IC 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 1873 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 29, 2018 

Referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

AN ACT 

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 

a program to establish peer specialists in patient aligned 

care teams at medical centers of the Department of 

Veterans Affairs, 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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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veteran Partners’ Ef3 forts to Enhance Reintegration Act’’ or the ‘‘Veteran 

4 PEER Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. PROGRAM ON ESTABLISHMENT OF PEER SPECIAL6 ISTS IN PATIENT ALIGNED CARE TEAM SET7 TINGS WITHIN MEDICAL CENTERS OF DE8 PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 

9 (a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Vet10 erans Affairs shall carry out a program to establish not 

11 fewer than two peer specialists in patient aligned care 

12 teams at medical centers of the Department of Veterans 

13 Affairs to promote the use and integration of services for 

14 mental health, substance use disorder, and behavior health 

15 in a primary care setting. 

16 (b) TIMEFRAME FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF PRO17 GRAM.—The Secretary shall carry out the program at 

18 medical centers of the Department as follows: 

19 (1) Not later than December 31, 2018, at not 

20 fewer than 25 medical centers of the Department. 

21 (2) Not later than December 31, 2019, at not 

22 fewer than 50 medical centers of the Department. 

23 (c) SELECTION OF LOCATIONS.— 

24 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall select 

25 medical centers for the program as follows: 


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1 (A) Not fewer than five shall be medical 

2 centers of the Department that are designated 

3 by the Secretary as polytrauma centers. 

4 (B) Not fewer than ten shall be medical 

5 centers of the Department that are not des6 ignated by the Secretary as polytrauma centers. 

7 (2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In selecting medical 

8 centers for the program under paragraph (1), the 

9 Secretary shall consider the feasibility and advis10 ability of selecting medical centers in the following 

11 areas: 

12 (A) Rural areas and other areas that are 

13 underserved by the Department. 

14 (B) Areas that are not in close proximity 

15 to an active duty military installation. 

16 (C) Areas representing different geo17 graphic locations, such as census tracts estab18 lished by the Bureau of the Census. 

19 (d) GENDER-SPECIFIC SERVICES.—In carrying out 

20 the program at each location selected under subsection (c), 

21 the Secretary shall ensure that— 

22 (1) the needs of female veterans are specifically 

23 considered and addressed; and 

24 (2) female peer specialists are made available to 

25 female veterans who are treated at each location. 


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1 (e) ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITY PROVIDERS.— 

2 At each location selected under subsection (c), the Sec3 retary shall consider ways in which peer specialists can 

4 conduct outreach to health care providers in the commu5 nity who are known to be serving veterans to engage with 

6 those providers and veterans served by those providers. 

7 (f) REPORTS.— 

8 (1) PERIODIC REPORTS.— 

9 (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 

10 days after the date of the enactment of this 

11 Act, and not less frequently than once every 

12 180 days thereafter until the Secretary deter13 mines that the program is being carried out at 

14 the last location to be selected under subsection 

15 (c), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 

16 report on the program. 

17 (B) ELEMENTS.—Each report required by 

18 subparagraph (A) shall, with respect to the 

19 180-day period preceding the submittal of the 

20 report, include the following: 

21 (i) The findings and conclusions of 

22 the Secretary with respect to the program. 

23 (ii) An assessment of the benefits of 

24 the program to veterans and family mem25 bers of veterans. 


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1 (iii) An assessment of the effective2 ness of peer specialists in engaging under 

3 subsection (e) with health care providers in 

4 the community and veterans served by 

5 those providers. 

6 (2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 

7 after the Secretary determines that the program is 

8 being carried out at the last location to be selected 

9 under subsection (c), the Secretary shall submit to 

10 Congress a report detailing the recommendations of 

11 the Secretary as to the feasibility and advisability of 

12 expanding the program to additional locations. 

Passed the Senate January 25, 2018. 

Attest: JULIE E. ADAMS, 

Secretary. 


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