,i  #aai? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #idcc  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,june #bd1 #bjbf,mr4  
,k5n$y ( ,new ,york introduc$ ! foll[+  
bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on   
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
direct ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  
to e/abli% a pilot program to provide   
m5tal & behavioral heal? support to     
fri5ds & families ( vet]ans1 & = o!r    
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title  ,?is ,act   
may be cit$ z ! ,,va ,coa*+ into ,c>e   
,act4  #b4 ,pilot program3 m5tal &      
behavioral heal? hotl9e = fri5ds &      
families ( vet]ans  7a7 ,e/abli%m5t ,n  
lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t
 ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs %all e/abli% a pilot program 79
 ?is section ref]r$ to z ! ,program7 to 
ma9ta9 a toll-free hotl9e to provide    
access to lic5s$ m5tal & behavioral     
heal? support provid]s to eligible      
recipi5ts4  7b7 ,provid]s ,9 c>ry+ out !
 ,program1 ! ,secret>y %all ensure t--  
7#a7 ! hotl9e is /aff$ by psy*ologi/s & 

social work]s :o are-- 7,a7 employees ( 
! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs2 &  7,b7
 hir$ by ! ,secret>y = ! ,program2 &    
7#b7 su* employees provide to eligible  
recipi5ts--  7,a7 advice on h[ to       
discuss m5tal & behavioral heal? ) a    
vet]an2 &  7,b7 appropriate ref]rals to 
programs ( ! ,dep>tm5t or to            
non-,dep>tm5t entities t provide m5tal  
heal? s]vices or res\rces4  7c7 ,outrea*
  7#a7 ,s]vice organizations ,n lat] ?an
 #fj days aft] ! ,secret>y e/abli%es !  
,program1 ! ,secret>y %all provide      
in=mation on ! s]vices available ?r\gh !
 ,program to-- 7,a7 vet]ans s]vice      
organizations2 &  7,b7 o!r organizations
 t s]ve vet]ans1 family memb]s (        
vet]ans1 or c>egiv]s ( vet]ans1 t !     
,secret>y det]m9es appropriate4  7#b7   
,mat]ials2 website ,n lat] ?an #ij days 
aft] ! ,secret>y e/abli%es ! ,program1 !
 ,secret>y %all--  7,a7 furni%1 9 ea*   
,vet ,c5t] or m$ical facility ( !       
,dep>tm5t1 promotional fly]s1 bro*ures1 
& po/]s t provide in=mation on ! s]vices

 available ?r\gh ! ,program2 &  7,b7    
promote ! ,program on a publicly        
accessible website ( ! ,dep>tm5t & 9 o!r
 outrea* campaigns & activities conduct$
 by ! ,secret>y4  7d7  ,report  ,n lat] 
?an #ahj days aft] ! ,program t]m9ates  
"u subsection 7e71 ! ,secret>y %all     
submit to ! ,committees on ,vet]ans'    
,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ,h\se (           
,repres5tatives a report on ! results ( 
! ,program4 ,elem5ts ( su* report %all  
include--  7#a7 ) respect to calls      
receiv$ ?r\gh ! hotl9e--  7,a7 ! numb] (
 su* calls2  7,b7 ! av]age "t = su*     
employees to answ] su* calls2 &  7,c7 ! 
av]age duration ( su* calls2  7#b7 )    
respect to ref]rals provid$ "u          
subsection 7b7--  7,a7 ! types ( su*    
ref]rals2 &  7,b7 ! numb] ( su*         
ref]rals2  7#c7 a summ>y ( ! actions    
tak5 by ! ,secret>y to comply ) !       
requirem5ts ( subsection 7c72 &  7#d7   
recomm5dations ( ! ,secret>y reg>d+--   
7,a7 :e!r cont9u+ or exp&+ ! ,program is
 feasible & advisable2 &  7,b7 any      

additional or modifi$ au?orities or     
res\rces requir$ to conduct or exp& !   
program4  7e7 ,t]m9ation ,! ,program    
%all t]m9ate ?ree ye>s aft] ! day on :i*
 ! ,secret>y e/abli%es ! ,program4  7f7 
,def9itions ,9 ?is section3  7#a7 ,! t]m
 eligible recipi5t means1 ) respect to a
 vet]an1 any ( ! foll[+3 7,a7 ,a family 
memb]4  7,b7 ,an individual :o resides )
 a vet]an4  7,c7 ,a fri5d4  7#b7 ,! t]m 
family memb] includes ! foll[+3 7,a7 ,a 
sp\se4  7,b7 ,a p>5t4  7,c7 ,a dep5d5t4 
7,d7 ,a sibl+4  7#c7 ,! t]m ,vet ,c5t]  
has ! mean+ giv5 su* t]m 9 section      
#agab;,a ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates     
,code4  7#d7 ,! t]m vet]ans s]vice      
organization means an organization      
recogniz$ "u section #eijb ( title #ch1 
,unit$ ,/ates ,code4