,,ii  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #bicj  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,november #ag1 
#bjad,mr4 ,mc,cain 7for himself1 ,mr4   
,burr1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,blunt1   
,mr4 ,manchin1 and ,ms4 ,murkowski7     
introduced the following bill2 which was
 read twice and referred to the         
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs  ,a   
,,bill  ,to direct the ,secretary of    
,defense and the ,secretary of ,veterans
 ,affairs to provide for the conduct of 
an evaluation of mental health care and 
suicide prevention programs of the      
,department of ,defense and the         
,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 to   
require a pilot program on loan         
repayment for psychiatrists who agree to
 serve in the ,veterans ,health         
,administration of the ,department of   
,veterans ,affairs1 and for other       
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,clay ,hunt ,suicide
 ,prevention for ,american ,veterans    
,act or the ,clay ,hunt ,,sav ,act4  #b4

 ,evaluation of mental health care and  
suicide prevention programs of          
,department of ,veterans ,affairs and   
,department of ,defense  7a7 ,evaluation
  7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary      
concerned shall provide for the conduct 
of an evaluation of the mental health   
care and suicide prevention programs    
carried out under the laws administered 
by such ,secretary4  7#b7 ,elements     
,each evaluation conducted under        
paragraph 7#a7 shall-- 7,a7 use metrics 
that are common among and useful for    
practitioners in the field of mental    
health care and suicide prevention2     
7,b7 evaluate the effectiveness of each 
mental health care and suicide          
prevention program conducted by the     
,secretary concerned1 including such    
programs conducted at a ,center of      
,excellence2  7,c7 identify the most    
effective and least effective of the    
programs evaluated under subparagraph   
7,b72  7,d7 include recommendations on  
which programs evaluated under          

subparagraph 7,b7 can be eliminated or  
consolidated and which programs can     
benefit from additional resources2 and  
7,e7 propose best practices for caring  
for individuals who suffer from mental  
health disorders or are at risk of      
suicide4  7#c7 ,third party  7,a7 ,in   
general ,each evaluation provided for   
under paragraph 7#a7 shall be conducted 
by an independent third party           
unaffiliated with the ,department of    
,veterans ,affairs and the ,department  
of ,defense4  7,b7 ,submittal of        
evaluation ,an independent third party  
that conducts an evaluation provided for
 under paragraph 7#a7 shall submit to   
the ,secretary concerned the evaluation 
of the mental health care and suicide   
prevention programs carried out under   
the laws administered by such           
,secretary4  7#d7 ,report ,not later    
than one year after the date of the     
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
concerned shall submit to the           
appropriate committees of ,congress a   

report that contains the evaluation     
submitted to the ,secretary under       
paragraph 7#c77;,b74  7b7 ,definitions  
,in this section3 7#a7 ,appropriate     
committees of ,congress ,the term       
appropriate committees of ,congress     
means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,armed   
,services and the ,committee on         
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate2 and 
7,b7 the ,committee on ,armed ,services 
and the ,committee on ,veterans'        
,affairs of the ,house of               
,representatives4  7#b7 ,secretary      
concerned ,the term ,secretary concerned
 means-- 7,a7 the ,secretary of         
,veterans ,affairs with respect to      
matters concerning the ,department of   
,veterans ,affairs2 and  7,b7 the       
,secretary of ,defense with respect to  
matters concerning the ,department of   
,defense4  #c4 ,publication of ,internet
 website to provide information         
regarding mental health care services   
7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of      
,veterans ,affairs shall publish an     

,internet website that serves as a      
centralized source to provide veterans  
with information regarding all of the   
mental health care services provided by 
the ,secretary4  7b7 ,elements ,the     
,internet website published under       
subsection 7a7 shall provide to veterans
 information regarding all of the mental
 health care services available under   
the laws administered by the ,secretary1
 disaggregated by ,veterans ,integrated 
,service ,network1 including1 with      
respect to each medical center and      
community-based outpatient center-- 7#a7
 the name and contact information of    
each social work office2  7#b7 the name 
and contact information of each mental  
health clinic2  7#c7 a list of all staff
 who carry out tasks related to the     
provision of mental health care         
services2 and  7#d7 any other           
information the ,secretary determines   
appropriate4  7c7 ,updated information  
,the ,secretary shall ensure that the   
information described in subsection 7b7 

that is published on the ,internet      
website under subsection 7a7 is updated 
not less than once every #ij days4  7d7 
,outreach ,in carrying out this section1
 the ,secretary shall ensure that the   
outreach conducted under section        
#agbj;,f7i7 of title #ch1 ,united       
,states ,code1 includes information     
regarding the ,internet website         
published under subsection 7a74  #d4    
,improvements to health care matters    
7a7 ,reserve components and ,department 
of ,veterans ,affairs ,the ,secretary of
 ,veterans ,affairs and the ,secretary  
of ,defense1 in consultation with the   
,chief of the ,national ,guard ,bureau1 
shall enter into formal strategic       
relationships between the ,joint ,forces
 ,headquarters of each ,state regional  
commands of the reserve components of   
the ,armed ,forces and the ,veterans    
,service ,integrated ,network1 medical  
facilities of the ,department of        
,veterans ,affairs1 and other local     
offices of the ,department of ,veterans 

