,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #cjbj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,december #aa1 #bjai,ms4 ,baldwin 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,sullivan1 ,mr4 ,tester1 and ,mr4 ,daines7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 to authorize the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to enter into contracts with ,states or to award grants to ,states to promote health and wellness1 prevent suicide1 and improve outreach to veterans1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,commitment to ,veteran ,support and ,outreach ,act4 #b4 ,authority for ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to award contracts and grants to ,states to promote health and wellness1 prevent suicide1 and improve outreach to veterans 7a7 ,in general ,chapter #fc of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating sections #fcjg and #fcjh and sections #fcjh and #fcji1 respectively2 and 7#b7 by inserting after section #fcjf the following new section #fcjg3 #fcjg4 ,contracts and grants to promote health and wellness1 prevent suicide1 and improve outreach to veterans 7a7 ,purpose ,it is the purpose of this section to provide for assistance by the ,secretary to ,states to carry out programs that promote health and wellness1 strengthen the coordination1 implementation1 and evaluation of comprehensive veteran suicide prevention programs1 and offer a high probability of improving outreach and assistance to veterans and the spouses1 children1 and parents of veterans1 to ensure that such individuals are fully informed about1 and assisted in applying for1 any veterans and veterans-related benefits and programs 7including ,state veterans programs7 for which they may be eligible4 7b7 ,contracts 7#a7 ,the ,secretary may enter into a contract with a ,state in order to carry out1 coordinate1 improve1 or otherwise enhance health and wellness programs1 comprehensive veteran suicide prevention programs1 and outreach by the ,department and the ,state 7including outreach with respect to a ,state1 county1 or other local veterans program74 7#b7 ,as a condition of entering into a contract with a ,state under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall require the ,state to submit to the ,secretary a detailed plan for the use of any funds provided to the ,state pursuant to the contract and to meet the outcome measures developed by the ,secretary under subsection 7c77#d74 7#c7 ,each contract entered into with a ,state under this subsection to carry out an activity shall include a requirement that the ,state carry out the activity through-- 7,a7 the county veterans service officers of the ,state2 or 7,b7 if a county veterans service officer does not exist in the ,state or exists only in portions of the ,state1 an appropriate ,state1 local1 or tribal entity as determined by the ,secretary4 7c7 ,grants 7#a7 ,the ,secretary may award a grant to a ,state to be used-- 7,a7 to carry out1 coordinate1 improve1 or otherwise enhance-- 7i7 health and wellness programs2 7ii7 comprehensive veteran suicide prevention programs2 7iii7 outreach activities2 or 7iv7 activities to assist in the development and submittal of claims for veterans and veterans-related benefits2 or 7,b7 to increase the number of county veterans service officers serving in the ,state by hiring new1 additional county veterans service officers4 7#b7 ,a ,state that receives a grant under this subsection to carry out an activity described in paragraph 7#a77;,a7 shall carry out the activity through-- 7,a7 a county veterans service officer of the ,state2 or 7,b7 if a county veterans service officer does not exist in the ,state or exists only in portions of the ,state1 an appropriate ,state1 local1 or tribal entity as determined by the ,secretary4 7#c7 7,a7 ,to be eligible for a grant under this subsection1 a ,state shall submit to the ,secretary an application therefor at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require4 7,b7 ,each application submitted under subparagraph 7,a7 shall include the following3 7i7 ,a detailed plan for the use of the grant4 7ii7 ,a description of the programs through which the ,state will meet the outcome measures developed by the ,secretary under paragraph 7#d74 7#d7 7,a7 ,the ,secretary shall develop and provide to the recipient of a grant under this subsection written guidance on outcome measures1 policies of the ,department1 and procedures for applying for grants under this section4 7,b7 ,the ,secretary shall review the performance of each ,state that receives a grant under this section and shall make information regarding such performance publicly available4 7,c7 ,in the case of a ,state that is a recipient of a grant under this subsection that does not meet the outcome measures developed by the ,secretary1 the ,secretary shall require the ,state to submit a remediation plan under which the ,state shall describe how and when it plans to meet such outcome measures4 ,the ,secretary must approve such plan before the ,secretary may award a subsequent grant to that ,state under this subsection4 7#e7 ,a grant under this subsection-- 7,a7 shall be used-- 7i7 to expand existing programs1 activities1 and services2 7ii7 to hire new1 additional county veterans service officers2 or 7iii7 for travel and transportation to facilitate carrying out clause 7i7 or 7ii72 and 7,b7 shall be used to supplement and not supplant ,state and local funding that is otherwise available4 7#f7 ,a grant under this subsection may be used to provide education and training1 including on-the-job training1 for ,state1 county1 local1 and tribal government employees who provide 7or when trained will provide7 veterans outreach services in order for those employees to obtain accreditation in accordance with procedures approved by the ,secretary and1 for employees so accredited1 for purposes of continuing education4 7#g7 ,a grant awarded under paragraph 7#a77;,a7 may be used to carry out1 coordinate1 improve1 or otherwise enhance an activity carried out pursuant to a contract entered into under subsection 7b74 7d7 ,county veterans service officer defined ,in this section1 the term county veterans service officer includes-- 7#a7 a local equivalent veterans service officer2 and 7#b7 a tribal veterans service officer or tribal veteran representative4 7e7 ,funding 7#a7 ,amounts for the activities of the ,department under this section shall be budgeted and appropriated through a separate appropriation account4 7#b7 ,in the budget justification materials submitted to ,congress in support of the ,department budget for any fiscal year 7as submitted with the budget of the ,president under section #aaje7;a7 of title #ca71 the ,secretary shall include a separate statement of the amount requested to be appropriated for that fiscal year for the account specified in paragraph 7#a74 7f7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary for each of fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbd1 #ej1jjj1jjj to carry out this section4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of chapter #fc of such title is amended by striking the items relating to sections #fcjg and #fcjh and inserting the following new items3 #fcjg4 ,contracts and grants to promote health and wellness1 prevent suicide1 and improve outreach to veterans4#fcjh4 ,outreach for eligible dependents4#fcji4 ,biennial report to ,congress4 4