II 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 167 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide for the conduct of 

annual evaluations of mental health care and suicide prevention programs 

of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to require a pilot program on 

loan repayment for psychiatrists who agree to serve in the Veterans 

Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 13, 2015 

Mr. MCCAIN (for himself, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BURR, Mr. MANCHIN, Mr. 

BLUNT, Mr. FLAKE, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. MORAN, Mr. MENENDEZ, Ms. 

MURKOWSKI, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. 

DURBIN, Mr. SANDERS, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. BROWN, Mr. TESTER, Mrs. 

MURRAY, Mr. DONNELLY, and Mr. CASEY) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide for 

the conduct of annual evaluations of mental health care 

and suicide prevention programs of the Department of 

Veterans Affairs, to require a pilot program on loan 

repayment for psychiatrists who agree to serve in the 

Veterans Health Administration 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 ‘‘Clay Hunt Suicide Pre3 vention for American Veterans Act’’ or the ‘‘Clay Hunt 

4 SAV Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. EVALUATIONS OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND SUI6 CIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMS OF DEPART7 MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 

8 (a) EVALUATIONS.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 17 

10 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by add11 ing at the end the following new section: 

12 ‘‘§ 1709B. Evaluations of mental health care and sui13 cide prevention programs 

14 ‘‘(a) EVALUATIONS.—(1) Not less frequently than 

15 once during each period specified in paragraph (3), the 

16 Secretary shall provide for the conduct of an evaluation 

17 of the mental health care and suicide prevention programs 

18 carried out under the laws administered by the Secretary. 

19 ‘‘(2) Each evaluation conducted under paragraph (1) 

20 shall— 

21 ‘‘(A) use metrics that are common among and 

22 useful for practitioners in the field of mental health 

23 care and suicide prevention; 

24 ‘‘(B) identify the most effective mental health 

25 care and suicide prevention programs conducted by 


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1 the Secretary, including such programs conducted at 

2 a Center of Excellence; 

3 ‘‘(C) identify the cost-effectiveness of each pro4 gram identified under subparagraph (B); 

5 ‘‘(D) measure the satisfaction of patients with 

6 respect to the care provided under each such pro7 gram; and 

8 ‘‘(E) propose best practices for caring for indi9 viduals who suffer from mental health disorders or 

10 are at risk of suicide, including such practices con11 ducted or suggested by other departments or agen12 cies of the Federal Government, including the Sub13 stance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis14 tration of the Department of Health and Human 

15 Services. 

16 ‘‘(3) The periods specified in this paragraph are the 

17 following: 

18 ‘‘(A) The period beginning on the date on which 

19 the Secretary awards the contract under paragraph 

20 (4) and ending on September 30, 2018. 

21 ‘‘(B) Each fiscal year beginning on or after Oc22 tober 1, 2018. 

23 ‘‘(4) Not later than 180 days after the date of the 

24 enactment of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for Amer25 ican Veterans Act, the Secretary shall seek to enter into 


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1 a contract with an independent third party unaffiliated 

2 with the Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct eval3 uations under paragraph (1). 

4 ‘‘(5) The independent third party that is awarded the 

5 contract under paragraph (4) shall submit to the Sec6 retary each evaluation conducted under paragraph (1). 

7 ‘‘(b) ANNUAL SUBMISSION.—Not later than Decem8 ber 1, 2018, and not less frequently than once each year 

9 thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 

10 on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 

11 Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 

12 that contains the following: 

13 ‘‘(1) The most recent evaluations submitted to 

14 the Secretary under subsection (a)(5) that the Sec15 retary has not previously submitted to such Commit16 tees. 

17 ‘‘(2) Any recommendations the Secretary con18 siders appropriate.’’. 

19 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec20 tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 

21 by inserting after the item relating to section 1709A 

22 the following new item: 

‘‘1709B. Evaluations of mental health care and suicide prevention programs.’’. 

23 (b) INTERIM REPORTS.—Not later than September 

24 30 of each of 2016 and 2017, the Secretary of Veterans 

25 Affairs shall, in coordination with the independent third 


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1 party awarded a contract by the Secretary pursuant to 

2 section 1709B(a)(4) of title 38, United States Code, as 

3 added by subsection (a)(1), submit to the Committee on 

4 Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Vet5 erans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 

6 on the mental health care and suicide prevention programs 

7 carried out under the laws administered by the Secretary 

8 that includes, with respect to each such program, the fol9 lowing: 

10 (1) A description of the program. 

11 (2) The number of veterans served by the pro12 gram. 

13 (3) The budget of the program. 

14 (4) The number of full-time equivalent employ15 ees assigned to the program. 

16 (5) Whether veterans may repeat participation 

17 in the program or participate in the program in ad18 dition to other similar programs. 

