Access to Suicide Prevention Coordinators Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 8033 To improve the ability of veterans to access suicide prevention coordinators of the Department of Veterans Affairs. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AUGUST 14, 2020 Mr. BRINDISI (for himself, Mr. BOST, and Mr. BANKS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To improve the ability of veterans to access suicide preven- tion coordinators of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Access to Suicide Pre- 4 vention Coordinators Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. SUICIDE PREVENTION COORDINATORS. 6 (a) STAFFING REQUIREMENT.—Beginning not later 7 than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 8 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall— 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:34 Aug 29, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8033.IH H8033 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 8033 IH (1) ensure that each medical center of the De- 1 partment of Veterans Affairs has no fewer than one 2 full-time employee whose primary job responsibility 3 is serving as a suicide prevention coordinator; 4 (2) ensure that all Department medical centers 5 report to the Office of Mental Health and Suicide 6 Prevention of the Department regarding their hiring 7 plans to reach the number of recommended suicide 8 prevention coordinators based on the current staff- 9 ing model; and 10 (3) consider and implement findings from the 11 assessment of the Comptroller General of the United 12 States of the responsibilities, workload, and vacancy 13 rates for suicide prevention coordinators, as required 14 under section 2 of the Support for Suicide Preven- 15 tion Coordinators Act (Public Law 116–96). 16 (b) STUDY ON REORGANIZATION.— 17 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year 18 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec- 19 retary, in consultation with the Office of Mental 20 Health and Suicide Prevention of the Department, 21 shall commence the conduct of a study to determine 22 the feasibility and advisability of— 23 (A) the realignment and reorganization of 24 suicide prevention coordinators within the Of- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:34 Aug 29, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8033.IH H8033 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 8033 IH fice of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention; 1 and 2 (B) the creation of a suicide prevention co- 3 ordinator program office. 4 (2) PROGRAM OFFICE REALIGNMENT.—In con- 5 ducting the study under paragraph (1), the Sec- 6 retary shall assess the feasibility of advisability of, 7 within the suicide prevention coordinator program 8 office described in paragraph (1)(B), aligning suicide 9 prevention coordinators and case managers within 10 the organizational structure and chart of the Suicide 11 Prevention Program of the Department, with the Di- 12 rector of the Suicide Prevention program having ul- 13 timate supervisory oversight and responsibility over 14 the suicide prevention coordinator program office. 15 (c) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the com- 16 pletion of the study under subsection (b), the Secretary 17 shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 18 Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 19 House of Representatives a report on such study, includ- 20 ing the following: 21 (1) An assessment of the feasibility and advis- 22 ability of creating a suicide prevention coordinator 23 program office to oversee and monitor suicide pre- 24 vention coordinators and suicide prevention case 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:34 Aug 29, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8033.IH H8033 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 8033 IH managers across all medical centers of the Depart- 1 ment. 2 (2) A review of current staffing ratios for sui- 3 cide prevention coordinators and suicide prevention 4 case managers in comparison with current staffing 5 ratios for mental health providers within each med- 6 ical center of the Department. 7 (3) A description of the duties and responsibil- 8 ities for suicide prevention coordinators across the 9 Department to better define, delineate, and stand- 10 ardize qualifications, performance goals, perform- 11 ance duties, and performance outcomes for suicide 12 prevention coordinators and suicide prevention case 13 managers. 14 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:34 Aug 29, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H8033.IH H8033 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS