Veteran Peer Specialist Act of 2021
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make permanent and expand the program that establishes at least two peer specialists in patient aligned care teams at VA medical centers to promote the use and integration of services for mental health, substance use disorder, and behavioral health in a primary care setting.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4575 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4575
To amend the VA MISSION Act of 2018, to expand the peer specialist
support program of the Department of Veterans Affairs to all medical
centers of the Department, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 20, 2021
Mr. Peters (for himself, Mr. Allred, and Mr. Mann) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the VA MISSION Act of 2018, to expand the peer specialist
support program of the Department of Veterans Affairs to all medical
centers of the Department, 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 ``Veteran Peer Specialist Act of
2021''.
SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF PEER SPECIALIST SUPPORT PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) Expansion.--Section 506 of the VA MISSION Act of 2018 (Public
Law 115-182; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (d) through (f) as
subsections (e) through (g);
(2) in the heading of subsection (b), by striking
``Timeframe'' and inserting ``Initial Timeframe'';
(3) in subsection (c)--
(A) in the heading, by striking ``Selection'' and
inserting ``Initial Selection''; and
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ``The Secretary
shall'' and inserting ``In establishing the program at
initial locations, the Secretary shall'';
(4) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new
subsection:
``(d) Timeframe for Expansion of Program; Selection of Additional
Locations.--
``(1) Timeframe for expansion.--The Secretary shall make
permanent and expand the program to additional medical centers
of the Department as follows:
``(A) As of the date of the enactment of the
Veteran Peer Specialist Act of 2021, at each medical
center participating in the program on the day before
such date of enactment.
``(B) During the five-year period following such
date of enactment, at an additional 25 medical centers
per year until the program is carried out at each
medical center of the Department.
``(2) Selection of additional locations.--In selecting
medical centers for the expansion of the program under
paragraph (1)(B), until such time as each medical center of the
Department is participating in the program by establishing not
fewer than two peer specialists at the medical center, the
Secretary shall prioritize medical centers in the following
areas:
``(A) Rural areas and other areas that are
underserved by the Department.
``(B) Areas that are not in close proximity to an
active duty military installation.
``(C) Areas representing different geographic
locations, such as census tracts established by the
Bureau of the Census.'';
(5) in subsection (e), as redesignated by paragraph (1)--
(A) in the heading, by striking ``Gender-specific
Services'' and inserting ``Considerations for Hiring
Peer Specialists'';
(B) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by
striking ``location selected under subsection (c)'' and
inserting ``medical center''; and
(C) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the
following new paragraphs:
``(2) female peer specialists are hired and made available
to support female veterans who are treated at each medical
center; and
``(3) to the extent practical, peer specialists are hired
in demographic percentages that reflect the racial and ethnic
demographic percentages of the overall veterans population.'';
and
(6) by amending subsection (g), as redesignated by
paragraph (1), to read as follows:
``(g) Reports.--
``(1) Periodic reports.--
``(A) In general.--Not later than one year after
the date of the enactment of the Veteran Peer
Specialist Act of 2021, and annually thereafter for
five years, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committees on Veterans Affairs of the House of
Representatives and the Senate a report on the program,
including the expansion of the program under subsection
(d)(1).
``(B) Elements.--Each report under subparagraph (A)
shall include, with respect to the one-year period
preceding the submission of the report, the following:
``(i) The findings and conclusions of the
Secretary with respect to the program.
``(ii) An assessment of the benefits of the
program to veterans and family members of
veterans.
``(iii) An assessment of the effectiveness
of peer specialists in engaging under
subsection (f) with health care providers in
the community and veterans served by such
providers.
``(iv) The name and location of each
medical center where new peer specialists were
hired.
``(v) The number of new peer specialists
hired at each medical center pursuant to this
section and the total number of peer
specialists within the Department hired
pursuant to this section.
``(vi) An assessment of any barriers
confronting the recruitment, training, or
retention of peer specialists.
``(2) Final report.--Not later than one year after the
Secretary determines that the program is being carried out at
each medical center of the Department, the Secretary shall
submit to the Committees on Veterans Affairs of the House of
Representatives and the Senate a report notifying such
committees of the determination.''.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out the amendments made by this section
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2027.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
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