,,ii  #aai? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #eeia  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,septemb] #bi1         
#bjbf,mr4 ,blum5?al 7= himself & ,mr4   
,boozman7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0
 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on 
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
improve support = p]sonnel ( ! ,vet]ans 
,crisis ,l9e & to cl>ify au?orities     
relat+ to crisis response protocols1 & =
 o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is    
,act may be cit$ z ! ,vet]ans ,crisis   
,l9e ,support & ,safety ,act ( #bjbf4   
#b4 ,support = ,vet]ans ,crisis ,l9e    
7a7 ,m5tal heal? & wellness support =   
work=ce  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y (   
,vet]ans ,affairs %all ensure t cov]$   
p]sonnel h access to confid5tial m5tal  
heal? s]vices1 at no co/ to ! cov]$     
p]sonnel1 includ+-- 7,a7 access to      
individual c\nsel+ & m5tal heal? c>e    
s]vices f lic5s$ provid]s ) demon/rat$  
exp]i5ce 9 po/-traumatic /ress disord]1 
trauma1 second>y trauma1 compassion     
fatigue1 & vic>i\s trauma dur+ comp5sat$

 on-duty "t2  7,b7 pe] support programs2
  7,c7 critical incid5t /ress debrief+2 
&  7,d7 tra9+ on resili5cy & burn\t     
prev5tion1 conduct$ n less frequ5tly ?an
 annually4  7#b7 ,availability ,s]vices 
"u p>agraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 %all be         
available bo? dur+ & outside s*$ul$ duty
 h\rs1 & su* availability %all be       
consid]$ comp5sable on-duty "t2 &  7,b7 
may be furni%$ ?r\gh provid]s ( !       
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs or ?r\gh  
contracts ) non-,dep>tm5t provid]s      
indep5d5t ( sup]visory *a9s4  7#c7      
,impact on employm5t ,! ,secret>y %all  
ensure t ! use ( s]vices "u ?is         
subsection does n adv]sely affect !     
employm5t /atus1 p]=mance evaluation1 or
 c>e] advancem5t ( cov]$ p]sonnel4  7b7 
,occupational safegu>ds  7#a7 ,9 g5]al  
,! ,secret>y %all e/abli% & implem5t    
policies applicable to cov]$ p]sonnel t 
provide =-- 7,a7 reasonable limitations 
on workload & %ift duration2  7,b7      
m&atory re/ & recov]y p]iods foll[+     
high-risk1 traumatic1 or o!rwise        

psy*ologically int5sive int]actions1 z  
def9$ by crit]ia e/abli%$ by !          
,secret>y1 includ+ appropriate          
sup]visory review & approval proc$ures  
gov]n+ ! use ( su* re/ p]iods & relat$  
support s]vices s long z su* approvals  
are n condition$ on availability ( /aff2
 &  7,c7 /aff+ levels in=m$ by work=ce  
assessm5ts1 contact volume1 response "t 
goals1 employee workload1 & o!r         
op]ational metrics det]m9$ appropriate  
by ! ,secret>y4  7#b7 ,limitation on    
numb] ( cases ,! ,secret>y %all ensure t
 all cov]$ p]sonnel are only requir$ to 
h&le "o case at a giv5 "t1 includ+      
digital s]vices cases1 relat+ to outrea*
 to ! ,vet]ans ,crisis ,l9e = assi/ance4
  7#c7 ,ov]time ,dur+ p]iods 9 :i*      
contact volume or response queues exce$ 
e/abli%$ op]ational ?re%olds1 !         
,secret>y %all provide opportunities =  
volunt>y ov]time = cov]$ p]sonnel will+ 
to assi/ 9 r$uc+ su* backlogs4  7#d7    
,op]ational s*$ul+ ,! ,secret>y %all use
 op]ational s*$ul+ practices t promote  

work=ce su/a9ability1 employee well-be+1
 & quality ( life1 includ+ by und]tak+  
reasonable ef=ts to ensure equitable    
di/ribution ( week5d1 ov]night1 holiday1
 & o!r undesirable %ifts among cov]$    
p]sonnel1 :ile ma9ta9+ cont9uity (      
op]ations & adequate /aff+ levels4  7#e7
 ,work=ce ne$s ,! ,secret>y %all-- 7,a7 
use s(tw>e to pr$ict call patt]ns &     
assess work=ce ne$s2 &  7,b7 z          
appropriate1 assign or hire additional  
p]sonnel d$icat$ specifically to        
respond+ to cases involv+ complex ne$s  
or disruptive behavior 9 ord] to ensure 
su* cases receive specializ$ & effective
 h&l+4  7c7 ,adm9i/ration  7#a7         
,op]ational au?orities & safegu>ds ,!   
,secret>y %all review & am5d curr5t     
policies & proc$ures gov]n+ ! response  
to contacts receiv$ ?r\gh ! ,vet]ans    
,crisis ,l9e1 consi/5t ) section        
#agbj;,f7h7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates  
,code4  7#b7 ,non-crisis or abusive     
contacts  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y    
%all e/abli% proc$ures to id5tify       

