,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #cbic  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,december #a1  
#bjba,mr4 ,tester 7for himself and ,mr4 
,moran7 introduced the following bill2  
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs  ,a  
,,bill  ,to expand access of veterans to
 mental health care from the ,department
 of ,veterans ,affairs1 and for other   
purposes4  #a4 ,short title2 table of   
contents  7a7 ,short title ,this ,act   
may be cited as the ,post-#i_/aa        
,veterans' ,mental ,health ,care        
,improvement ,act of #bjba4  7b7 ,table 
of contents ,the table of contents for  
this ,act is as follows3 ,sec4 #a4      
,short title2 table of contents4,,title 
,i--,access to care,sec4 #aja4          
,improvement of sleep disorder care     
furnished by ,department of ,veterans   
,affairs4,sec4 #ajb4 ,mental health     
consultations4,sec4 #ajc4 ,study on     
inpatient mental health and substance   
use care from ,department of ,veterans  

,affairs4,sec4 #ajd4 ,study on treatment
 from ,department of ,veterans ,affairs 
for co-occurring mental health and      
substance use disorders4,,title         
,,ii--,mental health workforce,sec4     
#bja4 ,expansion of ,vet ,center        
workforce4,sec4 #bjb4 ,expansion of     
mental health training for ,department  
of ,veterans ,affairs4,sec4 #bjc4       
,expansion of scholarships and loan     
repayment programs for mental health    
providers4,sec4 #bjd4 ,study on workload
 of suicide prevention teams of         
,department of ,veterans                
,affairs4,,title ,,iii--,mental health  
research,sec4 #cja4 ,expansion of       
suicide prevention and mental health    
research4,sec4 #cjb4 ,study on mental   
health and suicide prevention support   
for military families4,sec4 #cjc4       
,research on brain health4,sec4 #cjd4   
,study on efficacy of clinical and      
at-home resources for post-traumatic    
stress disorder4  ,i ,access to care    
#aja4 ,improvement of sleep disorder    

care furnished by ,department of        
,veterans ,affairs  7a7 ,in general     
,pursuant to the analysis conducted     
under subsection 7b71 the ,secretary of 
,veterans ,affairs shall take such      
action as the ,secretary considers      
appropriate to improve the assessment   
and treatment of veterans with sleep    
disorders1 including by conducting      
in-home sleep studies for veterans4  7b7
 ,analysis ,the ,secretary shall conduct
 an analysis of the ability of the      
,department of ,veterans ,affairs to    
treat sleep disorders among veterans1   
including-- 7#a7 assessment and         
treatment options for such disorders2   
7#b7 barriers to care for such          
disorders1 such as wait time1 travel    
time1 and lack of staffing2  7#c7 the   
efficacy of the clinical practice       
guidelines of the ,department of        
,veterans ,affairs and the ,department  
of ,defense for such disorders2 and     
7#d7 the availability of and efficacy of
 the use by the ,department of ,veterans

 ,affairs of cognitive behavioral       
therapy for insomnia4  7c7 ,report ,not 
later than two years after the date of  
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
,secretary shall submit to the          
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,senate and the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives a report on-- 7#a7 the 
findings from the analysis conducted    
under subsection 7b72 and  7#b7 any     
actions taken under subsection 7a7 to   
improve the assessment and treatment of 
veterans with sleep disorders4  7d7     
,authorization of appropriations for    
in-,home sleep studies ,there is        
authorized to be appropriated to the    
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs        
#e1jjj1jjj to be used to conduct in-home
 sleep studies for veterans1 as part of 
sleep disorder assessment and treatment 
conducted by the ,department of         
,veterans ,affairs4  #ajb4 ,mental      
health consultations  7a7 ,mental health
 consultations for veterans filing for  

