Military Suicide Prevention in the 21st Century Act

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3009 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3009

To direct the Secretary of Defense to carry out a pilot program to pre-
program suicide prevention resources into certain smart devices issued 
                    to members of the Armed Forces.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 28, 2023

 Mr. Joyce of Ohio (for himself, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Fitzpatrick, and Ms. 
   Norton) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to carry out a pilot program to pre-
program suicide prevention resources into certain smart devices issued 
                    to members of the Armed Forces.

    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 ``Military Suicide Prevention in the 
21st Century Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Although electronic devices, such as mobile phones, 
        computers, and tables, increasingly are being leveraged as 
        vehicles for health in the civilian world, almost nothing is 
        known about how covered devices may be used among members of 
        the Armed Forces to positively impact the health of such 
        members.
            (2) The Defense Health Agency created the Virtual Hope Box 
        application to help members of the Armed Forces build 
        resilience.
            (3) Users of the Virtual Hope Box application reported 
        significantly greater ability to cope with unpleasant emotions 
        and thoughts.
            (4) Members of the Armed Forces who are behavioral health 
        patients experiencing distress, emotional dysregulation, or 
        suicidal ideation are often separated from direct clinical 
        support when they need it.
            (5) The Virtual Hope Box application offers a highly 
        portable, accessible, and discreet tool for effectively 
        increasing coping self-efficacy.
            (6) A strongly linked chain of care depends on engaged 
        leaders as well as highly competent first responders, crisis 
        hotline workers, emergency department personnel, chaplains, 
        primary care clinicians, and behavioral health clinicians.

SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM ON PRE-PROGRAMMING OF SUICIDE PREVENTION 
              RESOURCES INTO SMART DEVICES ISSUED TO MEMBERS OF THE 
              ARMED FORCES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall commence the 
conduct of a pilot program under which the Secretary--
            (1) pre-downloads the Virtual Hope Box application of the 
        Defense Health Agency, or such successor application, on the 
        covered devices of members of the Armed Forces;
            (2) pre-programs the National Suicide Hotline number and 
        Veterans Crisis Line number into the contacts for such covered 
        devices; and
            (3) provides training, as part of the training on suicide 
        awareness and prevention conducted throughout the Department of 
        Defense, on the preventative resources described in paragraphs 
        (1) and (2).
    (b) Duration.--The Secretary of Defense shall carry out the pilot 
program under this section for a two-year period.
    (c) Scope.--The Secretary of Defense shall determine the 
appropriate scope of individuals participating in the pilot program 
under this section to best represent each Armed Force and to ensure a 
relevant sample size.
    (d) Identification of Other Resources.--In carrying out the pilot 
program under this section, the Secretary of Defense shall coordinate 
with the Director of the Defense Health Agency and the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to identify other useful technology-related resources 
for use in the pilot program.
    (e) Report.--Not later than 30 days after the date on which the 
pilot program under this section terminates, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of 
Representatives and the Senate a report on the pilot program, including 
recommendations by the Secretary relating to expanding the scope of 
future pilot programs to include members of the Armed Forces who do not 
possess covered devices.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``covered device'' means a smart device 
        (including a mobile phone) that is issued to an individual by 
        the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of an Armed Force.
            (2) The term ``Veterans Crisis Line'' means the toll-free 
        hotline for veterans established under section 1720F(h) of 
        title 38, United States Code.
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