Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act - Extends from 5 to 15 years the period of eligibility for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for veterans who served on active duty in a theater of combat operations after the Persian Gulf War or against a hostile force during a period of hostilities after November 11, 1998.
Requires the Secretaries of the military departments to provide a process by which a covered individual may challenge the terms or characterization of his or her discharge or separation from the Armed Forces. Defines "covered individual" as any individual who: (1) was discharged or separated from the Armed Forces for a personality disorder; or (2) was discharged or separated from the Armed Forces on a punitive basis, or under other than honorable conditions, and who alleges that the basis for such discharge or separation was a mental health injury or disorder incurred or aggravated by the individual during service in the Armed Forces.
Requires the Secretary of Defense (DOD) and the Secretary of Veteran Affairs (VA) to: (1) conduct an evaluation of mental health care and suicide prevention programs carried out in DOD and VA; (2) train all providers of health care in such Departments on recognizing the risk of suicide, treating or referring for treatment an individual who is at risk of suicide, and recognizing the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder; and (3) ensure that best practices for identifying individuals at risk of suicide and for providing quality mental health care are disseminated to providers of health care in such Departments.
Amends the Wounded Warrior Act to require the DOD Secretary and the VA Secretary, in implementing electronic health record systems that provide for the full interoperability of personal health care information between the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, to ensure that: (1) a health data authoritative source that can be accessed by multiple providers and that standardizes the input of new medical information is created within 180 days, (2) the ability of patients of both Departments to download their medical records is achieved within 180 days, (3) full interoperability of personal health care information between the Departments is achieved within one year, (4) acceleration of the exchange of real-time data between the Departments is achieved within one year, (5) the upgrade of the graphical user interface to display a joint common graphical user interface is achieved within one year, and (6) current members of the Armed Forces and their dependents may elect to receive an electronic copy of their health care records beginning not later than June 30, 2015.
Directs the VA Secretary to carry out a three-year pilot program to repay the educational loans of individuals who: (1) are licensed or eligible for licensure to practice psychiatric medicine in the Veterans Health Administration or are enrolled in the final year of an accredited residency program in psychiatric medicine, and (2) demonstrate a commitment to a long-term career as a psychiatrist in the Veterans Health Administration.
Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to study and report on pay disparities among psychiatrists of the Veterans Health Administration.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2182 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2182
To expand and improve care provided to veterans and members of the
Armed Forces with mental health disorders or at risk of suicide, to
review the terms or characterization of the discharge or separation of
certain individuals from the Armed Forces, to require a pilot program
on loan repayment for psychiatrists who agree to serve in the Veterans
Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 27, 2014
Mr. Walsh (for himself and Mr. Tester) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To expand and improve care provided to veterans and members of the
Armed Forces with mental health disorders or at risk of suicide, to
review the terms or characterization of the discharge or separation of
certain individuals from the Armed Forces, to require a pilot program
on loan repayment for psychiatrists who agree to serve in the Veterans
Health Administration 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 ``Suicide Prevention for American
Veterans Act''.
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR DOMICILIARY CARE FOR CERTAIN
VETERANS WHO SERVED IN A THEATER OF COMBAT OPERATIONS.
Section 1710(e)(3)(A) of title 38, United States Code, is amended
by striking ``period of five years'' and inserting ``period of 15
years''.
SEC. 3. REVIEW OF CHARACTERIZATION OR TERMS OF DISCHARGE FROM THE ARMED
FORCES OF INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS
ALLEGED TO AFFECT TERMS OF DISCHARGE.
(a) In General.--The Secretaries of the military departments shall
each provide for a process by which a covered individual may challenge
the terms or characterization of the individual's discharge or
separation from the Armed Forces.
(b) Covered Individuals.--For purposes of this section, a covered
individual is any individual as follows:
(1) An individual who was discharged or separated from the
Armed Forces for a personality disorder.
(2) An individual who--
(A) was discharged or separated from the Armed
Forces on a punitive basis, or under other than
honorable conditions; and
(B) who alleges that the basis for such discharge
or separation was a mental health injury or disorder
incurred or aggravated by the individual during service
in the Armed Forces.
