National Guard and Reservist Suicide Prevention and Community Response Act - Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 to require the Department of Defense (DOD) Office for Reintegration Programs, as part of the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, to establish a program to provide National Guard and Reserve members, their families, and their communities with training in suicide prevention and community healing and response to suicide. (Under current law, suicide prevention activities are one category of activities that may be included in the Office's development of outreach services.)
[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2836 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2836
To amend the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 to
improve and expand suicide prevention and community healing and
response training under the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 11, 2009
Mr. Hodes (for himself and Ms. Shea-Porter) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 to
improve and expand suicide prevention and community healing and
response training under the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program.
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 National Guard and Reservist Suicide
Prevention and Community Response Act''.
SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF SUICIDE PREVENTION AND COMMUNITY HEALING AND
RESPONSE TRAINING UNDER THE YELLOW RIBBON REINTEGRATION
PROGRAM.
Section 582 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2008 (Public Law 110-181; 122 Stat. 122) is amended--
(1) in subsection (h)--
(A) by striking paragraph (3); and
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (15) as
paragraphs (3) through (14), respectively; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(i) Suicide Prevention and Community Healing and Response
Program.--
``(1) Establishment.--As part of the Yellow Ribbon
Reintegration Program, the Office for Reintegration Programs
shall establish a program to provide National Guard and Reserve
members, their families, and their communities with training in
suicide prevention and community healing and response to
suicide.
``(2) Design.--In establishing the program under paragraph
(1), the Office for Reintegration Programs shall--
``(A) consult with--
``(i) officials associated with the
`Connect' program of the National Alliance on
Mental Illness New Hampshire; and
``(ii) the adjutant general of each state,
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District
of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands; and
``(B) model the program after the `Connect' program
of the National Alliance on Mental Illness New
Hampshire.
``(3) Operation.--
``(A) Suicide prevention training.--The Office for
Reintegration Programs shall provide National Guard and
Reserve members with training in suicide prevention.
Such training shall include--
``(i) describing the warning signs for
suicide and teaching effective strategies for
prevention and intervention;
``(ii) examining the influence of military
culture on risk and protective factors for
suicide; and
``(iii) engaging in interactive case
scenarios and role plays to practice effective
intervention strategies.
``(B) Community healing and response training.--The
Office for Reintegration Programs shall provide the
families and communities of National Guard and Reserve
members with training in responses to suicide that
promote individual and community healing. Such training
shall include--
``(i) enhancing collaboration among
community members and local service providers
to create an integrated, coordinated community
response to suicide;
``(ii) communicating best practices for
preventing suicide, including safe messaging,
appropriate memorial services, and media
guidelines;
``(iii) addressing the impact of suicide on
the military and the larger community, and the
increased risk that can result; and
``(iv) managing resources to assist key
community and military service providers in
helping the families, friends, and fellow
soldiers of a suicide victim through the
processes of grieving and healing.
``(C) Collaboration with centers of excellence.--
The Office for Reintegration Programs, in consultation
with the Defense Centers of Excellence for
Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, shall
collect and analyze `lessons learned' and suggestions
from State National Guard and Reserve organizations
with existing or developing suicide prevention and
community response programs.
``(4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection
$15,000,000 for each fiscal year beginning with fiscal year
2010.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
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