116 S5210 IS: Building Resources and Access for Veterans' Mental Health Engagement Act of 2024
U.S. Senate
2024-09-25
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EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.Short title; table of contents(a)This Act may be cited as the Building Resources and Access for Veterans' Mental Health Engagement Act of 2024
or the BRAVE Act of 2024
.(b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.TITLE I—Improvement of workforce in support of mental health careSec. 101. Report on market pay surveys for Readjustment Counseling Service positions.Sec. 102. Qualifications of appointees in occupations that support mental health programs.Sec. 103. Report on coordination of Veterans Health Administration with Readjustment Counseling Service.TITLE II—Improvement of Vet Center infrastructure and technologySec. 201. Vet Center defined.Sec. 202. Comptroller General report on Readjustment Counseling Service model for expansion of Vet Center footprint.Sec. 203. Improvement of guidance and information to improve veteran outreach efforts by Vet Centers.Sec. 204. Report on information technology system of Readjustment Counseling Service.TITLE III—Women veteransSec. 301. Study on effectiveness of suicide prevention and mental health outreach programs of Department of Veterans Affairs for women veterans.Sec. 302. Requirement for Department of Veterans Affairs to modify the REACH VET program to incorporate risk factors weighted for women veterans.Sec. 303. Review of and report on reintegration and readjustment services for veterans and family members in group retreat settings.TITLE IV—Other mattersSec. 401. Extension of Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program.Sec. 402. Access to mental health residential rehabilitation treatment programs for veterans with spinal cord injury or disorder.Sec. 403. Mental health consultations and outreach on mental health services for veterans receiving compensation for disabilities relating to mental health diagnoses.Sec. 404. Joint report on effectiveness of programs of Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense that promote access to mental health services for transitioning members of the Armed Forces.<enum>I</enum><header>Improvement of workforce in support of mental health care</header><section id="id40a2b542fd2d46f4ae09ac520907a3d4"><enum>101.</enum><header>Report on market pay surveys for Readjustment Counseling Service positions</header><subsection id="id578f518dcaa3433190d8d2d56cbdfa33"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Findings</header><text>Congress finds that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, through the Chief Readjustment Counseling Officer, reviews market pay surveys in each Readjustment Counseling Service District to compare the salaries of employees in the Readjustment Counseling Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs, including licensed professional mental health counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists, to the salaries of similarly situated employees within the Department and the private sector.</text></subsection><subsection id="idc9cc7ce35f2c43b5b1c62af0c09bedc4"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 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 findings specified in subsection (a), which shall—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id7628505c947648db800dd6d572525935"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">include an assessment of pay disparities between employees of the Readjustment Counseling Service of the Department and similarly situated employees within the Department and the private sector; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id117910b3d7c54fc0b659ceeca5300dcb"><enum>(2)</enum><text>identify if pay-related staffing challenges exist, and if so, determine if each Readjustment Counseling Service District has initiated a review of third-party survey data for the identified occupations.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id7e96d108523e47feaa9b1b3ddffa6d9a"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Districts</header><text>Each report submitted under subsection (b) shall include reports from all Readjustment Counseling Service Districts of the Department, including—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id267d79d8d96d4188945d83b07565e06b"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">areas that are geographically diverse;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id5ac1bd0166d943eeb65160c87c9b7a37"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">rural areas;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id9d27874de8d34d68a273a86f4f9c3297"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">highly rural areas;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id240c361f1f7446ce82a4e94947a5e090"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">urban areas; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id6773c3daee3e4a0c912d9283e11fdfbb"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">areas with health care shortages.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id8de5242a1637429f80294d45442cf937"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Assessment of pay</header><text>Each report submitted under subsection (b) shall include an assessment of pay based on the following factors:</text><paragraph id="idaa885922b6f74d23927d2370362173f2"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Third-party survey data.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idf1c07d8dc93043dcac07c2b311775e20"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Geographic location.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id03396e463165451cb92c7e3b97655846"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Equivalent qualifications (licensure, education level, or experience).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id5dcd0bd164c943d08a2a2aeeec80db15"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Short-term incentives.