19 (6) Any study results or research published re20 garding the efficacy of the program. 

21 (7) Any other information the Secretary deter22 mines appropriate. 


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1 SEC. 3. PUBLICATION OF INTERNET WEBSITE TO PROVIDE 

2 INFORMATION REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH 

3 CARE SERVICES. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Using funds made available to the 

5 Secretary of Veterans Affairs to publish the Internet 

6 websites of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Sec7 retary shall survey the existing Internet websites and in8 formation resources of the Department and publish an 

9 Internet website that serves as a centralized source to pro10 vide veterans with information regarding all of the mental 

11 health care services provided under the laws administered 

12 by the Secretary. 

13 (b) ELEMENTS.—The Internet website published 

14 under subsection (a) shall provide to veterans information 

15 regarding all of the mental health care services available 

16 in the Veteran Integrated Service Network in which the 

17 veteran is seeking such services, including, with respect 

18 to each medical center, Vet Center (as defined in section 

19 1712A of title 38, United States Code), and community20 based outpatient clinic in the Veterans Integrated Service 

21 Network— 

22 (1) the name and contact information of each 

23 social work office; 

24 (2) the name and contact information of each 

25 mental health clinic; 

26 (3) a list of appropriate staff; and 


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1 (4) any other information the Secretary deter2 mines appropriate. 

3 (c) UPDATED INFORMATION.—The Secretary shall 

4 ensure that the information described in subsection (b) 

5 that is published on the Internet website under subsection 

6 (a) is updated not less than once every 90 days. 

7 (d) OUTREACH.—In carrying out this section, the 

8 Secretary shall ensure that the outreach conducted under 

9 section 1720F(i) of title 38, United States Code, includes 

10 information regarding the Internet website published 

11 under subsection (a). 

12 SEC. 4. PILOT PROGRAM FOR REPAYMENT OF EDU13 CATIONAL LOANS FOR CERTAIN PSYCHIA14 TRISTS OF VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRA15 TION. 

16 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans 

17 Affairs shall carry out a pilot program to repay loans of 

18 individuals described in subsection (b) that— 

19 (1) were used by such individuals to finance 

20 education relating to psychiatric medicine, including 

21 education leading to— 

22 (A) a degree of doctor of medicine; or 

23 (B) a degree of doctor of osteopathy; and 

24 (2) were obtained from any of the following: 

25 (A) A governmental entity. 


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1 (B) A private financial institution. 

2 (C) A school. 

3 (D) Any other authorized entity as deter4 mined by the Secretary. 

5 (b) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), an 

7 individual eligible for participation in the pilot pro8 gram is an individual who— 

9 (A) either— 

10 (i) is licensed or eligible for licensure 

11 to practice psychiatric medicine in the Vet12 erans Health Administration of the De13 partment of Veterans Affairs; or 

14 (ii) is enrolled in the final year of a 

15 residency program leading to a specialty 

16 qualification in psychiatric medicine that is 

17 approved by the Accreditation Council for 

18 Graduate Medical Education; and 

19 (B) demonstrates a commitment to a long20 term career as a psychiatrist in the Veterans 

21 Health Administration, as determined by the 

22 Secretary. 

23 (2) PROHIBITION ON SIMULTANEOUS ELIGI24 BILITY.—An individual who is participating in any 

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1 pays the educational loans of the individual is not el2 igible to participate in the pilot program. 

3 (c) SELECTION.—The Secretary shall select not less 

4 than 10 individuals described in subsection (b) to partici5 pate in the pilot program for each year in which the Sec6 retary carries out the pilot program. 

7 (d) PERIOD OF OBLIGATED SERVICE.—The Sec8 retary shall enter into an agreement with each individual 

9 selected under subsection (c) in which such individual 

10 agrees to serve a period of two or more years of obligated 

11 service for the Veterans Health Administration in the field 

12 of psychiatric medicine, as determined by the Secretary. 

13 (e) LOAN REPAYMENTS.— 

14 (1) AMOUNTS.—Subject to paragraph (2), a 

15 loan repayment under this section may consist of 

16 payment of the principal, interest, and related ex17 penses of a loan obtained by an individual who is 

18 participating in the pilot program for all educational 

19 expenses (including tuition, fees, books, and labora20 tory expenses) of such individual relating to edu21 cation described in subsection (a)(1). 

22 (2) LIMIT.—For each year of obligated service 

23 that an individual who is participating in the pilot 

24 program agrees to serve under subsection (d), the 


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1 Secretary may pay not more than $30,000 in loan 

2 repayment on behalf of such individual. 

