I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9449 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a list of covered 

providers that complete annual training on the prevention of suicide 

among veterans and to make such list available to veterans. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 3, 2024 

Mr. HUIZENGA (for himself and Mr. CORREA) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a 

list of covered providers that complete annual training 

on the prevention of suicide among veterans and to make 

such list available to veterans. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Suicide Pre5 vention and Care Enhancement Act of 2024’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PREFERRED PROVIDER LIST 

2 FOR VETERANS COMMUNITY CARE PROGRAM 

3 OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF4 FAIRS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

6 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet7 erans Affairs shall make available to covered providers an8 nual, evidence-based training on the prevention of suicide 

9 among veterans. 

10 (b) PREFERRED PROVIDER LIST.— 

11 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall— 

12 (A) establish and maintain a list (to be 

13 known as the ‘‘preferred provider list’’) of each 

14 covered provider that completes the training 

15 under subsection (a); and 

16 (B) make such list publicly available to 

17 veterans eligible for health care under the laws 

18 administered by the Secretary. 

19 (2) NON-DEPARTMENT TRAINING.—The Sec20 retary shall include on the preferred provider list 

21 any covered provider that the Secretary determines 

22 has completed training that— 

23 (A) is substantially similar to the training 

24 required by such subsection; and 

25 (B) meets the applicable competency 

26 standard for military health care professionals. 


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1 (3) OPT-OUT.—A covered provider desiring to 

2 be removed from the preferred provider list may sub3 mit to the Secretary a request in such form, at such 

4 time, and containing such information as the Sec5 retary determines appropriate. 

6 (4) ANNUAL REVIEW.—The Secretary shall, on 

7 an annual basis, review the preferred provider list to 

8 ensure each covered provider included on such list 

9 has completed such training. 

10 (c) COVERED PROVIDER DEFINED.—In this section, 

11 the term ‘‘covered provider’’ means— 

12 (1) a health care provider specified in sub13 section (c) of section 1703 of title 38, United States 

14 Code; and 

15 (2) an eligible entity or medical provider that 

16 has entered into a Veterans Care Agreement under 

17 section 1703A of such title. 

18 SEC. 3. REPORT. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

20 day of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 

21 Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the appro22 priate congressional committees a report on the following: 

23 (1) The number of providers who completed the 

24 VA-offered suicide prevention training prior to the 


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1 implementation of the Preferred Provider List out2 line in Sec. 2(b). 

3 (2) The number of Community Care Network 

4 providers who completed a different suicide preven5 tion training not offered by the VA prior to the im6 plementation of the Preferred Provider List. 

7 (3) The number of providers currently on the 

8 Preferred Provider List, bifurcated by those who uti9 lized the VA-offered suicide prevention training and 

10 those providers who received the waiver outlined in 

11 Sec. 2(b)(2). 

12 (4) The likelihood of veterans utilizing providers 

13 on the Preferred Provider List rather than a pro14 vider not found on the Preferred Provider List. 

15 (5) Any patterns apparent to the Secretary 

16 based on the review of the implementation of the 

17 Preferred Provider List. 

18 (6) Any recommendations for further action 

19 that would improve and enhance the Preferred Pro20 vider List with the objective of increasing access to 

21 care for veterans. 

22 (b) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES

23 DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con24 gressional committees’’ means— 


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1 (1) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 

2 House of Representatives; and 

3 (2) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 

4 Senate. 

Æ 


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