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id1885c001f0674f7abc820078c577f564"><enum>102.</enum><header>Qualifications of appointees in occupations that support mental health programs</header><subsection id="id2d0c51501da348f2b533a4506343381a" commented="no"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Psychologists</header><text>Section 7402(b)(8)(C) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking <quote>for a period not to exceed</quote> and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting <quote>for a reasonable period of time recommended by the Under Secretary for Health.</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="id2561bf0c8acc42d4990264fdbe24490b"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Licensed professional mental health counselors</header><text>Section 7402(b)(11)(B) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>, except that the Secretary may waive the requirement of licensure or certification for an individual licensed professional mental health counselor for a reasonable period of time recommended by the Under Secretary for Health.</quote>.</text></subsection></section><section id="id215e6d452b7d458fa43bd9a9df16849b"><enum>103.</enum><header>Report on coordination of Veterans Health Administration with Readjustment Counseling Service</header><subsection id="id4016b0354cd14955917cc7bfbb7cb3f9"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report regarding coordination between the clinical care system of the Veterans Health Administration and the Readjustment Counseling Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id380f2011c12d4f4cbf0370f8591843c3"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Assessment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The report required by subsection (a) shall include an assessment of the adherence by each Director of a Veterans Integrated Service Network to policies of the Veterans Health Administration, which require each such Director to ensure that a support facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs is aligned laterally with each Vet Center to provide supportive administrative and clinical collaboration to better serve veterans eligible for services from Vet Centers, particularly those at high risk for suicide.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ide6a9b781b4f246abb3d4b4a7cd75cab2"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Analysis</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The report required by subsection (a) shall include an analysis of—</text><paragraph id="id275b91f306e5407c9175d5c5386985c3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>whether staff at Vet Centers in the local area of a medical facility of the Department have the updated contact information for appropriate staff at the medical facility to ensure proper coordination of care;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id91d19995c221442e871c7c6f2717803a"><enum>(2)</enum><text>whether the external clinical consultant and suicide prevention coordinator of a medical facility of the Department are providing counseling staff of each Vet Center in the local area of the medical facility professional consultation not less frequently than monthly through regularly scheduled peer case presentations onsite at the Vet Center or via virtual or telephone consultation as necessary to fully support the coordination of care of patients, particularly those at high risk for suicide;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id543d41804aad4201a2080b818481d747"><enum>(3)</enum><text>whether the external clinical consultant and suicide prevention coordinator are documenting any consultation conducted under paragraph (2); and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id9c9c8dcf2b4e4b1f98e8232f1ec13435"><enum>(4)</enum><text>whether the Under Secretary for Health is coordinating with the Outreach Specialist at each Vet Center to ensure active duty members of the Armed Forces who are participating in the Transition Assistance Program of the Department of Defense are provided information regarding Vet Centers and the services provided at Vet Centers.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id65a380e6b0464715ae15efb82e572da6"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Vet Center defined</header><text>In this section, the term <term>Vet Center</term> has the meaning given that term in section 1712A(h) of title 38, United States Code.</text></subsection></section><enum>II</enum><header>Improvement of Vet Center infrastructure and technology</header><section id="idcb41a14338c141d783ab741815653f80"><enum>201.</enum><header>Vet Center defined</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this title, the term <term>Vet Center</term> has the meaning given that term in section 1712A(h) of title 38, United States Code.</text></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" section-type="subsequent-section" id="id11a5faedded04c68bed6d124293a9a36"><enum>202.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Comptroller General report on Readjustment Counseling Service model for expansion of Vet Center footprint</header><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idcba2d2d128774245acdae99ff1a8bdbd"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report assessing the model used by the Readjustment Counseling Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs to guide the expansion of the real property footprint of Vet Centers.