,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #ejbi  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,november #h1        
#bjai,mr4 ,watkins introduced the       
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs   
,a ,,bill  ,to require the ,secretary of
 ,veterans ,affairs to staff each       
medical center of the ,department of    
,veterans ,affairs with at least one    
suicide prevention coordinator1 and for 
other purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this 
,act may be cited as the ,,va ,suicide  
,prevention ,services ,act4  #b4        
,suicide prevention coordinators at     
medical centers of the ,department of   
,veterans ,affairs  7a7 ,in general ,the
 ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall 
ensure that each medical center of the  
,department of ,veterans ,affairs is    
staffed with not fewer than one         
full-time employee whose primary job    
responsibility is serving as a suicide  
prevention coordinator4  7b7            
,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,mental

 health clinician ,the term mental      
health clinician means a psychologist1  
social worker1 marriage and family      
therapist1 or licensed professional     
mental health counselor hired under     
section #gdja7c7 of title #ch1 ,united  
,states ,code1 or a nurse hired under   
section #gdja7a7 of such title4  7#b7   
,suicide prevention coordinator ,the    
term suicide prevention coordinator     
means a mental health clinician who is  
responsible for-- 7,a7 coordinating     
local suicide prevention strategies and 
activities1 including those supporting  
the identification of veterans at a high
 risk of suicide2  7,b7 coordination of 
enhanced care for veterans identified as
 being at a high risk of suicide2 and   
7,c7 suicide prevention education and   
outreach to stakeholders1 including     
health care providers1 veterans1        
caregivers1 families1 and members of the
 community4