(c) Discharge of Process Through Boards of Corrections of
Records.--The Secretary of a military department shall carry out the
process required by subsection (a) through boards for the correction of
military records of the military department concerned.
(d) Considerations on Modification of Terms of Discharge or
Separation.--In deciding whether to modify the terms or
characterization of an individual's discharge or separation pursuant to
the process required by subsection (a), the Secretary of the military
department concerned shall instruct boards to give due consideration to
any mental health injury or disorder determined to have been incurred
or aggravated by the individual during service in the Armed Forces and
to what bearing such injury or disorder may have had on the
circumstances surrounding the individual's discharge or separation from
the Armed Forces.
SEC. 4. IMPROVEMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDED BY DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
(a) Evaluations of Mental Health Care and Suicide Prevention
Programs.--
(1) In general.--Not less frequently than once each year,
the Secretary concerned shall provide for the conduct of an
evaluation of the mental health care and suicide prevention
programs carried out under the laws administered by such
Secretary.
(2) Elements.--Each evaluation conducted under paragraph
(1) shall--
(A) use metrics that are common among and useful
for practitioners in the field of mental health care
and suicide prevention;
(B) identify the most effective mental health care
and suicide prevention programs conducted by the
Secretary concerned; and
(C) propose best practices for caring for
individuals who suffer from mental health disorders or
are at risk of suicide.
(3) Third party.--Each evaluation conducted under paragraph
(1) shall be conducted by an independent third party
unaffiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the
Department of Defense.
(b) Training of Providers.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary concerned shall train all
providers of health care under the laws administered by such
Secretary on the following:
(A) Recognizing if an individual is at risk of
suicide.
(B) Treating or referring for treatment an
individual who is at risk of suicide.
(C) Recognizing the symptoms of posttraumatic
stress disorder.
(2) Dissemination of best practices.--The Secretary
concerned shall ensure that best practices for identifying
individuals at risk of suicide and providing quality mental
health care are disseminated to providers of health care under
the laws administered by such Secretary.
(c) Secretary Concerned Defined.--In this section, the term
``Secretary concerned'' means--
(1) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs with respect to
matters concerning the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
(2) the Secretary of Defense with respect to matters
concerning the Department of Defense.
SEC. 5. COLLABORATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ON HEALTH CARE MATTERS.
(a) Timeline for Implementing Interoperable Electronic Health
Records.--
(1) In general.--Section 1635 of the Wounded Warrior Act
(10 U.S.C. 1071 note) is amended by adding at the end the
following new subsection:
``(k) Timeline.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary of
Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that--
``(1) the creation of a health data authoritative source by
the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans
Affairs that can be accessed by multiple providers and
standardizes the input of new medical information is achieved
not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
subsection;
``(2) the ability of patients of both the Department of
Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to download the
medical records of the patient (commonly referred to as the
`Blue Button Initiative') is achieved not later than 180 days
after the date of the enactment of this subsection;
``(3) the full interoperability of personal health care
information between the Departments is achieved not later than
one year after the date of the enactment of this subsection;
``(4) the acceleration of the exchange of real-time data
between the Departments is achieved not later than one year
after the date of the enactment of this subsection;
``(5) the upgrade of the graphical user interface to
display a joint common graphical user interface is achieved not
later than one year after the date of the enactment of this
subsection; and
``(6) each current member of the Armed Forces and the
dependent of such a member may elect to receive an electronic
copy of the health care record of the individual beginning not
later than June 30, 2015.''.
(2) Conforming amendments.--Section 1635 of such Act is
further amended--
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ``The
Secretary'' and inserting ``In accordance with the
timeline described in subsection (k), the Secretary'';
and
(B) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) of
subsection (e), by inserting ``in accordance with
subsection (k)'' after ``under this section''.
(b) Establishment of Uniform Prescription Formulary.--The Secretary
of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly
establish a uniform prescription formulary for use in prescribing
medication under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs and the laws administered by the Secretary of Defense.
SEC. 6. PILOT PROGRAM FOR REPAYMENT OF EDUCATIONAL LOANS FOR CERTAIN
PSYCHIATRISTS OF VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION.
