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134 STAT. 851
PUBLIC LAW 116–177—OCT. 20, 2020
Public Law 116–177
116th Congress
An Act
To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct an assessment
of all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement between Under
Secretary of Health and non-Department of Veterans Affairs entities relating
to suicide prevention and mental health services.
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 ‘‘Veterans’ Care Quality Trans-
parency Act’’.
SEC. 2. COMPTROLLER GENERAL ASSESSMENT OF MEMORANDA OF
UNDERSTANDING
AND
MEMORANDA
OF
AGREEMENT
BETWEEN UNDER SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND NON-
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ENTITIES RELATING
TO SUICIDE PREVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
(a) ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 270 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United
States shall conduct an assessment of the effectiveness of all memo-
randa of understanding and memoranda of agreement entered into
by the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health and a non-
Department of Veterans Affairs entity relating to—
(1) suicide prevention activities and outreach; and
(2) the provision or coordination of mental health services
during the 5-year period preceding the date of the enactment
of this Act.
(b) CONTENTS OF ASSESSMENT.—The assessment required by
subsection (a) shall include an assessment of—
(1) the size of the catchment area of each such entity;
(2) the staffing structures of such entities;
(3) any accreditation or licensure any such entity has
obtained in relation to the services the entity provides;
(4) any variances in the subpopulations of veterans served
by such entities;
(5) any limitations any such entity may face in carrying
out its obligations under the memorandum of understanding
or memorandum of agreement;
(6) the extent to which the Under Secretary provides over-
sight and tracks outcomes of such entities;
(7) any variations in the structure or requirements of the
memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement;
(8) a breakdown of the percentage of such entities that
serve—
(A) women veterans;
Time period.
Deadline.
Veterans’ Care
Quality
Transparency
Act.
Oct. 20, 2020
[H.R. 2372]
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134 STAT. 852
PUBLIC LAW 116–177—OCT. 20, 2020
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2372:
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 116–72 (Comm. on Veterans’ Affairs).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
Vol. 165 (2019): May 21, considered and passed House.
Vol. 166 (2020): Sept. 24, considered and passed Senate.
Æ
(B) minority veterans;
(C) veterans who are over the age of 55;
(D) veterans between the ages of 18 and 34;
(E) veterans who reside in United States insular areas;
and
(F) veterans’ families; and
(9) any measures taken to ensure the secure exchange
of data and information between such entities and the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs.
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 270 days after the
completion of the assessment under subsection (a), the Comptroller
General shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of
the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the results
of the assessment.
Approved October 20, 2020.
Data security.
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