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idb1e4bdefb98949b9b61d0ffc222bf412"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Elements</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The report required by subsection (a) shall assess—</text><paragraph id="id11988a78c51b4d0cb667c68e4e648e95"><enum>(1)</enum><text>whether the model described in such subsection adequately accounts for the demand for Vet Center services in rural areas;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id1b13e1e18ba54525be50c58bb2da1b85"><enum>(2)</enum><text>whether the frequency with which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is reassessing areas for potential expansion of Vet Center services is often enough to address any population shifts;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id277d471e62fe401db499a56cca22dd8b"><enum>(3)</enum><text>whether such model adequately considers the needs of veterans in areas with high rates of calls to the Veterans Crisis Line or high rates of suicide by veterans or members of the Armed Forces;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idd3c6404104e2410885c25195b70fb609"><enum>(4)</enum><text>whether such model adequately accounts for trends in usage of mobile Vet Centers in a given area; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id119d2f149c2d446a86a7df204eaad80f"><enum>(5)</enum><text>whether such model takes into account the unique needs of veterans and members of the Armed Forces in areas being assessed.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id0723fd20b80a4057940329668138146d"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Veterans Crisis Line</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section, the term <term>Veterans Crisis Line</term> means the toll-free hotline for veterans established under section 1720F(h) of title 38, United States Code.</text></subsection></section><section id="id2aab181f82034d59bdb95c630717fe50"><enum>203.</enum><header>Improvement of guidance and information to improve veteran outreach efforts by Vet Centers</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall—</text><paragraph id="idca604eb7446a4b1db562df3205fe164f"><enum>(1)</enum><text>ensure each Vet Center has demographic data, such as age, gender, race, and ethnicity, for individuals eligible for Vet Center services in the service area of such Vet Center to be used to tailor outreach activities, including data on veterans who have recently transitioned from service in the Armed Forces;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id19c1a4d2a9314907a6cf2b0b52268cb0"><enum>(2)</enum><text>provide Vet Centers with guidance for assessing the effectiveness of outreach activities, including guidance on metrics for those activities and targets against which to assess those metrics to determine effectiveness;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id716409143dbe41178452982750749547"><enum>(3)</enum><text>develop and implement a process to periodically assess the extent to which veterans and members of the Armed Forces who are eligible for services from Vet Centers experience barriers to obtaining such services, including a lack of awareness about Vet Centers and challenges accessing Vet Center services; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idaf50d4faa5ad4254b1343035fc7737e9"><enum>(4)</enum><text>develop and implement a process to periodically assess the extent to which staff of Vet Centers may encounter barriers to providing services.</text></paragraph></section><section id="idacff5089b6a548819d576ab0e543ea2f"><enum>204.</enum><header>Report on information technology system of Readjustment Counseling Service</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, through the Chief Readjustment Counseling Officer of the Veterans Health Administration, shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report identifying—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idf97998bf5b1146ac85778d2990b8da30"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">whether the Department of Veterans Affairs is retaining or replacing the current information technology platform of the Department, commonly referred to as <quote>RCSNet</quote>, which is currently used to manage certain parts of the daily work of employees of the Readjustment Counseling Service and operational data and management functions of the Readjustment Counseling Service;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id8bae0706f3984062871732ca3bde39c6"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">if the Department intends to keep RCSNet, the rationale for that decision and an identification of the steps the Department is taking to maintain or improve the functionality of RCSNet and the timeline for those steps; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id88e3d94ea2ef49f99bd33256233c3dec"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">if the Department intends to replace RCSNet, the rationale for that decision and an identification of the steps the Department is taking to implement that replacement, including a timeline and the estimated cost for that replacement.</text></paragraph></section><enum>III</enum><header>Women veterans</header><section id="id0b9ace65c9c64f66bc47478fe3fc0be4"><enum>301.</enum><header>Study on effectiveness of suicide prevention and mental health outreach programs of Department of Veterans Affairs for women veterans</header><subsection id="id61d8f1114ac8490c8475b7562940c334"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 240 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct surveys and host listening sessions with women veterans to determine the extent to which—</text><paragraph id="idb59e9bb21e074dc6866737e7bce4fdef"><enum>(1)</enum><text>suicide prevention, lethal-means safety, and mental health resources and messaging campaigns of the Department of Veterans Affairs are perceived and accepted by women veterans;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id137503e662004c1d94f419587be63b33"><enum>(2)</enum><text>women veterans find those resources and messaging campaigns effective and sufficiently tailored to women veterans;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idded282d894a54e33b7c4a9e1719ff5a5"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the integration into those resources and messaging campaigns of information pertaining to military sexual trauma, intimate partner violence, and trauma-informed health care would make those resources and messaging campaigns more effective for women veterans;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idfbfabfc3119b496596f2e6aa4aa1ac6e"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the