, and members of the 
                community.
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