(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry
out a pilot program to repay loans of individuals described in
subsection (b) that--
(1) were used by such individuals to finance education
relating to psychiatric medicine, including education leading
to--
(A) an undergraduate degree;
(B) a degree of doctor of medicine; or
(C) a degree of doctor of osteopathy; and
(2) were obtained from any of the following:
(A) A governmental entity.
(B) A private financial institution.
(C) A school.
(D) Any other authorized entity as determined by
the Secretary.
(b) Eligible Individuals.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), an individual
eligible for participation in the pilot program is an
individual who--
(A) either--
(i) is licensed or eligible for licensure
to practice psychiatric medicine in the
Veterans Health Administration of the
Department of Veterans Affairs; or
(ii) is enrolled in the final year of a
residency program leading to a specialty
qualification in psychiatric medicine that is
approved by the Accreditation Council for
Graduate Medical Education; and
(B) demonstrates a commitment to a long-term career
as a psychiatrist in the Veterans Health
Administration, as determined by the Secretary.
(2) Prohibition on simultaneous eligibility.--An individual
who is participating in any other program of the Federal
Government that repays the educational loans of the individual
is not eligible to participate in the pilot program.
(c) Selection.--The Secretary shall select not less than 10
individuals described in subsection (b) to participate in the pilot
program for each year in which the Secretary carries out the pilot
program.
(d) Period of Obligated Service.--The Secretary shall enter into an
agreement with each individual selected under subsection (c) in which
such individual agrees to serve a period of obligated service for the
Veterans Health Administration in the field of psychiatric medicine, as
determined by the Secretary.
(e) Loan Repayments.--
(1) Amounts.--Subject to paragraph (2), a loan repayment
under this section may consist of payment of the principal,
interest, and related expenses of a loan obtained by an
individual who is participating in the pilot program for all
educational expenses (including tuition, fees, books, and
laboratory expenses) of such individual relating to education
described in subsection (a)(1).
(2) Limit.--For each year of obligated service that an
individual who is participating in the pilot program agrees to
serve under subsection (d), the Secretary may pay not more than
$60,000 in loan repayment on behalf of such individual.
(f) Breach.--
(1) Liability.--An individual who participates in the pilot
program and fails to satisfy the period of obligated service
under subsection (d) shall be liable to the United States, in
lieu of such obligated service, for the amount that has been
paid or is payable to or on behalf of the individual under the
pilot program, reduced by the proportion that the number of
days served for completion of the period of obligated service
bears to the total number of days in the period of obligated
service of such individual.
(2) Repayment period.--Any amount of damages that the
United States is entitled to recover under this subsection
shall be paid to the United States not later than one year
after the date of the breach of the agreement.
(g) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date on
which the pilot program terminates under subsection (i), 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 pilot program.
(2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall
include the following:
(A) The overall effect of the pilot program on the
psychiatric workforce shortage of the Veterans Health
Administration.
(B) The long-term stability of the psychiatric
workforce of the Veterans Health Administration.
(C) Strategies of the Veterans Health
Administration to improve and increase the ability of
the Administration to promote the physical and mental
resiliency of all veterans.
(h) Regulations.--The Secretary shall prescribe regulations to
carry out this section, including standards for qualified loans and
authorized payees and other terms and conditions for the making of loan
repayments.
(i) Termination.--The authority to carry out the pilot program
shall expire on the date that is three years after the date on which
the Secretary commences the pilot program.
SEC. 7. COMPTROLLER GENERAL STUDY ON PAY DISPARITIES OF PSYCHIATRISTS
OF VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION.
(a) Study.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the
United States shall conduct a study of pay disparities among
psychiatrists of the Veterans Health Administration of the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
(2) Elements.--The study required by paragraph (1) shall
include the following:
(A) An examination of laws, regulations, practices,
and policies, including salary flexibilities, that
contribute to such disparities.
(B) Recommendations for legislative or regulatory
action to improve equity in pay among such
psychiatrists.
(b) Report.--Not later than one year after the date on which the
Comptroller General completes the study under subsection (a), the
Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives a report containing the results of the study.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
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