Department could make additional improvements to those resources and messaging campaigns, including the Women’s Health Transition Training Program, to make those resources and messaging campaigns more effective for women veterans; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idf33f6c0ee59340ea8396bd8f1ec6cdb7"><enum>(5)</enum><text>programs and services of the Department are targeted at women veterans of different ages and eras of services, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and geographical areas. </text></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id0f713e7db52247f99034d37ad5ed1e7f"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Population studied</header><text>The Secretary shall conduct the surveys and listening sessions required under subsection (a) in urban and rural areas and shall ensure such surveys and listening sessions are targeted at different demographics.</text></subsection><subsection id="id5004de6a41494b94b1c2b4f24f8b7058"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than one year after the surveys and listening sessions required under subsection (a) are complete, 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 findings of such surveys and listening sessions, which shall document the steps the Secretary intends to take to refine the suicide prevention, lethal-means safety, and mental health resources and messaging campaigns of the Department based on the feedback from such surveys and listening sessions to ensure the Secretary is utilizing the most effective strategies.</text></subsection></section><section id="id5d2b8b49aea84badb4e1207408a7c21b"><enum>302.</enum><header>Requirement for Department of Veterans Affairs to modify the REACH VET program to incorporate risk factors weighted for women veterans</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall initiate efforts to modify the Recovery Engagement and Coordination for Health–Veterans Enhanced Treatment program (<quote>REACH VET</quote>) to incorporate into such program risk factors weighted for women, such as military sexual trauma and intimate partner violence.</text></section><section id="idcb7ea18f7ad64b16b95024b9628d63ae"><enum>303.</enum><header>Review of and report on reintegration and readjustment services for veterans and family members in group retreat settings</header><subsection id="id17c0ca2463e847b284e105682c6577fb"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Review</header><text>Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall review all requests for reintegration and readjustment services for veterans and family members of veterans in group retreat program settings under section 1712A(a)(1)(B)(ii) of title 38, United States Code, to determine if current retreat programming meets demand, specifically requests for—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id322a74fcf2984acebd325e75ff0b727e"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">women only retreats;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id7fbb979a0a564be8b846e9f5069fd34b"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">disabled access retreats, particularly wheelchair accessible retreats; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id1d2720d538a54f97850056e884981176"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">retreats for veterans with specific medical needs.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id7ccbb4122a60490a9037cff56ae31a4e"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 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 whether the provision by the Secretary of reintegration and readjustment services for veterans and family members of veterans in group retreat program settings should be increased and made permanent, including—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idC89E637E352B4BCD8BA52022F8657A68"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">women only retreats;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idF95C23B3BEA949409552C1D827202911"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">disabled access retreats, particularly wheelchair accessible retreats; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idB7435617D52F4AC88EF6444809BB903C" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">retreats for veterans with specific medical needs. </text></paragraph></subsection></section><enum>IV</enum><header>Other matters</header><section id="idb51d8664d997420297eaeed6605bf4e8"><enum>401.</enum><header>Extension of Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 201 of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/116/171">Public Law 116–171</external-xref>; <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/38/1720F">38 U.S.C. 1720F</external-xref> note) is amended—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id62849ebc33234e1ca6c0bd9c7397c5be"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (c)(2)(A), by striking <quote>$750,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$1,000,000</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ide9e839c947e649d2aa4bf82b1e19fa28"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (j), by striking <quote>three years</quote> and inserting <quote>six years</quote>.</text></paragraph></section><section id="id68d3d9730f874aed82a6f94eac3a1c61"><enum>402.</enum><header>Access to mental health residential rehabilitation treatment programs for veterans with spinal cord injury or disorder</header><subsection id="id5adbb653055b406ca4a1ff5a740ec032"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Plan</header><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id9dbb8f05361a41e1a13371c2b3123dc6"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a plan to ensure access to mental health residential treatment programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder.