Peer Support for Veteran Families Act
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish an education program and a peer support program for the education and training of family members and caregivers of eligible veterans with mental health disorders. Under this bill, eligible veterans are those who are enrolled in the VA health care system. Such veterans must give permission for their caregiver or family caregiver to participate in either program established under this bill.
The VA must establish a four-year education program to provide a course to family members and caregivers of eligible veterans on matters relating to coping with mental health disorders in veterans. In implementing the program, the VA must enter into contracts with certain nonprofit entities with experience in mental health education.
Under the peer support program, the VA must provide peer support to family members and caregivers of eligible veterans on matters relating to coping with mental health disorders in veterans. The VA must provide peer support at each location where the education program is provided, and such support must include regular meetings in group settings between peer support coordinators, family members, and caregivers.
The VA must conduct a survey of the satisfaction of individuals who have participated in the education program and the peer support program.
VA mental health care providers must monitor the progress of the programs.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7964 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7964
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out education
programs and peer support programs for family members and caregivers of
veterans with mental health disorders.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 7, 2020
Ms. Finkenauer (for herself, Mr. Curtis, and Mr. McKinley) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out education
programs and peer support programs for family members and caregivers of
veterans with mental health disorders.
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 ``Peer Support for Veteran Families
Act''.
SEC. 2. EDUCATION PROGRAM AND PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR FAMILY MEMBERS
AND CAREGIVERS OF VETERANS WITH MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS.
(a) Programs.--Not later than 270 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
establish an education program (in this section referred to as the
``education program'') and a peer support program (in this section
referred to as the ``peer support program'') for the education and
training of family members and caregivers of eligible veterans with
mental health disorders.
(b) Education Program.--
(1) In general.--Under the education program, the Secretary
shall provide a course of education to family members and
caregivers of eligible veterans on matters relating to coping
with mental health disorders in veterans.
(2) Duration.--
(A) In general.--The education program shall be
carried out during the four-year period beginning on
the date of the commencement of the education program.
(B) Authority for extension.--The Secretary may
extend the duration of the education program for an
additional four years.
(3) Locations.--
(A) In general.--Except as required by subparagraph
(D), the Secretary shall carry out the education
program at the following facilities of the Department
of Veterans Affairs:
(i) Not less than 10 medical centers of the
Department.
(ii) Not less than 10 clinics of the
Department.
(iii) Not less than 10 Vet Centers (as
defined in section 1712A(h) of title 38, United
States Code).
(B) Solicitation of applications.--In selecting
locations for the education program, the Secretary
shall solicit applications from eligible facilities of
the Department that are interested in carrying out the
education program.
(C) Considerations.--In selecting locations for the
education program, the Secretary shall consider the
feasibility and advisability of selecting locations in
the following areas:
(i) Rural areas.
(ii) Areas that are not in close proximity
to an active duty installation.
(iii) Areas in different geographic
locations.
(D) Expansion of locations.--Not later than two
years after the date of the commencement of the
education program, the Secretary shall expand the
number of facilities at which the Secretary is carrying
out the education program to include the following:
(i) Not less than 10 additional medical
centers of the Department.
(ii) Not less than 10 additional clinics of
the Department.
(iii) Not less than 10 additional Vet
Centers.
(4) Contracts.--
(A) In general.--In carrying out the education
program, the Secretary shall enter into contracts with
qualified entities described in subparagraph (B) to
offer the course of education described in paragraph
(5) to family members and caregivers of eligible
veterans and covered veterans.
(B) Qualified entity described.--A qualified entity
described in this subparagraph is a non-profit entity
with experience in mental health education and
outreach, including work with children, teens, and
young adults, that--
(i) uses high quality, relevant, and age-
appropriate information in educational
programming, materials, and coursework,
including such programming, materials, and
coursework for children, teens, and young
adults; and
(ii) works with agencies, departments,
nonprofit mental health organizations, early
childhood educators, and mental health
providers to develop educational programming,
materials, and coursework.
(C) Priority.--In entering into contracts under
this paragraph, the Secretary shall give priority to
qualified entities that have demonstrated cultural
competence in serving military and veteran populations,
and, to the extent practicable, use internet technology
for the delivery of course content in an effort to
expand the availability of support services, especially
in rural areas.
(5) Elements.--The course of education described in this
paragraph shall consist of not less than 10 weeks of education
and shall include the following:
(A) General education on different mental health
disorders, including information to improve
understanding of the experiences of individuals
suffering from those disorders.
(B) Techniques for handling crisis situations and
administering mental health first aid to individuals
suffering from mental health disorders.
(C) Techniques for coping with the stress of living
with someone with a mental health disorder.
(D) Information on additional services available
for family members and caregivers through the
Department or community organizations and providers
related to mental health disorders.
(E) Such other matters as the Secretary considers
appropriate.
