IIB 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4635 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 14, 2018 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

AN ACT 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the 

number of peer-to-peer counselors providing counseling 

for women veterans, and for other purposes. 

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


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HR 4635 RFS 

1 SECTION 1. PEER SUPPORT COUNSELING PROGRAM FOR 

2 WOMEN VETERANS. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1720F(j) of title 38, 

4 United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 

5 following new paragraph: 

6 ‘‘(4)(A) As part of the counseling program under this 

7 subsection, the Secretary shall emphasize appointing peer 

8 support counselors for women veterans. To the degree 

9 practicable, the Secretary shall seek to recruit women peer 

10 support counselors with expertise in— 

11 ‘‘(i) female gender-specific issues and services; 

12 ‘‘(ii) the provision of information about services 

13 and benefits provided under laws administered by 

14 the Secretary; or 

15 ‘‘(iii) employment mentoring. 

16 ‘‘(B) To the degree practicable, the Secretary shall 

17 emphasize facilitating peer support counseling for women 

18 veterans who are eligible for counseling and services under 

19 section 1720D of this title, have post-traumatic stress dis20 order or suffer from another mental health condition, are 

21 homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, or are otherwise 

22 at increased risk of suicide, as determined by the Sec23 retary. 

24 ‘‘(C) The Secretary shall conduct outreach to inform 

25 women veterans about the program and the assistance 

26 available under this paragraph. 


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HR 4635 RFS 

1 ‘‘(D) In carrying out this paragraph, the Secretary 

2 shall coordinate with such community organizations, State 

3 and local governments, institutions of higher education, 

4 chambers of commerce, local business organizations, orga5 nizations that provide legal assistance, and other organiza6 tions as the Secretary considers appropriate. 

7 ‘‘(E) In carrying out this paragraph, the Secretary 

8 shall provide adequate training for peer support coun9 selors, including training carried out under the national 

10 program of training required by section 304(c) of the 

11 Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 

12 2010 (38 U.S.C. 1712A note).’’. 

13 (b) FUNDING.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

14 shall carry out paragraph (4) of section 1720F(j) of title 

15 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), using 

16 funds otherwise made available to the Secretary. No addi17 tional funds are authorized to be appropriated by reason 

18 of such paragraph. 

19 (c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 2 years 

20 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

21 of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on 

22 Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representa23 tives a report on the peer support counseling program 

24 under section 1720F(j) of title 38, United States Code, 

25 as amended by this section. Such report shall include— 


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HR 4635 RFS 

1 (1) the number of peer support counselors in 

2 the program; 

3 (2) an assessment of the effectiveness of the 

4 program; and 

5 (3) a description of the oversight of the pro6 gram. 

Passed the House of Representatives June 13, 2018. 

Attest: KAREN L. HAAS, 

Clerk. 


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