,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #hajg  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,augu/ #be1 #bjbj,mr4 
,lev9 ( ,mi*igan 7= himself & ,mr4      
,/iv]s7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0  
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'     
,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to direct !       
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to submit 
to ,congress a report on ef=ts by       
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to        
implem5t safety plann+ 9 em]g5cy        
dep>tm5ts1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort 
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,,va    
,em]g5cy ,dep>tm5t ,safety ,plann+ ,act4
  #b4 ,report on ef=ts by ,dep>tm5t (   
,vet]ans ,affairs to implem5t safety    
plann+ 9 em]g5cy dep>tm5ts  7a7 ,f9d+s  
,congress makes ! foll[+ f9d+s3 7#a7 ,! 
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs mu/ be m  
effective 9 its approa* to r$uc+ ! burd5
 ( vet]an suicide connect$ to m5tal     
heal? diagnoses1 to include expansion ( 
treatm5t deliv]$ via teleheal? me?ods & 
9 rural areas4  7#b7 ,an innovative     
project1 kn[n z ,suicide ,assessm5t &   

,foll[-up ,engagem5t3 ,vet]an ,em]g5cy  
,treatm5t 79 ?is subsection ref]r$ to z 
,,safe ,,vet71 0 design$ to help        
suicidal vet]ans se5 at em]g5cy         
dep>tm5ts )9 ! ,vet]ans ,heal?          
,adm9i/ration & 0 successfully implem5t$
 9 five int]v5tion sites beg9n+ 9 #bjaj4
  7#c7 ,a #bjah /udy f\nd t safety      
plann+ int]v5tion "u ,,safe ,,vet 0     
associat$ ) #de p]c5t few] suicidal     
behaviors 9 ! six-mon? p]iod foll[+     
em]g5cy dep>tm5t c>e & m ?an d\ble !    
odds ( a vet]an engag+ 9 outpati5t      
behavioral heal? c>e4  7#d7 ,,safe ,,vet
 is a promis+ alt]native & acceptable   
deliv]y ( c>e sy/em t augm5ts ! treatm5t
 ( suicidal vet]ans 9 em]g5cy dep>tm5ts 
( ! ,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration &     
helps ensure t ^? vet]ans h appropriate 
foll[-up c>e4  7#e7 ,beg9n+ 9 ,septemb] 
#bjah1 ! ,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration  
implem5t$ a suicide prev5tion program   
bas$ on ! f9d+s ( ,,safe ,,vet1 kn[n z !
 ,,sp$ program1 = vet]ans pres5t+ to !  
em]g5cy dep>tm5t :o are assess$ to be at

 risk = suicide & are safe to be dis*>g$
 home4  7#f7 ,! ,,sp$ program includes  
issuance & update ( a safety plan &     
po/-dis*>ge foll[-up outrea* = vet]ans  
to facilitate engagem5t 9 outpati5t     
m5tal heal? c>e4  7b7 ,report  7#a7 ,9  
g5]al ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date 
( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y (  
,vet]ans ,affairs %all submit to !      
appropriate committees ( ,congress a    
report on ! ef=ts ( ! ,secret>y to      
implem5t a suicide prev5tion program =  
vet]ans pres5t+ to an em]g5cy dep>tm5t  
or urg5t c>e c5t] ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal?   
,adm9i/ration :o are assess$ to be at   
risk = suicide & are safe to be dis*>g$ 
home1 includ+ a safety plan &           
po/-dis*>ge outrea* = vet]ans to        
facilitate engagem5t 9 outpati5t m5tal  
heal? c>e4  7#b7 ,elem5ts ,! report     
requir$ by p>agraph 7#a7 %all include ! 
foll[+3 7,a7 ,an assessm5t ( !          
implem5tation ( ! curr5t op]ational     
policies & proc$ures ( ! ,,sp$ program  
at ea* m$ical c5t] ( ! ,dep>tm5t (      

,vet]ans ,affairs1 includ+ an assessm5t 
( ! foll[+3 7i7 ,tra9+ provid$ to       
cl9icians or o!r p]sonnel adm9i/]+      
protocols "u ! ,,sp$ program4  7ii7 ,any
 disp>ities 9 implem5tation ( su*       
protocols betwe5 m$ical c5t]s4  7iii7   
,curr5t crit]ia us$ to measure ! quality
 ( su* protocols includ+-- 7,i7         
me?odology us$ to assess ! quality ( a  
safety plan & po/-dis*>ge outrea* =     
vet]ans2 or  7,,ii7 9 ! abs5ce ( su*    
me?odology1 a propos$ timel9e &         
guidel9es = creat+ a me?odology to      
ensure compliance ) ! evid5ce-bas$ model
 us$ "u ! ,suicide ,assessm5t &         
,foll[-up ,engagem5t3 ,vet]an ,em]g5cy  
,treatm5t 7,,safe ,,vet7 program ( !    
,dep>tm5t4  7,b7 ,an assessm5t ( !      
implem5tation ( ! policies & proc$ures  
describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a71            
disaggregat$ by g5d] & by race &        
e?nicity1 includ+ ! foll[+3 7i7 ,an     
assessm5t ( ! quality & quantity (      
safety plans issu$ to vet]ans4  7ii7 ,an
 assessm5t ( ! quality & quantity (     