compensation  7#a7 ,in general          
,subchapter ,,vi of chapter #aa of title
 #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended 
by adding at the end the following new  
section3  #aafg4 ,mental health         
consultations  7a7 ,in general ,not     
later than #cj days after the date on   
which a veteran submits to the          
,secretary a claim for compensation     
under this chapter for service-connected
 disability relating to a mental health 
diagnosis1 the ,secretary shall offer   
the veteran a mental health consultation
 to assess the mental health needs of   
and care options for the veteran4  7b7  
,availability ,the ,secretary shall     
ensure that a veteran offered a mental  
health consultation under subsection 7a7
 may elect to receive such consultation 
during the one-year period beginning on 
the date on which the consultation is   
offered or during such longer period    
beginning on such date as the ,secretary
 considers appropriate4  4  7#b7        
,clerical amendment ,the table of       

sections at the beginning of chapter #aa
 of such title is amended by adding at  
the end the following new item3  #aafg4 
,mental health consultations4  4  7b7   
,mental health consultations for        
veterans entering ,homeless ,programs   
,office programs  7#a7 ,in general      
,subchapter ,,vii of chapter #bj of     
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended by adding at the end the        
following new section3  #bjfh4 ,mental  
health consultations  7a7 ,in general   
,not later than two weeks after the date
 on which a veteran described in        
subsection 7b7 enters into a program    
administered by the ,homeless ,programs 
,office of the ,department1 the         
,secretary shall offer the veteran a    
mental health consultation to assess the
 health needs of and care options for   
the veteran4  7b7 ,veteran described ,a 
veteran described in this subsection is 
a veteran to whom a mental health       
consultation is not offered or provided 
through the case management services of 

the program of the ,homeless ,programs  
,office into which the veteran enters4  
4  7#b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table  
of sections at the beginning of chapter 
#bj of such title is amended by adding  
at the end the following new item3      
#bjfh4 ,mental health consultations4  4 
#ajc4 ,study on inpatient mental health 
and substance use care from ,department 
of ,veterans ,affairs  7a7 ,in general  
,not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this ,act1 the      
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
complete the conduct of a study on      
access of veterans to care under the    
residential rehabilitation treatment    
programs of the ,department of ,veterans
 ,affairs to determine-- 7#a7 if there  
are sufficient geographic offerings of  
inpatient mental health care1 especially
 for veterans in rural and remote       
communities2  7#b7 if there are         
sufficient bed spaces at each location1 
based on demand and drive time from the 
homes of veterans2  7#c7 if there are   

any workforce-related capacity          
limitations at each location1 including 
if beds are unable to be used because   
there are not enough providers to care  
for additional patients2  7#d7 if there 
are diagnosis-specific or sex-specific  
barriers to accessing care under such   
programs2 and  7#e7 the average wait    
time for a bed in such a program1 broken
 out by-- 7,a7 ,veterans ,integrated    
,service ,network2  7,b7 rural or urban 
area2  7,c7 sex2 and  7,d7 specialty    
7general program1 substance use disorder
 program1 military sexual trauma        
program1 etc474  7b7 ,recommendations   
for modifications to treatment programs 
,using the results from the study       
conducted under subsection 7a71 the     
,secretary shall make recommendations   
for-- 7#a7 new locations for opening    
facilities to participate in the        
residential rehabilitation treatment    
programs of the ,department2  7#b7      
facilities under such programs at which 
new beds can be added2 and  7#c7 any    

additional specialty tracks to be added 
to such programs1 such as substance use 
disorder or military sexual trauma1 in  
order to meet veteran need and demand4  
7c7 ,report ,not later than #ahj days   
after completion of the study under     
subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall    
submit to the ,committee on ,veterans'  
,affairs of the ,senate and the         
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,house of ,representatives a report on 
the findings of the study conducted     
under subsection 7a7 and the            
recommendations made by the ,secretary  
under subsection 7b74  #ajd4 ,study on  
treatment from ,department of ,veterans 
,affairs for co-occurring mental health 
and substance use disorders  7a7 ,in    
general ,not later than one year after  
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs    
shall conduct a study examining-- 7#a7  
the availability of treatment programs  
for veterans with co-occurring mental   
health and substance use disorders      