3 (f) BREACH.— 

4 (1) LIABILITY.—An individual who participates 

5 in the pilot program and fails to satisfy the period 

6 of obligated service under subsection (d) shall be lia7 ble to the United States, in lieu of such obligated 

8 service, for the amount that has been paid or is pay9 able to or on behalf of the individual under the pilot 

10 program, reduced by the proportion that the number 

11 of days served for completion of the period of obli12 gated service bears to the total number of days in 

13 the period of obligated service of such individual. 

14 (2) REPAYMENT PERIOD.—Any amount of dam15 ages that the United States is entitled to recover 

16 under this subsection shall be paid to the United 

17 States not later than one year after the date of the 

18 breach of the agreement. 

19 (g) REPORT.— 

20 (1) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than two years 

21 after the date on which the pilot program under sub22 section (a) commences, the Secretary shall submit to 

23 the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate 

24 and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 


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1 House of Representatives a report on the pilot pro2 gram. 

3 (2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para4 graph (1) shall include the following: 

5 (A) The number of individuals who partici6 pated in the pilot program, including the num7 ber of new hires. 

8 (B) The locations in which such individuals 

9 were employed by the Department, including 

10 how many such locations were rural or urban 

11 locations. 

12 (C) An assessment of the quality of the 

13 work performed by such individuals in the 

14 course of such employment, including the per15 formance reviews of such individuals. 

16 (D) The number of psychiatrists the Sec17 retary determines is needed by the Department 

18 in the future. 

19 (3) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 90 days 

20 before the date on which the pilot program termi21 nates under subsection (i), the Secretary shall sub22 mit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 

23 Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 

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1 ommendations that the Secretary considers appro2 priate. 

3 (h) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall prescribe 

4 regulations to carry out this section, including standards 

5 for qualified loans and authorized payees and other terms 

6 and conditions for the making of loan repayments. 

7 (i) TERMINATION.—The authority to carry out the 

8 pilot program shall expire on the date that is three years 

9 after the date on which the Secretary commences the pilot 

10 program. 

11 SEC. 5. PILOT PROGRAM ON COMMUNITY OUTREACH. 

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

13 shall establish a pilot program to assist veterans 

14 transitioning from serving as a member of the Armed 

15 Forces on active duty and to improve the access of vet16 erans to mental health services. 

17 (b) LOCATIONS.—The Secretary shall carry out the 

18 pilot program under subsection (a) at not less than five 

19 Veterans Integrated Service Networks that have a large 

20 population of veterans who— 

21 (1) served in the reserve components of the 

22 Armed Forces; or 

23 (2) are transitioning into communities with an 

24 established population of veterans after having re25 cently separated from the Armed Forces. 


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1 (c) FUNCTIONS.—The pilot program at each Vet2 erans Integrated Service Network selected to carry out the 

3 pilot program under subsection (b) shall include the fol4 lowing: 

5 (1) A community oriented veteran peer support 

6 network, carried out in partnership with an appro7 priate entity with experience in peer support pro8 grams, that— 

9 (A) establishes peer support training 

10 guidelines; 

11 (B) develops a network of veteran peer 

12 support counselors to meet the demands of the 

13 communities in the Veterans Integrated Service 

14 Network; 

15 (C) conducts training of veteran peer sup16 port counselors; 

17 (D) with respect to one medical center se18 lected by the Secretary in each such Veterans 

19 Integrated Service Network, has— 

20 (i) a designated peer support spe21 cialist who acts as a liaison to the commu22 nity oriented veteran peer network; and 

23 (ii) a certified mental health profes24 sional designated as the community ori25 ented veteran peer network mentor; and 


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1 (E) is readily available to veterans, includ2 ing pursuant to the Veterans Integrated Service 

3 Network cooperating and working with State 

4 and local governments and appropriate entities. 

5 (2) A community outreach team for each med6 ical center selected by the Secretary pursuant to 

7 paragraph (1)(D) that— 

8 (A) assists veterans transitioning into com9 munities; 

10 (B) establishes a veteran transition advi11 sory group to facilitate outreach activities; 

12 (C) includes the participation of appro13 priate community organizations, State and local 

14 governments, colleges and universities, cham15 bers of commerce and other local business orga16 nizations, and organizations that provide legal 

17 aid or advice; and 

18 (D) coordinates with the Veterans Inte19 grated Service Network regarding the Veterans 

20 Integrated Service Network carrying out an an21 nual mental health summit to assess the status 

22 of mental health care for veterans in the com23 munity and to develop new or innovative means 

24 to provide mental health services to veterans. 

25 (d) REPORTS.— 


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1 (1) INITIAL REPORT.— 

2 (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 540 

3 days after the date on which the pilot program 

4 under subsection (a) commences, the Secretary 

5 shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Af6 fairs of the Senate and the Committee on Vet7 erans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives 

8 a report on the pilot program. 