,affairs located in or serving the      
,state with respect to facilitating--   
7#a7 the mental health referrals of     
members of the reserve components of the
 ,armed ,forces who have a              
service-connected disability and are    
being discharged or released from the   
,armed ,forces2  7#b7 timely behavioral 
health services for such members2  7#c7 
communication between the various       
entities when such members are at risk  
for behavioral health reasons2 and  7#d7
 the transfer of documentation for line 
of duty and fitness for duty            
determinations4  7b7 ,comptroller       
,general report on transition of care   
7#a7 ,in general ,not later than ,april 
#a1 #bjae1 the ,comptroller ,general of 
the ,united ,states shall submit to the 
congressional defense committees 7as    
defined in section #aja7;a77#af7 of     
title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code71 the  
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,senate1 and the ,committee on         
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    

,representatives a report that assesses 
the transition of care for              
post-traumatic stress disorder or       
traumatic brain injury4  7#b7 ,matters  
included ,the report under paragraph    
7#a7 shall include the following3 7,a7  
,the programs1 policies1 and regulations
 that affect the transition of care for 
post-traumatic stress disorder or       
traumatic brain injury1 particularly    
with respect to individuals who are     
taking or have been prescribed          
antidepressants1 stimulants1            
antipsychotics1 mood stabilizers1       
anxiolytics1 depressants1 or            
hallucinogens4  7,b7 ,upon transitioning
 to care furnished by the ,secretary of 
,veterans ,affairs1 the extent to which 
the pharmaceutical treatment plan of an 
individual changes and the factors      
determining such changes4  7,c7 ,the    
extent to which the ,secretary of       
,defense and the ,secretary of ,veterans
 ,affairs have worked together to       
identify and apply best pharmaceutical  

treatment practices4  7,d7 ,a           
description of the off-formulary waiver 
process of the ,secretary of ,veterans  
,affairs1 and the extent to which the   
process is applied efficiently at the   
treatment level4  7,e7 ,the benefits and
 challenges of combining the formularies
 across the ,department of ,defense and 
the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs4  
7,f7 ,such other issues as the          
,comptroller ,general considers         
appropriate4  7#c7 ,transition of care  
defined ,in this subsection1 the term   
transition of care means the transition 
of an individual from receiving         
treatment furnished by the ,secretary of
 ,defense to treatment furnished by the 
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs4  #e4  
,pilot program for repayment of         
educational loans for certain           
psychiatrists of ,veterans ,health      
,administration  7a7 ,in general ,the   
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
carry out a pilot program to repay loans
 of individuals described in subsection 

7b7 that-- 7#a7 were used by such       
individuals to finance the educational  
expenses of such individuals relating to
 psychiatric medicine1 including        
education leading to-- 7,a7 an          
undergraduate degree2  7,b7 a degree of 
doctor of medicine2 or  7,c7 a degree of
 doctor of osteopathy2 and  7#b7 were   
obtained from any of the following3 7,a7
 ,a governmental entity4  7,b7 ,a       
private financial institution4  7,c7 ,an
 institution of higher education4  7,d7 
,any other entity as specified the      
,secretary for purposes of the pilot    
program4  7b7 ,eligible individuals     
7#a7 ,in general ,subject to paragraph  
7#b71 an individual eligible for        
participation in the pilot program is an
 individual who-- 7,a7 either-- 7i7 is  
licensed or eligible for licensure to   
practice psychiatric medicine in the    
,veterans ,health ,administration of the
 ,department of ,veterans ,affairs2 or  
7ii7 is enrolled in the final year of a 
residency program leading to a specialty

 qualification in psychiatric medicine  
that is approved by the ,accreditation  
,council for ,graduate ,medical         
,education2 and  7,b7 demonstrates a    
commitment to a long-term career as a   
psychiatrist in the ,veterans ,health   
,administration1 as determined by the   
,secretary4  7#b7 ,prohibition on       
simultaneous eligibility ,an individual 
who is participating in any other       
program of the ,federal ,government that
 repays the educational loans of the    
individual is not eligible to           
participate in the pilot program4  7c7  
,selection ,the ,secretary shall select 
not less than #aj individuals described 
in subsection 7b7 to participate in the 
pilot program for each year in which the
 ,secretary carries out the pilot       
program4  7d7 ,period of obligated      
service ,the ,secretary shall enter into
 an agreement with each individual      
selected under subsection 7c7 in which  
such individual agrees to serve a period
 of obligated service for the ,veterans 

