[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1277 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1277
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update the Lethal Means
Safety and Suicide Prevention training course of the Department of
Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 21, 2021
Mr. Blumenthal (for himself and Mr. Sanders) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update the Lethal Means
Safety and Suicide Prevention training course of the Department of
Veterans Affairs, 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 ``Lethal Means Safety Training Act''.
SEC. 2. SUICIDE RISK MANAGEMENT AND PREVENTION AND LETHAL MEANS
TRAINING.
(a) In General.--
(1) Initial update.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs, in consultation with individuals and entities
described in subsection (c), shall update the Lethal Means
Safety and Suicide Prevention training course of the Department
of Veterans Affairs to ensure that it is culturally appropriate
and uses best practices identified by appropriate subject
matter experts.
(2) Subsequent updates.--Not less frequently than once each
year, the Secretary shall update the training course described
in paragraph (1) as appropriate, taking into consideration best
practices, and publish a report on the internet website of the
Department that includes the percentage of individuals in each
category described in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of
subsection (b) who completed such training during the year
covered by the report.
(b) Training.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall require each employee
described in paragraph (2) to take the most recently updated
version of the training course described in subsection (a)(1)--
(A) not later than 90 days after the date such
employee is initially hired by the Department; and
(B) at least once every year thereafter.
(2) Covered employee.--An employee described in this
paragraph is any of the following:
(A) An employee of the Veterans Health
Administration or Veterans Benefits Administration who
regularly interacts with veterans in the course of
performing the responsibilities of the employee.
(B) A compensation and pension examiner, including
an employee of a contractor of the Department who
performs compensation and pension examinations.
(C) An employee of a Vet Center or vocational
rehabilitation facility.
(3) Community care providers.--As a condition of furnishing
care through a non-Department provider under section 1703 of
title 38, United States Code, the Secretary shall require any
employee of such provider who provides such care to take the
most recently updated version of the training course described
in subsection (a)(1)--
(A) not later than 90 days after the date on which
the Secretary first agrees to furnish any such care
through such provider; and
(B) at least once every year thereafter.
(4) Caregivers.--As a condition of providing support to a
caregiver under section 1720G of title 38, United States Code,
the Secretary shall require the caregiver to take the most
recently updated version of the training course described in
subsection (a)--
(A) not later than 90 days after the date on which
the caregiver first receives support under such
section; and
(B) at least once every year thereafter.
(c) Individuals and Entities Described.--The individuals and
entities described in this subsection are the following:
(1) The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in
consultation with the Director of the National Institute of
Mental Health, the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration, and the heads of such
other Federal agencies as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
considers appropriate.
(2) Experts in the assessment, treatment, and management of
individuals at risk for suicide.
(3) Such professional associations as the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs considers appropriate.
(4) Federal firearms license dealers and instructors.
(5) Experts in lethal means safety counseling practice and
education.
(6) Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical
Centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(7) Veterans service organizations.
(d) Public Availability.--The Secretary shall make the training
course described in subsection (a) publicly available on an internet
website of the Department.
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Vet center.--The term ``Vet Center'' has the meaning
given that term in section 1712A(h) of title 38, United States
Code.
(2) Veterans service organization.--The term ``veterans
service organization'' means an organization recognized by the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the representation of
veterans under section 5902 of title 38, United States Code.
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