7including both inpatient and outpatient
 care72  7#b7 any geographic disparities
 in access to such programs1 such as for
 rural and remote veterans2 and  7#c7   
the average wait times for care under   
such programs4  7b7 ,report  7#a7 ,in   
general ,not later than two years after 
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
the ,secretary shall submit to the      
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,senate and the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives a report on the        
findings of the study conducted under   
subsection 7a74  7#b7 ,elements ,the    
report required by paragraph 7#a7 shall 
include-- 7,a7 any recommendations      
resulting from the study conducted under
 subsection 7a7 with respect to         
improving timeliness and quality of care
 and meeting treatment preferences for  
veterans with co-occurring mental health
 and substance use disorders2 and  7,b7 
a description of any actions taken by   
the ,secretary to improve care for such 

veterans4  ,,ii ,mental health workforce
  #bja4 ,expansion of ,vet ,center      
workforce  7a7 ,in general ,not later   
than one year after the date of the     
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
of ,veterans ,affairs shall hire an     
additional #ajj full-time equivalent    
employees for ,vet ,centers to bolster  
the workforce of ,vet ,centers and to   
provide expanded mental health care to  
veterans1 members of the ,armed ,forces1
 and their families through outreach1   
community access points1 outstations1   
and ,vet ,centers4  7b7 ,vet center     
defined ,in this section1 the term ,vet 
,center has the meaning given that term 
in section #agab;,a7h7 of title #ch1    
,united ,states ,code4  #bjb4 ,expansion
 of mental health training for          
,department of ,veterans ,affairs  7a7  
,in general ,not later than three years 
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,secretary of ,veterans       
,affairs1 in collaboration with the     
,office of ,mental ,health and ,suicide 

,prevention and the ,office of ,academic
 ,affiliations1 shall add an additional 
#ejj paid trainee slots in covered      
mental health disciplines to the        
workforce of the ,department of         
,veterans ,affairs4  7b7 ,covered mental
 health disciplines defined ,in this    
section1 the term covered mental health 
disciplines means psychiatry1           
psychology1 advanced practice nursing   
7with a focus on mental health or       
substance use disorder71 social work1   
licensed professional mental health     
counseling1 and marriage and family     
therapy4  #bjc4 ,expansion of           
scholarships and loan repayment programs
 for mental health providers  7a7       
,expansion of ,health ,professional     
,scholarship ,program ,beginning in     
academic year #bjbb1 the ,secretary of  
,veterans ,affairs shall include not    
fewer than an additional 7as compared to
 academic year #bjba7 #ej awards per    
academic year under the ,department of  
,veterans ,affairs ,health ,professional

 ,scholarship ,program under subchapter 
,,ii of chapter #gf of title #ch1       
,united ,states ,code1 for applicants   
otherwise eligible for such program who 
are pursuing degrees or training in     
mental health disciplines1 including    
advanced practice nursing 7with a focus 
on mental health or substance use       
disorder71 psychology1 and social work4 
7b7 ,expansion of ,education ,debt      
,reduction ,program  7#a7 ,in general   
,beginning in fiscal year #bjbb1 the    
,secretary shall provide not fewer than 
an additional 7as compared to fiscal    
year #bjba7 #bjj debt reduction awards  
per year under the ,department of       
,veterans ,affairs ,education ,debt     
,reduction ,program under subchapter    
,,vii of chapter #gf of title #ch1      
,united ,states ,code1 to be used to    
recruit mental health professionals to  
the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs in
 disciplines that include psychiatry1   
psychology1 advanced practice nursing   
7with a focus on mental health or       

substance use disorder71 and social     
work4  7#b7 ,authorization of           
appropriations ,there is authorized to  
be appropriated to the ,secretary of    
,veterans ,affairs #h1jjj1jjj per year  
to carry out the additional awards under
 paragraph 7#a74  7c7 ,outreach  7#a7   
,in general ,not later than one year    
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,secretary shall develop a    
public awareness campaign to encourage  
veterans and mental health professionals
 to choose the ,department for their    
mental health career4  7#b7 ,elements   
,the campaign required under paragraph  
7#a7-- 7,a7 shall advertise the paid    
trainee1 scholarship1 and loan repayment
 opportunities offered by the           
,department2 and  7,b7 may highlight the
 new graduate medical education         
residencies available at the ,department
 for medical students entering          
residency4  #bjd4 ,study on workload of 
suicide prevention teams of ,department 
of ,veterans ,affairs  7a7 ,in general  