,health ,administration in the field of 
psychiatric medicine1 as determined by  
the ,secretary for purposes of the pilot
 program1 in exchange for the repayment 
of the loan or loans of such individual 
under the pilot program4  7e7 ,loan     
,repayments  7#a7 ,amounts ,subject to  
paragraph 7#b71 a loan repayment under  
this section may consist of payment of  
the principal1 interest1 and related    
expenses of a loan obtained by an       
individual who is participating in the  
pilot program for all educational       
expenses 7including tuition1 fees1      
books1 and laboratory expenses7 of such 
individual relating to education        
described in subsection 7a77#a74  7#b7  
,limit ,for each year of obligated      
service that an individual who is       
participating in the pilot program      
agrees to serve under subsection 7d71   
the ,secretary may pay not more than    
#abj1jjj in loan repayment on behalf of 
such individual4  7f7 ,breach  7#a7     
,liability ,an individual who           

participates in the pilot program and   
fails to satisfy the period of obligated
 service under subsection 7d7 shall be  
liable to the ,united ,states1 in lieu  
of such obligated service1 for the      
amount that has been paid or is payable 
to or on behalf of the individual under 
the pilot program1 reduced by the       
proportion that the number of days      
served for completion of the period of  
obligated service bears to the total    
number of days in the period of         
obligated service of such individual4   
7#b7 ,repayment period ,any amount of   
damages that the ,united ,states is     
entitled to recover under this          
subsection shall be paid to the ,united 
,states not later than one year after   
the date of the breach of the agreement4
  7g7 ,reports  7#a7 ,initial report    
7,a7 ,in general ,not later than two    
years after the date on which the pilot 
program under subsection 7a7 commences1 
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 the pilot  
program4  7,b7 ,elements ,the report    
required by subparagraph 7,a7 shall     
include the following3 7i7 ,the number  
of individuals who participated in the  
pilot program4  7ii7 ,the locations in  
which such individuals were employed by 
the ,department1 including how many such
 locations were rural or urban          
locations4  7iii7 ,an assessment of the 
quality of the work performed by such   
individuals in the course of such       
employment4  7iv7 ,the number of        
psychiatrists the ,secretary determines 
is needed by the ,department in the     
future4  7#b7 ,interim report ,not later
 than #ij days after the date on which  
the pilot program terminates under      
subsection 7i71 the ,secretary shall    
submit to the ,committee on ,veterans'  
,affairs of the ,senate and the         
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,house of ,representatives an update to

 the report submitted under paragraph   
7#a74  7#c7 ,final report ,not later    
than one year after the date on which   
the pilot program terminates under      
subsection 7i71 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    
specifying the number of individuals who
 participated in the pilot who are still
 employed by the ,department as of the  
date of submittal of the report4  7h7   
,regulations ,the ,secretary shall      
prescribe regulations to carry out this 
section1 including standards for        
qualified loans and authorized payees   
and other terms and conditions for the  
making of loan repayments4  7i7         
,termination ,the authority to carry out
 the pilot program shall expire on the  
date that is three years after the date 
on which the ,secretary commences the   
pilot program4  #f4 ,review of staffing 
requirements for ,state ,directors of   

,psychological ,health  7a7 ,in general 
,not later than #edj days after the date
 of the enactment of this ,act1 the     
,secretary of ,defense shall submit to  
the appropriate committees of ,congress 
a report detailing the results of a     
review1 conducted in coordination with  
the ,chief of the ,national ,guard      
,bureau1 of the staffing requirements   
for individual ,state ,national ,guard  
,commands with respect to ,directors of 
,psychological ,health4  7b7            
,appropriate committees of ,congress    
defined ,in this section1 the term      
appropriate committees of ,congress     
means-- 7#a7 the ,committee on ,armed   
,services and the ,committee on         
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate2 and 
7#b7 the ,committee on ,armed ,services 
and the ,committee on ,veterans'        
,affairs of the ,house of               
,representatives4  #g4 ,collaboration on
 suicide prevention efforts between the 
,department of ,veterans ,affairs and   
non-profit mental health organizations  

7a7 ,collaboration ,the ,secretary of   
,veterans ,affairs may collaborate with 
non-profit mental health organizations  
to prevent suicide among veterans as    
follows3 7#a7 ,to improve the efficiency
 and effectiveness of suicide prevention
 efforts carried out by the ,department 
of ,veterans ,affairs and non-profit    
mental health organizations4  7#b7 ,to  
assist non-profit mental health         
organizations with the suicide          
prevention efforts of those             
organizations through the use of the    
expertise of employees of the           
,department4  7#c7 ,to jointly carry out
 suicide prevention efforts4  7b7       
,exchange of resources ,in carrying out 
any collaboration under subsection 7a71 
the ,secretary and any non-profit mental
 health organization with which the     
,secretary is collaborating under such  
subsection shall exchange training      
sessions1 best practices1 and other     
resources to help with the suicide      
prevention efforts of the ,department   

and such organization4  7c7 ,director of
 ,suicide ,prevention ,coordination ,the
 ,secretary shall select within the     
,department a ,director of ,suicide     
,prevention ,coordination to undertake  
any collaboration with non-profit mental
 health organizations under this section
 or any other provision of law4