This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to designate one week per year as Battle Buddy Check Week for the purposes of organizing outreach events and educating veterans on how to conduct peer wellness checks. The VA shall ensure that the Veterans Crisis Line has a plan for handling the potential increase in calls that may occur during such week.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4290 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4290
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to designate a week as
``Battle Buddy Check Week'' for the purpose of outreach and education
concerning peer wellness checks for veterans, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 11, 2019
Ms. Jackson Lee (for herself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Brownley of
California, Mr. Brown of Maryland, and Mr. Banks) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to designate a week as
``Battle Buddy Check Week'' for the purpose of outreach and education
concerning peer wellness checks for veterans, 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. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The Department of Veterans Affairs is the Federal
agency charged with managing benefits and health care for the
Nation's veterans.
(2) In recent years, the Department of Veterans Affairs
made the prevention of veteran suicide among the highest
priorities of the Department and has developed data models to
continually improve and tailor suicide prevention strategies
and initiatives.
(3) Among the recent suicide prevention initiatives are--
(A) an expanded Veterans Crisis Line to three call
centers;
(B) launching the S.A.V.E. suicide prevention
training video;
(C) implementing the Mayor's Challenge, which
engages local elected officials in veteran suicide
prevention; and
(D) partnering with the Department of Defense and
the Department of Homeland Security to support veterans
during their transition from military to civilian life.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the
Department of Veterans Affairs should--
(1) remain focused on screening transitioning members of
the Armed Forces for factors associated with suicide and
providing treatment and other services needed to reduce
suicides;
(2) undertake suicide prevention through a multi-pronged
strategy that addresses the many factors that are known to
contribute to suicide;
(3) continue to regard suicide prevention as one of the
highest priorities of the Department; and
(4) provide guidance to other agencies and veteran service
organizations on the factors that are associated with suicide.
SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF BATTLE BUDDY CHECK WEEK BY DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall designate
one week per year to organize outreach events and educate veterans on
how to conduct peer wellness checks, which shall be known as ``Battle
Buddy Check Week''.
(b) Events and Education.--
(1) In general.--During Battle Buddy Check Week, the
Secretary, in consultation with organizations that represent
veterans, non-profits that serve veterans, mental health
experts, members of the Armed Forces, and such other entities
and individuals as the Secretary considers appropriate, shall
collaborate with organizations that represent veterans to
provide educational opportunities for veterans to learn how to
conduct peer wellness checks.
(2) Training matters.--As part of the educational
opportunities provided under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
provide the following:
(A) A script for veterans to use to conduct peer
wellness checks that includes information on
appropriate referrals to resources veterans might need.
(B) Online and in-person training, as appropriate,
on how to conduct a peer wellness check.
(C) Opportunities for members of organizations that
represent veterans to learn how to train individuals to
conduct peer wellness checks.
(D) Training for veterans participating in Battle
Buddy Check Week on how to transfer a phone call
directly to the Veterans Crisis Line.
(E) Resiliency training for veterans participating
in Battle Buddy Check Week on handling a veteran in
crisis.
(3) Online materials.--All training materials provided
under the educational opportunities under paragraph (1) shall
be made available on a website of the Department.
(c) Outreach.--The Secretary, in collaboration with organizations
that represent veterans, may conduct outreach regarding educational
opportunities under subsection (b) at--
(1) public events where many veterans are expected to
congregate;
(2) meetings of organizations that represent veterans;
(3) facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
(4) such other locations as the Secretary, in collaboration
with organizations that represent veterans, considers
appropriate.
(d) Veterans Crisis Line Plan.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall ensure that the
Veterans Crisis Line has a plan for handling the potential
increase of calls that may occur during Battle Buddy Check
Week.
(2) Submittal of plan.--The head of the Veterans Crisis
Line shall submit to the Secretary a plan for how to handle
excess calls during Battle Buddy Check Week, which may include
the following:
(A) Additional hours for staff.
(B) The use of a backup call center.
(C) Any other plan to ensure that calls from
veterans in crisis are being answered in a timely
manner by an individual trained at the same level as a
Veterans Crisis Line responder.
(e) Veterans Crisis Line Defined.--In this section, the term
``Veterans Crisis Line'' means the toll-free hotline for veterans
established under section 1720F(h) of title 38, United States Code.
<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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