,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #dbij  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,septemb] #aa1        
#bjai,ms4 ,jackson ,lee 7= h]self1 ,mr4 
,fitzpatrick1 ,ms4 ,br[nley ( ,cali=nia1
 ,mr4 ,br[n ( ,m>yl&1 & ,mr4 ,banks7    
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a 
,,bill  ,to direct ! ,secret>y (        
,vet]ans ,affairs to designate a week z 
,battle ,buddy ,*eck ,week = ! purpose (
 outrea* & education conc]n+ pe]        
wellness *ecks = vet]ans1 & = o!r       
purposes4  #a4 ,f9d+s2 s5se ( ,congress 
7a7 ,f9d+s ,congress makes ! foll[+     
f9d+s3 7#a7 ,! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs is ! ,f$]al ag5cy *>g$ ) manag+
 b5efits & heal? c>e = ! ,nation's      
vet]ans4  7#b7 ,9 rec5t ye>s1 !         
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs made !    
prev5tion ( vet]an suicide among !      
highe/ priorities ( ! ,dep>tm5t & has   
develop$ data models to cont9ually      
improve & tailor suicide prev5tion      
/rategies & initiatives4  7#c7 ,among ! 

rec5t suicide prev5tion initiatives     
are-- 7,a7 an exp&$ ,vet]ans ,crisis    
,l9e to ?ree call c5t]s2  7,b7 laun*+ ! 
,s4,a4,v4,e4 suicide prev5tion tra9+    
video2  7,c7 implem5t+ ! ,mayor's       
,*all5ge1 :i* engages local elect$      
(ficials 9 vet]an suicide prev5tion2 &  
7,d7 p>tn]+ ) ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se & ! 
,dep>tm5t ( ,homel& ,security to support
 vet]ans dur+ _! transition f milit>y to
 civilian life4  7b7 ,s5se ( ,congress  
,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t ! ,dep>tm5t (
 ,vet]ans ,affairs %\ld-- 7#a7 rema9    
focus$ on scre5+ transition+ memb]s ( ! 
,arm$ ,=ces = factors associat$ )       
suicide & provid+ treatm5t & o!r s]vices
 ne$$ to r$uce suicides2  7#b7 und]take 
suicide prev5tion ?r\gh a multi-prong$  
/rategy t addresses ! _m factors t are  
kn[n to contribute to suicide2  7#c7    
cont9ue to reg>d suicide prev5tion z "o 
( ! highe/ priorities ( ! ,dep>tm5t2 &  
7#d7 provide guidance to o!r ag5cies &  
vet]an s]vice organizations on ! factors
 t are associat$ ) suicide4  #b4        

,designation ( ,battle ,buddy ,*eck     
,week by ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  
7a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans    
,affairs %all designate "o week p] ye>  
to organize outrea* ev5ts & educate     
vet]ans on h[ to conduct pe] wellness   
*ecks1 :i* %all be kn[n z ,battle ,buddy
 ,*eck ,week4  7b7 ,ev5ts & education   
7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,dur+ ,battle ,buddy ,*eck
 ,week1 ! ,secret>y1 9 consultation )   
organizations t repres5t vet]ans1       
non-pr(its t s]ve vet]ans1 m5tal heal?  
exp]ts1 memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces1 & su*   
o!r entities & individuals z ! ,secret>y
 consid]s appropriate1 %all collaborate 
) organizations t repres5t vet]ans to   
provide educational opportunities =     
vet]ans to le>n h[ to conduct pe]       
wellness *ecks4  7#b7 ,tra9+ matt]s ,z  
"p ( ! educational opportunities provid$
 "u p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,secret>y %all     
provide ! foll[+3  7,a7 ,a script =     
vet]ans to use to conduct pe] wellness  
*ecks t includes in=mation on           
appropriate ref]rals to res\rces vet]ans

 might ne$4  7,b7 ,onl9e & 9-p]son      
tra9+1 z appropriate1 on h[ to conduct a
 pe] wellness *eck4  7,c7 ,opportunities
 = memb]s ( organizations t repres5t    
vet]ans to le>n h[ to tra9 individuals  
to conduct pe] wellness *ecks4  7,d7    
,tra9+ = vet]ans p>ticipat+ 9 ,battle   
,buddy ,*eck ,week on h[ to transf] a   
phone call directly to ! ,vet]ans       
,crisis ,l9e4  7,e7 ,resili5cy tra9+ =  
vet]ans p>ticipat+ 9 ,battle ,buddy     
,*eck ,week on h&l+ a vet]an 9 crisis4  
7#c7 ,onl9e mat]ials ,all tra9+ mat]ials
 provid$ "u ! educational opportunities 
"u p>agraph 7#a7 %all be made available 
on a website ( ! ,dep>tm5t4  7c7        
,outrea* ,! ,secret>y1 9 collaboration )
 organizations t repres5t vet]ans1 may  
conduct outrea* reg>d+ educational      
opportunities "u subsection 7b7 at--    
7#a7 public ev5ts :]e _m vet]ans are    
expect$ to congregate2  7#b7 meet+s (   
organizations t repres5t vet]ans2  7#c7 
facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs2 &  7#d7 su* o!r locations z ! 

,secret>y1 9 collaboration )            
organizations t repres5t vet]ans1       
consid]s appropriate4  7d7 ,vet]ans     
,crisis ,l9e plan  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,!     
,secret>y %all ensure t ! ,vet]ans      
,crisis ,l9e has a plan = h&l+ !        
pot5tial increase ( calls t may occur   
dur+ ,battle ,buddy ,*eck ,week4  7#b7  
,submittal ( plan ,! head ( ! ,vet]ans  
,crisis ,l9e %all submit to ! ,secret>y 
a plan = h[ to h&le excess calls dur+   
,battle ,buddy ,*eck ,week1 :i* may     
include ! foll[+3  7,a7 ,additional h\rs
 = /aff4  7,b7 ,! use ( a backup call   
c5t]4  7,c7 ,any o!r plan to ensure t   
calls f vet]ans 9 crisis are be+ answ]$ 
9 a timely mann] by an individual tra9$ 
at ! same level z a ,vet]ans ,crisis    
,l9e respond]4  7e7 ,vet]ans ,crisis    
,l9e def9$ ,9 ?is section1 ! t]m        
,vet]ans ,crisis ,l9e means ! toll-free 
hotl9e = vet]ans e/abli%$ "u section    
#agbj;,f7h7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates  
,code4