[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5181 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5181
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make certain
improvements relating to mental health and suicide prevention outreach
to minority veterans and American Indian and Alaska Native veterans,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 5, 2022
Mr. Tester (for himself and Mr. Moran) 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 make certain
improvements relating to mental health and suicide prevention outreach
to minority veterans and American Indian and Alaska Native veterans,
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 ``American Indian and Alaska Native
Veterans Mental Health Act''.
SEC. 2. MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION OUTREACH TO MINORITY
VETERANS AND AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE VETERANS.
(a) Staffing Requirement.--Beginning not later than 90 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall ensure that each medical center of the Department of
Veterans Affairs has not fewer than one full-time employee whose
responsibility is serving as a minority veteran coordinator.
(b) Training.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the Director
of the Indian Health Service and the Director of the Office of Mental
Health and Suicide Prevention of the Department of Veterans Affairs,
shall ensure that all minority veteran coordinators receive training in
delivery of mental health and suicide prevention services culturally
appropriate for American Indian and Alaska Native veterans, especially
with respect to the populations and Indian Tribes identified within the
catchment area served by each such coordinator.
(c) Coordination With Suicide Prevention Coordinators.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with
the Director of the Office of Mental Health and Suicide
Prevention of the Department, shall ensure that the suicide
prevention coordinator and minority veteran coordinator of each
medical center of the Department have developed and
disseminated to the director of the medical center a written
plan for conducting mental health and suicide prevention
outreach to all Indian Tribes and Urban Indian organizations
within the catchment area of the medical center.
(2) Elements of plan.--Each plan required under paragraph
(1) shall include for each Indian Tribe covered by the plan--
(A) contact information for leadership of the
Indian Tribe and the Tribal health facility or facility
of the Indian Health Service serving the Indian Tribe;
(B) a schedule for and list of outreach plans
(including plans addressing any barriers to accessing
mental health care from the Department);
(C) documentation of any conversation with leaders
of the Indian Tribe that may guide culturally
appropriate delivery of mental health care to American
Indian or Alaska Native veterans;
(D) documentation of any progress in incorporating
traditional healing practices into mental health and
suicide prevention protocols and options available for
veterans who are members of such Indian Tribe; and
(E) documentation of any coordination among the
Department of Veterans Affairs, the Indian Health
Service, Urban Indian organizations, and the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the
Department of Health and Human Services for the purpose
of improving suicide prevention efforts tailored to
veterans who are members of such Indian Tribe and the
provision of culturally competent mental health care to
such veterans.
(d) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report
on outreach efforts to minority veterans and American Indian
and Alaska Native veterans.
(2) Elements.--The report required under paragraph (1)
shall include each of the following:
(A) The number of minority veteran coordinators
within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(B) The number and percentage of minority veteran
coordinators who are women.
(C) The number and percentage of minority veteran
coordinators who are persons of color.
(D) The number and percentage of medical centers of
the Department with a minority veteran coordinator.
(E) The number and percentage of mental health
providers of the Department who are enrolled members of
an Indian Tribe or self-identify as Native American.
(F) The number and percentage of mental health
providers of the Department who speak a second
language.
(G) A review of the outreach plans developed and
submitted to all medical centers of the Department for
outreach to American Indian and Alaska Native veterans.
(H) An annual review of mental health care provided
by the Department to American Indian and Alaska Native
veterans during the three-year period preceding the
date of the report, including the number of
appointments for such care and an assessment of any
barriers to providing such care.
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the
meaning given that term in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304(e)).
(2) Urban indian organization.--The term ``Urban Indian
organization'' has the meaning given that term in section 4 of
the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603).
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