,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #ehfg  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,febru>y #ab1         
#bjbj,mr4 ,cisn]os 7= himself & ,mr4    
,ma/7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0    
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'     
,affairs1 & 9 addition to ! ,committees 
on ,arm$ ,s]vices1 & ,en]gy & ,comm]ce1 
= a p]iod to be subsequ5tly det]m9$ by !
 ,speak]1 9 ea* case = consid]ation (   
su* provisions z fall )9 ! jurisdiction 
( ! committee conc]n$  ,a ,,bill  ,to   
direct ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  
to e/abli% or update c]ta9 cl9ical      
practice guidel9es ( ! ,dep>tm5t (      
,vet]ans ,affairs1 & = o!r purposes4    
#a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z 
! ,sett+ ,treatm5t ,options & ,practices
 = ,vet]an ,suicide & ,sub/ance ,abuse  
,act or ! ,,/op ,vet]an ,suicide &      
,sub/ance ,abuse ,act4  #b4 ,e/abli%m5t 
by ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs &      
,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se ( cl9ical practice  
guidel9es = comorbid m5tal heal?        
conditions su* z ,,ptsd1 ,,m/1 &_/or    

,,tbi  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an two ye>s
 aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! 
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 9        
consultation ) ! ,secret>y ( ,def5se & !
 ,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices1  
%all complete ! developm5t ( cl9ical    
practice guidel9es = ! treatm5t (       
po/-traumatic /ress disord]1 milit>y    
sexual trauma1 & traumatic bra9 injury t
 is comorbid ) sub/ance use disord] or  
*ronic pa94  7b7 ,"w gr\p  7#a7         
,e/abli%m5t ,9 c>ry+ out subsection 7a71
 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 !     
,secret>y ( ,def5se1 & ! ,secret>y (    
,heal? & ,human ,s]vices %all create a  
,trauma & ,comorbid ,sub/ance ,use      
,disord] or ,*ronic ,pa9 ,"w ,gr\p 79   
?is section ref]r$ to z ! ,"w ,gr\p74   
7#b7 ,memb]%ip ,! "w gr\p creat$ "u     
p>agraph 7#a7 %all be compris$ (        
individuals t repres5t ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t 
entities & non-,f$]al ,gov]nm5t entities
 ) exp]tise 9 ! areas cov]$ by ! "w     
gr\p1 includ+ ! foll[+3 7,a7 ,academic  
in/itutions t specialize 9 rese>* = !   

treatm5t ( conditions describ$ 9        
subsection 7a74  7,b7 ,! ,national ,c5t]
 = ,po/traumatic ,/ress ,disord] ( !    
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs4  7,c7 ,! 
,(fice ( ! ,assi/ant ,secret>y = ,m5tal 
,heal? & ,sub/ance ,use ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( 
,heal? & ,human ,s]vices4  7#c7         
,relation to o!r "w gr\ps ,! ,"w ,gr\p  
%all be creat$ & conduct$ 9 ! same mann]
 z o!r "w gr\ps = ! developm5t ( cl9ical
 practice guidel9es = ! ,dep>tm5t (     
,vet]ans ,affairs & ! ,dep>tm5t (       
,def5se4  7c7 ,matt]s includ$ ,9        
develop+ ! cl9ical practice guidel9es "u
 subsection 7a71 ! ,"w ,gr\p1 9         
consultation ) ! ,po/ ,traumatic ,/ress 
,disord] ,"w ,gr\p1 ,concussion-m,t,b,i 
,"w ,gr\p1 ,opioid ,!rapy = ,*ronic ,pa9
 ,"w ,gr\p1 & ,sub/ance ,use ,"w ,gr\p1 
%all ensure t ! cl9ical practice        
guidel9es include ! foll[+3 7#a7        
,guidance ) respect to ! foll[+3 7,a7 ,!
 treatm5t ( pati5ts ) po/-traumatic     
/ress disord] :o are also exp]i5c+ a    
sub/ance use disord] or *ronic pa94     

7,b7 ,! treatm5t ( pati5ts exp]i5c+ a   
m5tal heal? condition1 includ+ anxiety1 
depression1 or po/-traumatic /ress      
disord] z a result ( milit>y sexual     
trauma :o are also exp]i5c+ a sub/ance  
use disord] or *ronic pa94  7,c7 ,!     
treatm5t ( pati5ts ) traumatic bra9     
injury :o are also exp]i5c+ a sub/ance  
use disord] or *ronic pa94  7#b7        
,guidance ) respect to ! foll[+3 7,a7   
,appropriate case managem5t = pati5ts   
exp]i5c+ po/-traumatic /ress disord] t  
is comorbid ) sub/ance use disord] or   
*ronic pa9 :o transition f receiv+ c>e  
:ile on active duty 9 ! ,arm$ ,=ces to  
c>e f heal? c>e networks outside ( !    
,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se4  7,b7 ,appropriate 
case managem5t = pati5ts exp]i5c+ a     
m5tal heal? condition1 includ+ anxiety1 
depression1 or po/-traumatic /ress      
disord] z a result ( milit>y sexual     
trauma t is comorbid ) sub/ance use     
disord] or *ronic pa9 :o transition f   
receiv+ c>e :ile on active duty 9 !     
,arm$ ,=ces to c>e f heal? c>e networks 