po/-dis*>ge outrea* provid$ to vet]ans4 
7iii7 ,! po/-dis*>ge rate ( vet]an      
engagem5t 9 outpati5t m5tal heal? c>e1  
includ+ att5dance at n few] ?an "o      
individual m5tal heal? cl9ic appo9tm5t  
or admission to an inpati5t or          
resid5tial unit4  7iv7 ,! numb] (       
vet]ans :o decl9e safety plann+ ef=ts   
dur+ protocols "u ! ,,sp$ program4  7v7 
,! numb] ( vet]ans :o decl9e to         
p>ticipate 9 foll[-up ef=ts )9 ! ,,sp$  
program4  7,c7 ,a description ( h[ ,,sp$
 prim>y coord9ators are deploy$ to      
support su* ef=ts1 includ+ ! foll[+3 7i7
 ,a description ( ! duties &            
responsibilities ( su* coord9ators4     
7ii7 ,! numb] & location ( su*          
coord9ators4  7iii7 ,a description (    
tra9+ provid$ to su* coord9ators4  7iv7 
,an assessm5t ( ! o!r responsibilities =
 su* coord9ators &1 if applicable1      
diff]5ces 9 pati5t outcomes :5 su*      
responsibilities are full-"t duties z   
oppos$ to second>y duties4  7,d7 ,an    
assessm5t ( ! feasibility & advisability

 ( exp&+ ! total numb] & geographic     
di/ribution ( ,,sp$ prim>y coord9ators4 
7,e7 ,an assessm5t ( ! feasibility &    
advisability ( provid+ s]vices "u !     
,,sp$ program via teleheal? *annels1    
includ+ an analysis ( opportunities to  
lev]age teleheal? to bett] s]ve vet]ans 
9 rural areas4  7,f7 ,a description ( ! 
/atus ( curr5t capabilities &           
utilization ( track+ me*anisms to       
monitor compliance1 quality1 & pati5t   
outcomes "u ! ,,sp$ program4  7,g7 ,su* 
recomm5dations1 includ+ specific action 
items1 z ! ,secret>y consid]s           
appropriate ) respect to h[ ! ,dep>tm5t 
c bett] implem5t ! ,,sp$ program1       
includ+ recomm5dations ) respect to !   
foll[+3 7i7 ,a process to /&>dize tra9+ 
"u su* program4  7ii7 ,any res\rc+      
requirem5ts necess>y to implem5t ! ,,sp$
 program ?r\gh\t ,vet]ans ,heal?        
,adm9i/ration1 includ+ by hav+ a d$icat$
 cl9ician responsible = adm9i/ration (  
su* program at ea* m$ical c5t]4  7iii7  
,an analysis ( curr5t /atutory au?ority 

& any *anges necess>y to fully implem5t 
! ,,sp$ program ?r\gh\t ! ,vet]ans      
,heal? ,adm9i/ration4  7iv7 ,a timel9e =
 ! implem5tation ( ! ,,sp$ program ?r\gh
 ! ,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration once   
full res\rc+ & an approv$ tra9+ plan are
 9 place4  7,h7 ,su* o!r matt]s z !     
,secret>y consid]s appropriate4  7c7    
,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,! t]m 
appropriate committees ( ,congress      
means-- 7,a7 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'  
,affairs & ! ,subcommittee on ,milit>y  
,con/ruction1 ,vet]ans ,affairs1 &      
,relat$ ,ag5cies ( ! ,committee on      
,appropriations ( ! ,s5ate2 &  7,b7 !   
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs & !    
,subcommittee on ,milit>y ,con/ruction1 
,vet]ans ,affairs1 & ,relat$ ,ag5cies ( 
! ,committee on ,appropriations ( !     
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives4  7#b7 ,! t]m   
,,sp$ prim>y coord9ator means ! ma9 po9t
 ( contact responsible = adm9i/]+ !     
,,sp$ program at a m$ical c5t] ( !      
,dep>tm5t4  7#c7 ,! t]m ,,sp$ program   
means ! ,safety ,plann+ 9 ,em]g5cy      

,dep>tm5ts program ( ! ,dep>tm5t (      
,vet]ans ,affairs e/abli%$ 9 ,septemb]  
#bjah = vet]ans pres5t+ to ! em]g5cy    
dep>tm5t :o are assess$ to be at risk = 
suicide & are safe to be dis*>g$ home1  
:i* ext5ds ! evid5ce-bas$ int]v5tion =  
suicide prev5tion to all em]g5cy        
dep>tm5ts ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal?           
,adm9i/ration4