</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id4204e524aff4491db6cc386562a59207"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Elements</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The plan required under paragraph (1) shall include—</text><subparagraph id="id97092a54a8c7422b889dfde5c43f1bbd"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a staffing plan, which shall include a plan for how the Department will—</text><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida789a199a99f420fb60621a0af35ed44"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">incorporate staff from other facilities to support the pilot program required under subsection (b); and</text></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id0a0dff4cbf194fe29cdb026c0744befc"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>ensure adequate staffing to support the needs of veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder;</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idcfab84c28bb64534b31f14e84f8787da"><enum>(B)</enum><text>an assessment of medical equipment needs; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id87efa77436c14e7088093306034b4178"><enum>(C)</enum><text>an assessment of the best location to deliver treatment and health care under the mental health residential treatment programs of the Department, including through the use of spinal cord injury or disorder centers and spinal cord injury or disorder spokes.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idfb976396a6d64f5aa88d609abf962f9a"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Pilot program</header><text>Commencing not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall carry out a pilot program to provide access to mental health residential treatment programs of the Department for veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder at not fewer than three medical facilities of the Department.</text></subsection><subsection id="id20b8215158234152aa581a6dcd1dd5c1"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 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—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id0ec40beaea0a4303b577fec6feb5bb49"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the implementation of the plan required under subsection (a);</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id4266a7f736b64b76b486e264079bf53e"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the initial results from the pilot program under subsection (b); and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id75b1af153f5a4c46a26063271eeb9326"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">plans to expand the mental health residential treatment programs of the Department to additional medical facilities of the Department to address demand for the highly specialized treatment provided under such programs for veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="iddf04799836b1424795f8cb7ecfe7e387"><enum>403.</enum><header>Mental health consultations and outreach on mental health services for veterans receiving compensation for disabilities relating to mental health diagnoses</header><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id62c02213503b4945ab4d80e5e3643eeb"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Technical corrections</header><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida428fd8d0b9345608cb308ca1d5171a4"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The section 1167 of title 38, United States Code, relating to mental health consultations, is redesignated as section 1169.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="ida82d225b817c4240a2898ed409b04c12"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Clerical amendments</header><text>The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 11 is amended—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id75745fd285cf4a7dab9cf2fd725562b1"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking the item relating to the section 1167 relating to mental health consultations; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id327b07de21d644719e9cceb983b4bf22"><enum>(B)</enum><text>adding after the item relating to section 1168 the following new item:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idB1BB314787B440608ADCF8F6EBEE3B0A"><toc><toc-entry level="section" bold="off">1169. Mental health consultations.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idd0f56e6ba30249a588a1cbebb686997e"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Improvements</header><text>Section 1169 of such title, as redesignated by subsection (a), is amended—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id4b26a24030e14d76b309d9f457801eb0"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (a), in the subsection heading, by striking <quote><header-in-text style="USC" level="subsection">In general</header-in-text></quote> and inserting <quote><header-in-text style="USC" level="subsection">Initial mental health consultations</header-in-text></quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idb0f992f56c9f4344b26079b9337d7a4f"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by redesignating subsection (b) and (c) as subsections (c) and (d), respectively;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id0151d70ed95e4199ac077c6158081edd"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsection (b):</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id6D7FCE0A6F364C88B5DE6AA5E64CEF38"><subsection id="id39af39f3eac941fa92d624de6d928554"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Annual mental health consultations and outreach</header><text>Not less frequently than once each year, the Secretary shall—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id27dcc7f21dce4b938ee878ac2cd80c62"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">offer to each veteran who is receiving compensation under this chapter for a service-connected disability relating to a mental health diagnosis a mental health consultation to assess the mental health needs of, and discuss other mental health care options for, the veteran; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id85dd2757a0204a28a0df84e81f78cf13"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">conduct outreach to each veteran described in paragraph (1) regarding the availability of consultations described in such paragraph and other mental health services from the Department.