,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs1  
acting through the ,under ,secretary for
 ,health and the ,office of ,mental     
,health and ,suicide ,prevention1 shall 
conduct a study evaluating the workload 
of local suicide prevention teams of the
 ,department of ,veterans ,affairs4  7b7
 ,elements ,the study conducted under   
subsection 7a7 shall-- 7#a7 identify the
 effects of the growth of the suicide   
prevention program of the ,department on
 the workload of suicide prevention     
teams2  7#b7 incorporate key practices  
for staffing model design in determining
 suicide prevention staffing needs2 and 
7#c7 determine which facilities of the  
,department need increased suicide      
prevention coordinator staffing to meet 
the needs of veterans1 with an emphasis 
placed on facilities with high patient  
volume and facilities located in ,states
 with high rates of veteran suicide4    
7c7 ,report ,not later than one year    
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,secretary shall submit to the

 ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of   
the ,senate and the ,committee on       
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives a report-- 7#a7 on the 
findings of the study conducted under   
subsection 7a72 and  7#b7 indicating any
 changes made to the staffing of suicide
 prevention teams of the ,department    
resulting from the determinations made  
under subsection 7b77#c71 including a   
list of facilities of the ,department   
where staffing was adjusted4  ,,iii     
,mental health research  #cja4          
,expansion of suicide prevention and    
mental health research ,there is        
authorized to be appropriated to the    
,department of ,veterans ,affairs an    
additional #aj1jjj1jjj to be used by the
 ,center of ,excellence for ,suicide    
,prevention of the ,department and the  
,rocky ,mountain ,mental ,illness       
,research ,education and ,clinical      
,center for purposes of conducting      
research on the factors impacting       
veteran suicide and best practices for  

early intervention and support4  #cjb4  
,study on mental health and suicide     
prevention support for military families
  7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of    
,veterans ,affairs1 in collaboration    
with the ,secretary of ,defense1 shall  
conduct a study on secondary            
post-traumatic stress disorder and      
depression and its impact on spouses1   
children1 and caregivers of members of  
the ,armed ,forces4  7b7 ,report  7#a7  
,in general ,not later than three years 
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,secretary of ,veterans       
,affairs1 in collaboration with the     
,secretary of ,defense1 shall submit to 
,congress1 veterans service             
organizations1 and military support     
organizations a report on the findings  
of the study conducted under subsection 
7a74  7#b7 ,definitions ,in this        
subsection3 7,a7 ,military support      
organization ,the term military support 
organization has the meaning given that 
term by the ,secretary of ,defense4     

7,b7 ,veterans service organization ,the
 term veterans service organization     
means an organization recognized by the 
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs for the
 representation of veterans under       
section #eijb of title #ch1 ,united     
,states ,code4  #cjc4 ,research on brain
 health ,there is authorized to be      
appropriated to the ,department of      
,veterans ,affairs an additional        
#e1jjj1jjj for ongoing and future       
research at the ,translational ,research
 ,center of the ,department of ,veterans
 ,affairs for traumatic brain injury and
 stress disorders to provide better     
understanding of and improved treatment 
options for post-#i_/aa veterans with   
traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic
 stress disorder4  #cjd4 ,study on      
efficacy of clinical and at-home        
resources for post-traumatic stress     
disorder ,not later than two years after
 the date of the enactment of this ,act1
 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs1  
through the ,office of ,research and    

,development of the ,department of      
,veterans ,affairs1 shall conduct a     
study on-- 7#a7 the efficacy of clinical
 and at-home resources1 such as mobile  
applications like ,,covid ,coach1 for   
providers1 veterans1 caregivers1 and    
family members to use for dealing with  
stressors2  7#b7 the feasibility and    
advisability of developing more such    
resources2  7#c7 strategies for         
improving mental health care and        
outcomes for veterans with              
post-traumatic stress disorder2 and     
7#d7 best practices for helping family  
members of veterans deal with secondary 
post-traumatic stress disorder or mental
 health concerns4