9 (B) ELEMENTS.—With respect to each 

10 Veterans Integrated Service Network selected to 

11 carry out the pilot program under subsection 

12 (b), the report under subparagraph (A) shall in13 clude— 

14 (i) a full description of the peer sup15 port model implemented under the pilot 

16 program, participation data, and data per17 taining to past and current mental health 

18 related hospitalizations and fatalities; 

19 (ii) recommendations on implementing 

20 peer support networks throughout the De21 partment; 

22 (iii) whether the mental health re23 sources made available under the pilot pro24 gram for members of the reserve compo25 nents of the Armed Forces is effective; and 


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1 (iv) a full description of the activities 

2 and effectiveness of community outreach 

3 coordinating teams under the pilot pro4 gram, including partnerships that have 

5 been established with appropriate entities. 

6 (2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 90 days 

7 before the date on which the pilot program termi8 nates under subsection (e), the Secretary shall sub9 mit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 

10 Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 

11 the House of Representatives an update to the re12 port submitted under paragraph (1). 

13 (e) CONSTRUCTION.—This section may not be con14 strued to authorize the Secretary to hire additional em15 ployees of the Department to carry out the pilot program 

16 under subsection (a). 

17 (f) TERMINATION.—The authority of the Secretary to 

18 carry out the pilot program under subsection (a) shall ter19 minate on the date that is three years after the date on 

20 which the pilot program commences. 


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1 SEC. 6. COLLABORATION ON SUICIDE PREVENTION EF2 FORTS BETWEEN DEPARTMENT OF VET3 ERANS AFFAIRS AND NON-PROFIT MENTAL 

4 HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS. 

5 (a) COLLABORATION.—The Secretary of Veterans Af6 fairs may collaborate with non-profit mental health orga7 nizations to prevent suicide among veterans as follows: 

8 (1) To improve the efficiency and effectiveness 

9 of suicide prevention efforts carried out by the Sec10 retary and non-profit mental health organizations. 

11 (2) To assist non-profit mental health organiza12 tions with the suicide prevention efforts of such or13 ganizations through the use of the expertise of em14 ployees of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

15 (3) To jointly carry out suicide prevention ef16 forts. 

17 (b) EXCHANGE OF RESOURCES.—In carrying out any 

18 collaboration under subsection (a), the Secretary and any 

19 non-profit mental health organization with which the Sec20 retary is collaborating under such subsection shall ex21 change training sessions and best practices to help with 

22 the suicide prevention efforts of the Department and such 

23 organization. 

24 (c) DIRECTOR OF SUICIDE PREVENTION COORDINA25 TION.—The Secretary shall select within the Department 

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1 take any collaboration with non-profit mental health orga2 nizations under this section or any other provision of law. 

3 SEC. 7. ADDITIONAL PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY FOR HEALTH 

4 CARE FOR CERTAIN VETERANS OF COMBAT 

5 SERVICE DURING CERTAIN PERIODS OF HOS6 TILITIES AND WAR. 

7 Paragraph (3) of section 1710(e) of title 38, United 

8 States Code, is amended to read as follows: 

9 ‘‘(3) In the case of care for a veteran described in 

10 paragraph (1)(D), hospital care, medical services, and 

11 nursing home care may be provided under or by virtue 

12 of subsection (a)(2)(F) only during the following periods: 

13 ‘‘(A) Except as provided by subparagraph (B), 

14 with respect to a veteran described in paragraph 

15 (1)(D) who is discharged or released from the active 

16 military, naval, or air service after January 27, 

17 2003, the five-year period beginning on the date of 

18 such discharge or release. 

19 ‘‘(B) With respect to a veteran described in 

20 paragraph (1)(D) who is discharged or released from 

21 the active military, naval, or air service after Janu22 ary 1, 2009, and before January 1, 2011, but did 

23 not enroll to receive such hospital care, medical serv24 ices, or nursing home care pursuant to such para25 graph during the five-year period beginning on the 


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1 date of such discharge or release, the one-year pe2 riod beginning on the date of the enactment of the 

3 Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Vet4 erans Act. 

5 ‘‘(C) With respect to a veteran described in 

6 paragraph (1)(D) who is discharged or released from 

7 the active military, naval, or air service on or before 

8 January 27, 2003, and did not enroll in the patient 

9 enrollment system under section 1705 of this title on 

10 or before such date, the three-year period beginning 

11 on January 27, 2008.’’. 

12 SEC. 8. PROHIBITION ON NEW APPROPRIATIONS. 

13 No additional funds are authorized to be appro14 priated to carry out this Act and the amendments made 

15 by this Act, and this Act and such amendments shall be 

16 carried out using amounts otherwise made available for 

17 such purposes. 

Æ 


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