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id096f1849459d4c9b8418b6a0ad466930"><enum>(4)</enum><text>in subsection (c), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by inserting <quote>or (b)</quote> after <quote>under subsection (a)</quote> both places it appears; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idb1c5326b8d7e4d93af844456db2387c8"><enum>(5)</enum><text>in subsection (d), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by inserting <quote>or as requiring reevaluation of any entitlement of the veteran to compensation under this chapter</quote> before the period at the end.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id24bd96da3d33483e8f0656cca10b0072"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Biennial reports</header><text>Such section, as amended by subsection (b), is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idA8FF678DDC7649C3949672668F993451"><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id10be71ef18db4abf88d78ae32d0ce3df"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Biennial reviews and reports</header><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="idb85cc9226f5d479f814d54b7f4efbed0"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of the <short-title>BRAVE Act of 2024</short-title>, and not less frequently than once every two years thereafter, the Secretary shall—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idf7f57c211d7d489db48340ae1a4f8c1e" indent="up1"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">review the efficacy of the outreach of the Department with respect to consultations offered under this section; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph indent="up1" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idb661e960c17b4b0d8896c2d9c9966a01"><enum>(B)</enum><text>submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on—</text><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id28e3b87bceac4562848025624db296fa"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the findings of the Secretary with respect to the most recent review conducted pursuant to subparagraph (A); and</text></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id10b38d32a1274d8f9029dd4fd6f90d33"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the plans of the Secretary to address the findings described in clause (i).</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id6a8114866568404aa69519a0a20297e5" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In order to facilitate reviews conducted under paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary shall—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id0eb577974b9c46f981f061089ba2e6ff"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">ensure veterans can provide feedback to the Secretary on outreach described in paragraph (1) and the consultations offered under this section; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id1bb6f5afce7f45d1a0f483879c75409b"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">analyze the feedback described in subparagraph (A) that is provided to the Secretary.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" indent="up1" id="id6c0edd6e86db442c81768fc26cc7796f"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each review conducted pursuant to paragraph (1)(A) shall cover the following:</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id26f4e990da644e2282b0e55c96d40942"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The feedback collected under paragraph (2).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idc5cd19a62968437c86a3e8fb718f0a45"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Consultations sought pursuant to offers under this section.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id63279db5457441d4b0329cc6bee98638"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Matters that deter veterans from seeking consultations offered under this section.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection></section><section id="id5c5e661c91b740979b0a0b4df30fc931"><enum>404.</enum><header>Joint report on effectiveness of programs of Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense that promote access to mental health services for transitioning members of the Armed Forces</header><subsection id="idb44cb2997b0644718278bbad46858fcb"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly 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 actions taken or that will be taken by each such Secretary, either independently or jointly, to improve the effectiveness of programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense that promote access to mental health services for members of the Armed Forces transitioning from service in the Armed Forces to civilian life.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idbd79e5353eee4005807e519d14bde799"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Status of response to Comptroller General recommendations</header><text>The report required under subsection (a) shall include an assessment of the status of the response by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense to the recommendations of the Comptroller General of the United States set forth in the July 2024 report entitled <quote>DOD AND VA HEALTH CARE: Actions Needed to Better Facilitate Access to Mental Health Services During Military to Civilian Transitions</quote> (GAO–24–106189). </text></subsection><subsection id="id872a54425fab47e99c543d2d195d4e55"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Identification of duplicative efforts</header><text>The report required under subsection (a) shall identify any duplicative efforts or gaps in services and recommend changes to programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense to address such duplicative efforts or gaps, including recommendations for legislative action.</text></subsection></section>