Student Veteran Counseling Improvement Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a toll-free telephone number to provide mental and behavioral health professionals with information related to the treatment and counseling of a veteran reporting symptoms of: (1) post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); (2) traumatic brain injury; (3) anxiety; (4) depression; (5) sexual assault; (6) sexual trauma; (7) readjustment disorder; or (8) other service-connected mental health conditions. Requires that a licensed mental health counselor employed by the VA operate the hotline and provide such information.
Directs the Secretary to notify each institution of higher learning of the hotline and provide hotline information on the VA's Internet website. Requires the Secretary to provide mental and behavioral health professionals at each institution of higher learning with training on such information.
[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5385 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5385
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to establish a toll-free hotline to assist mental
health professionals at institutions of higher learning, to provide
training to mental health professionals at institutions of higher
learning, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 25, 2010
Mr. Carney (for himself and Mr. Kirk) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to establish a toll-free hotline to assist mental
health professionals at institutions of higher learning, to provide
training to mental health professionals at institutions of higher
learning, 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 ``Student Veteran Counseling
Improvement Act''.
SEC. 2. COUNSELING FOR STUDENT VETERANS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS.
(a) In General.--Chapter 36 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 3697B. ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING FOR MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS.
``(a) Hotline for Mental Health Professionals at Institutions of
Higher Education.--(1) Subject to the availability of appropriations
for such purpose, the Secretary shall establish a toll-free telephone
number to provide mental and behavioral health professionals with the
information described in paragraph (2).
``(2) The information described in this paragraph is information
related to the treatment and counseling of a veteran reporting or
exhibiting symptoms of--
``(A) post-traumatic stress disorder;
``(B) traumatic brain injury;
``(C) anxiety;
``(D) depression;
``(E) sexual assault;
``(F) sexual trauma;
``(G) readjustment disorder; or
``(H) other service-connected mental health conditions.
``(3) The Secretary shall ensure that a licensed mental health
counselor employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs operates the
hotline and provides the information described in paragraph (2).
``(4) The Secretary shall ensure that the hotline is operational
during business hours each weekday (other than Saturdays and Federal
holidays).
``(5) In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall--
``(A) notify each institution of higher learning of the
hotline by mail; and
``(B) provide information regarding the hotline on the
Internet website of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
``(b) Training Mental and Behavioral Health Professionals.--(1)
Subject to the availability of appropriations for such purpose, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide mental and behavioral
health professionals at each institution of higher learning with
training on the information described in paragraph (2) of subsection
(a).
``(2) The Secretary shall ensure that the training under paragraph
(1)--
``(A) is provided by a licensed psychiatrist, licensed
psychologist, or licensed counselor employed by the Department
of Veterans Affairs; and
``(B) is provided to mental and behavioral health
professionals at least once every two years.
``(3) The Secretary may not pay a reporting fee under section
3684(c) of this title to an institution of higher learning with at
least 100 veterans enrolled at such institution unless a mental and
behavioral health professional of such institution receives training
provided by the Secretary under paragraph (1).
``(c) Biennial Reports.--Not later than October 1 of each even-
numbered year, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to
Congress a report on mental and behavioral health professionals. Each
such report shall include the following:
``(1) The number of institutions of higher learning that
employ a mental and behavioral health professional who has
received training under subsection (b).
``(2) The number of veterans who have died by suicide while
enrolled in an institution of higher learning.
``(3) The number of calls received by the hotline.
``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) The term `mental and behavioral health professional'
means a licensed psychiatrist, licensed psychologist, or
licenced counselor employed by an institution of higher
learning.
``(2) The term `institution of higher learning' has the
meaning given that term in section 3452(f) of this title.
``(3) The term `hotline' means the toll-free telephone
number established under subsection (a).''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Subsection (c) of section 3684 of such
title is amended by striking ``The Secretary'' and inserting ``Subject
to section 3697B(b)(3) of this title, the Secretary''.
(c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
chapter 36 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the
end the following:
``3697B. Assistance and training for mental and behavioral health
professionals.''.
(d) Effective Date.--Section 3697B of title 38, United States Code,
as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on the date that is one
year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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