(6) Instructors.--
(A) Training.--Each instructor of the course of
education described in paragraph (5) shall maintain a
level of proficiency in the course of education as
determined by the Secretary, and shall submit proof of
that level of proficiency to the Secretary at such time
and in such manner as the Secretary determines
appropriate.
(B) Individuals who have completed the course as
instructors.--Commencing as of the date that is two
years after the date of the commencement of the
education program, any individual who has successfully
completed the course of education described in
paragraph (5) and has successfully completed such
additional training as is required for instructors
pursuant to subparagraph (A) may act as an instructor
in the course of education.
(c) Peer Support Program.--
(1) In general.--Under the peer support program, the
Secretary shall provide peer support to family members and
caregivers of eligible veterans on matters relating to coping
with mental health disorders in veterans.
(2) Locations.--The Secretary shall provide peer support
under the peer support program at each location at which the
Secretary provides education under the education program.
(3) Elements.--Peer support under the peer support program
shall consist of meetings in group settings between a peer
support coordinator under paragraph (4) and family members and
caregivers of eligible veterans on matters relating to coping
with mental health disorders in veterans. At each location,
those meetings shall be conducted not less often than twice
each calendar quarter.
(4) Peer support coordinator.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the
director of each participating facility, may select an
individual who has successfully completed the course of
education described in subsection (b)(5) to serve as a
peer support coordinator for each such facility to
carry out the peer support program.
(B) Proficiency of instructors.--Each peer support
coordinator shall maintain a level of proficiency in
peer support as determined by the Secretary, and shall
submit proof of that level of proficiency to the
Secretary at such time and in such manner as the
Secretary determines appropriate.
(d) Surveys.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a
comprehensive survey of the satisfaction of individuals that
have participated in the course of education described in
subsection (b)(5) and individuals that have participated in the
peer support program that includes the following:
(A) The general satisfaction of those individuals
with the education and assistance provided in the
education program and the peer support program.
(B) The perceived effectiveness of the education
program and the peer support program in providing
education and assistance that is useful for those
individuals.
(C) The applicability of the education program and
the peer support program to the issues faced by those
individuals.
(D) Such other matters as the Secretary considers
appropriate.
(E) A representative sample of the information
required by subparagraphs (A) through (D) from each
Veterans Integrated Service Network that is
participating in the education program and the peer
support program.
(2) Compilation of information.--The information compiled
as a result of the surveys required by paragraph (1) shall be
included in the annual report required by subsection (e)(1).
(e) Reports.--
(1) Annual report.--
(A) In general.--Not later than one year after the
date of the commencement of the education program and
not later than September 30 each year thereafter until
2024, 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 education program and the peer support
program.
(B) Elements.--Each report submitted under
subparagraph (A) shall include the following:
(i) The number of individuals that
participated in the course of education
described in subsection (b)(5) during the year
preceding the submission of the report.
(ii) The number of individuals that
participated in the peer support program during
the year preceding the submission of the
report.
(iii) A detailed analysis of the surveys
conducted under subsection (d) with respect to
the individuals described in clause (i) and
(ii).
(iv) The degree to which veterans and
family members and caregivers of veterans are
aware of the eligibility requirements for
enrollment in the education program and the
peer support program.
(v) Any plans for expansion of the
education program and the peer support program.
(vi) The interim findings and conclusions
of the Secretary with respect to the success of
the education program and the peer support
program.
(2) Final report.--
(A) In general.--Not later than one year after the
completion of the education program, 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
feasibility and advisability of continuing the
education program and the peer support program.
(B) Elements.--The report submitted under
subparagraph (A) shall include the following:
(i) A detailed analysis of the surveys
conducted under subsection (d).
(ii) The feasibility and advisability of
continuing the education program without
entering into contracts for the course of
education described in subsection (b)(5) and
instead using peer support coordinators
selected under subsection (c)(4) as instructors
of the course of education.
(iii) The feasibility and advisability of
expanding the education program and the peer
support program.
(f) Permission Required.--A caregiver or family caregiver may not
participate in the education program or the peer support program
without the permission of the eligible veteran for whom the caregiver
or family caregiver provides care.
(g) Monitoring of Program.--The Secretary shall select mental
health care providers of the Department to monitor the progress of the
instruction provided under the education program and to monitor the
progress of the peer support program. Such mental health care providers
shall carry out such monitoring by meeting not less than quarterly
with--
(1) instructors of the course of education described in
subsection (b)(5); and
(2) peer support coordinators under subsection (c)(4).
(h) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``eligible veteran'' means a veteran who is
enrolled in the health care system established under section
1705(a) of title 38, United States Code.
(2) The terms ``caregiver'' and ``family member'' have the
meaning given those terms in section 1720G(d) of title 38,
United States Code.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Committee Hearings Held.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line