outside ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se4  7,c7  
,appropriate case managem5t = pati5ts   
exp]i5c+ traumatic bra9 injury t is     
comorbid ) sub/ance use disord] or      
*ronic pa9 :o transition f receiv+ c>e  
:ile on active duty 9 ! ,arm$ ,=ces to  
c>e f heal? c>e networks outside ( !    
,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se4  7#c7 ,guidance )  
respect to ! treatm5t ( pati5ts :o are  
/ill memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces & are       
exp]i5c+ a m5tal heal? condition1       
includ+ anxiety1 depression1 or         
po/-traumatic /ress disord] z a result (
 milit>y sexual trauma t is comorbid )  
sub/ance use disord] or *ronic pa94     
7#d7 ,guidance ) respect to ! assessm5t 
by ! ,national ,academies ( ,sci5ces1   
,eng9e]+1 & ,m$ic9e ( ! pot5tial        
ov]m$ication ( vet]ans1 z requir$       
pursuant to ! ,s5ate report accompany+  
,s4 #aeeg1 #aae? ,congress 7,s5ate      
,report #aae-acj71 "u ! head+           
,ov]prescription ,prev5tion ,report "u !
 head+ ,,committee ,,recomm5dation4  7d7
 ,rule ( con/ruction ,no?+ 9 ?is section

 %all be con/ru$ to prev5t ! ,secret>y (
 ,vet]ans ,affairs & ! ,secret>y (      
,def5se f consid]+ all relevant evid5ce1
 z appropriate1 9 creat+ ! cl9ical      
practice guidel9es requir$ "u subsection
 7a7 or f ensur+ t ! f9al cl9ical       
practice guidel9es develop$ "u su*      
subsection & subsequ5tly updat$1 z      
appropriate1 rema9 applicable to !      
pati5t populations ( ! ,dep>tm5t (      
,vet]ans ,affairs & ! ,dep>tm5t (       
,def5se4  #c4 ,update ( cl9ical practice
 guidel9es = assessm5t & managem5t (    
pati5ts at risk = suicide by tak+ into  
consid]ation g5d]- & age-specific risk  
factors & g5d]- & age-specific treatm5t 
efficacy ( ph>maco!rapy & psy*o!rapy    
7a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an two ye>s aft] !
 date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !        
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs & !       
,secret>y ( ,def5se1 ?r\gh ! ,assessm5t 
& ,managem5t ( ,pati5ts at ,risk =      
,suicide ,"w ,gr\p 79 ?is section ref]r$
 to z ! ,"w ,gr\p71 %all issue an update
 to ! ,,va_/,,dod ,cl9ical ,practice    

,guidel9e = ,assessm5t & ,managem5t (   
,pati5ts at ,risk = ,suicide4  7b7      
,matt]s includ$ ,9 c>ry+ out ! update "u
 subsection 7a71 ! ,"w ,gr\p %all ensure
 t ! cl9ical practice guidel9es updat$  
"u su* subsection includes ! foll[+3    
7#a7 ,enhanc$ guidance ) respect to !   
foll[+3 7,a7 ,g5d]- & age-specific risk 
factors = suicide & suicidal ideation4  
7,b7 ,g5d]- & age-specific treatm5t     
efficacy = depression & suicide         
prev5tion4  7,c7 ,g5d]- & age-specific  
ph>maco!rapy efficacy4  7,d7 ,g5d]- &   
age-specific psy*o!rapy efficacy4  7#b7 
,guidance ) respect to ! efficacy (     
alt]native !rapies1 o!r ?an psy*o!rapy &
 ph>maco!rapy1 includ+ ! foll[+3 7,a7   
,yoga !rapy4  7,b7 ,m$itation !rapy4    
7,c7 ,equ9e !rapy4  7,d7 ,o!r animal    
!rapy4  7,e7 ,tra9+ & c>+ = s]vice dogs4
  7,f7 ,agri-!rapy4  7,g7 ,art !rapy4   
7,h7 ,outdoor sports !rapy4  7,i7 ,music
 !rapy4  7,j7 ,any o!r alt]native !rapy 
t ! ,"w ,gr\p consid]s appropriate4     
7#c7 ,guidance ) respect to ! f9d+s ( ! 

,creat+ ,options = ,vet]ans' ,exp$it$   
,recov]y ,commission 7commonly ref]r$ to
 z ! ,,cov] ,commission7 e/abli%$ "u    
section #ica ( ! ,jason ,simcakoski     
,memorial & ,promise ,act 7title ,,ix ( 
,public ,law #aad-aih2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4    
#agja note74  7c7 ,rule ( con/ruction   
,no?+ 9 ?is section %all be con/ru$ to  
prev5t ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs &
 ! ,secret>y ( ,def5se f consid]+ all   
relevant evid5ce1 z appropriate1 9      
updat+ ! ,,va_/,,dod ,cl9ical ,practice 
,guidel9e = ,assessm5t & ,managem5t (   
,pati5ts at ,risk = ,suicide1 z requir$ 
"u subsection 7a71 or f ensur+ t ! f9al 
cl9ical practice guidel9es updat$ "u su*
 subsection rema9 applicable to ! pati5t
 populations ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans   
,affairs & ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se4