patt]ns ( non-crisis or abusive         
communications t mat]ially int]f]e ) !  
mission ( ! ,vet]ans ,crisis ,l9e4  7,b7
 ,actions ,pursuant to proc$ures        
e/abli%$ "u subp>agraph 7,a71 !         
,secret>y may take appropriate actions  
relat+ to non-crisis or abusive         
communications1 includ+-- 7i7 provid+   
v]bal or writt5 notice or w>n+s to !    
individual2  7ii7 implem5t+ reasonable  
call h&l+ re/rictions 9 cases ( repeat$ 
misuse2  7iii7 direct+ ! individual to  
alt]native appropriate res\rces2 &  7iv7
 ree/abli%+ d$icat$ disruptive call]    
int]v5tion units1 :i* %all include      
repeat call] int]v5tion speciali/s :o h 
trauma-in=m$ behavioral managem5t tra9+4
  7,c7 ,safegu>ds & review ,! ,secret>y 
%all ensure t any action tak5 "u ?is    
p>agraph-- 7i7 includes safegu>ds to    
pres]ve access to ! ,vet]ans ,crisis    
,l9e = individuals exp]i5c+ a bona fide 
crisis2 &  7ii7 is subject to sup]visory
 review & p]iodic reassessm5t4  7d7     
,report  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an "o   

ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1
 ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
%all-- 7,a7 conduct a review ( !        
implem5tation & effectiv5ess ( ?is      
section2 &  7,b7 submit to ! ,committee 
on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & !    
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a report conta9+
 ! f9d+s ( su* review4  7#b7 ,elem5ts ,!
 review conduct$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 %all  
include an assessm5t (-- 7,a7 !         
implem5tation ( m5tal heal? & wellness  
s]vices = cov]$ p]sonnel "u subsection  
7a72  7,b7 ! effectiv5ess & use (       
occupational safegu>ds e/abli%$ "u      
subsection 7b72  7,c7 /aff+ levels1     
turnov]1 ov]time usage1 & work=ce       
ret5tion among cov]$ p]sonnel2  7,d7    
:e!r s*$ul+ practices = cov]$ p]sonnel  
appropriately support work=ce           
su/a9ability1 employee well-be+1 &      
equitable di/ribution ( week5d1         
ov]night1 holiday1 & o!r undesirable    
%ifts2  7,e7 ! op]ational effectiv5ess (
 work=ce pr$iction tools1 /aff+         

assessm5ts1 & specializ$ response /aff+ 
us$ pursuant to subsection 7b77#e72     
7,f7 ! ext5t to :i* cov]$ p]sonnel are  
able to access confid5tial m5tal heal? &
 wellness s]vices )\t adv]se employm5t  
consequ5ces2  7,g7 ! implem5tation &    
ov]sight ( policies relat+ to non-crisis
 or abusive contacts "u subsection      
7c77#b72 &  7,h7 any recomm5dations to  
improve work=ce well-be+1 op]ational    
effectiv5ess1 & crisis response         
capabilities )9 ! ,vet]ans ,crisis ,l9e4
  7#c7 ,access to in=mation ,! ,secret>y
 %all provide ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al )    
access to su* in=mation & p]sonnel z !  
,comptroll] ,g5]al det]m9es necess>y to 
c>ry out ! review requir$ "u p>agraph   
7#a71 consi/5t ) applicable privacy &   
confid5tiality protections4  7#d7       
,protection ( s5sitive in=mation ,!     
report submitt$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 %all n 
include p]sonally id5tifiable in=mation 
relat+ to cov]$ p]sonnel or individuals 
contact+ ! ,vet]ans ,crisis ,l9e4  7e7  
,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,cov]$ 

p]sonnel ,! t]m cov]$ p]sonnel means any
 employee or contractor ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( 
,vet]ans ,affairs :o responds to        
contacts or p>ticipates 9 respond+ to   
contacts ?r\gh ! ,vet]ans ,crisis ,l9e4 
7#b7 ,vet]ans ,crisis ,l9e ,! t]m       
,vet]ans ,crisis ,l9e means ! toll-free 
hotl9e = vet]ans e/abli%$ "u section    
#agbj;,f7h7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates  
,code1 & ! program op]at$ by ! ,dep>tm5t
 ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to provide crisis  
int]v5tion & suicide prev5tion s]vices  
?r\gh su* hotl9e4