I 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5986 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a pilot program 

on posttraumatic growth, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 29, 2018 

Mr. TAYLOR (for himself, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Mrs. COMSTOCK, Ms. SINEMA, 

Mr. GALLEGO, Mr. BANKS of Indiana, and Mr. BILIRAKIS) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a 

pilot program on posttraumatic growth, 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, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Bill Mulder and Ryan 

5 Larkin Posttraumatic Growth Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) There is a shortage of adequate, timely, and 

2 effective mental health care available to veterans 

3 across the United States. 

4 (2) The Department of Veterans Affairs con5 tinues to highlight veterans mental health care and 

6 suicide prevention as a key priority. 

7 (3) There is an opportunity to explore effective 

8 alternative treatments focused on the area of 

9 posttraumatic growth. 

10 SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM ON POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH. 

11 (a) PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

12 shall conduct a pilot program to study the effectiveness 

13 and benefits of nonprofit posttraumatic growth programs 

14 to determine— 

15 (1) the outcomes of such programs in contrast 

16 to traditional models of mental health care; 

17 (2) the possible integration of such nonprofit 

18 programs into the mental health care programs pro19 vided by the Secretary; and 

20 (3) the budgetary impacts of such integration. 

21 (b) DURATION.—The Secretary shall carry out the 

22 pilot program under subsection (a) for a two-year period. 

23 (c) LOCATIONS.—The Secretary shall select more 

24 than one location at which to carry out the pilot program 


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1 under subsection (a), of which at least one location shall 

2 include a rural area. 

3 (d) PARTICIPANTS.— 

4 (1) GROUPS.—For each location selected under 

5 subsection (c), the Secretary shall establish one or 

6 more groups consisting of not more than six vet7 erans to participate in the pilot program under sub8 section (a). The Secretary shall establish a total of 

9 24 groups. 

10 (2) ELIGIBILITY.—A veteran is eligible to par11 ticipate in a group under paragraph (1) if the Sec12 retary determines that the veteran is— 

13 (A) at risk of committing suicide; and 

14 (B) not participating in traditional mental 

15 health treatment. 

16 (3) FEMALE VETERANS.—Not fewer than four 

17 groups of veterans under paragraph (1) shall consist 

18 only of female veterans. 

19 (e) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.—The Secretary 

20 shall carry out the pilot program under subsection (a) by 

21 entering into an agreement with one or more nonprofit 

22 organizations that— 

23 (1) have staff with expertise in evidence-based 

24 care and experience working with veterans; 


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1 (2) have experience in the science of 

2 posttraumatic growth; and 

3 (3) uses a standardized, evaluated, and com4 prehensive curriculum. 

5 (f) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 

6 on which the pilot program under subsection (a) is com7 pleted, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 

8 on the pilot program, including a comparison of the care 

9 provided under the pilot program and the clinical care 

10 model of the Department. 

Æ 


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