I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1749 

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make grants to State 

and local entities to carry out peer-to-peer mental health programs. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 13, 2019 

Mr. ZELDIN (for himself, Ms. STEFANIK, Miss RICE of New York, Mr. 

SUOZZI, Mr. COLLINS of New York, and Mr. KING of New York) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make 

grants to State and local entities to carry out peerto-peer mental health programs. 

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 ‘‘PFC Joseph P. Dwyer 

5 Peer Support Program Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. P.F.C. JOSEPH P. DWYER PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM. 

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

8 shall establish a grant program to be known as the 

9 ‘‘P.F.C. Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program’’ under 


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1 which the Secretary shall make grants to eligible entities 

2 for the purpose of establishing peer-to-peer mental health 

3 programs for veterans. 

4 (b) ELIGIBLE ENTITY DEFINED.—In this section, 

5 the term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means any of the following enti6 ties that submit to the Secretary an application containing 

7 such information and assurances as the Secretary may re8 quire: 

9 (1) A nonprofit organization having historically 

10 served veterans mental health needs. 

11 (2) A congressionally chartered veteran service 

12 organization. 

13 (3) A State, local, or tribal veteran service 

14 agency, director, or commissioner. 

15 (c) AMOUNT OF GRANT.—The recipient of a grant 

16 under this section shall receive a grant in an amount that 

17 does not exceed $250,000. 

18 (d) USE OF FUNDS.—The recipient of a grant under 

19 this section shall use the grant funds to— 

20 (1) carry out a program that meets the stand21 ards developed under subsection (e); 

22 (2) hire veterans to serve as peer specialists to 

23 host group and individual meetings with veterans 

24 seeking nonclinical support; 


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1 (3) provide mental health support to veterans 

2 24 hours each day, seven days each week; and 

3 (4) hire staff to support the program. 

4 (e) PROGRAM STANDARDS.— 

5 (1) ADVISORY COMMISSION.—The Secretary 

6 shall establish an advisory committee for the pur7 pose of creating appropriate standards applicable to 

8 programs established using grants under this sec9 tion. 

10 (2) STANDARDS.—The standards developed 

11 under paragraph (1) shall include initial and contin12 ued training for veteran peer volunteers, administra13 tive staffing needs, and best practices for addressing 

14 the needs of each veteran served. 

15 (f) NONRETENTION OF RECORDS.—The Secretary 

16 may not require the recipient of a grant under this section 

17 to maintain records on veterans seeking support or to re18 port any personally identifying information directly or in19 directly to the Secretary about such veterans. 

20 (g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

21 authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 to carry out 

22 this section during the 3-year period beginning on the date 

23 of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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