Veterans Justice Outreach Improvement Act of 2021

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make certain improvements to the Veterans Justice Outreach Program, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Justice Outreach Improvement Act of 2021 2. Improvements to Veterans Justice Outreach Program (a) Outreach requirement The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct outreach regarding the Veterans Justice Outreach Program to justice-involved veterans, military and veterans service organizations, and relevant stakeholders in the criminal justice community, including officials from local law enforcement, court, and jail systems and others as determined appropriate by the Secretary. Such outreach— (1) shall be designed— (A) to spread awareness and understanding of the Program; (B) to spread awareness and understanding of veteran eligibility for the Program, including the eligibility of veterans who were discharged from service in the Armed Forces under conditions other than honorable; and (C) to improve the identification of justice-involved veterans; and (2) may be conducted in person, virtually, or through other means, including by the dissemination of informational materials and contact information. (b) Strategic plan The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop a strategic plan for the Veterans Justice Outreach Program. In developing such plan, the Secretary shall conduct— (1) an assessment of barriers to working with justice-involved veterans in rural, remote, and underserved areas, including potential steps to address such barriers; and (2) a workforce gap analysis for the Program. (c) Increase in number of VJO specialists (1) Increase The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall increase the number of Veterans Justice Outreach specialists responsible for supporting justice-involved veterans in rural, remote, or underserved areas, including areas located far from Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers, as determined by the Secretary, through— (A) the hiring of additional Veterans Justice Outreach specialists; (B) the reallocation of existing Veterans Justice Outreach specialists; or (C) such other means as may be determined appropriate by the Secretary. (2) Determination The Secretary shall determine the number of Veterans Justice Outreach specialists required, and the locations of such specialists, under paragraph (1) by taking into account— (A) such number and locations needed to achieve the mission and strategic goals of the Veterans Justice Outreach Program; (B) any gaps in the workforce of the Program, including such gaps identified pursuant to subsection (b)(2); and (C) strategies to address such gaps. (3) Use of technology In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider the use of virtual technology. (d) Performance goals and implementation plans (1) Establishment The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish performance goals and implementation plans for— (A) the Veterans Justice Outreach Program; (B) Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists; and (C) providing support for research regarding justice-involved veterans. (2) Consistency with strategic plan The Secretary shall ensure that the performance goals and implementation plans under paragraph (1) are consistent with the strategic plan under subsection (b) and include— (A) qualitative and quantitative milestones, measures, and metrics, and associated timelines for completion of the plans under paragraph (1) and barriers to such completion; (B) an identification of relevant staff; and (C) an estimate of resource needs and sources. (3) Performance data The Secretary shall establish a process to regularly collect and analyze performance data to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of implementing the plans under paragraph (1). (e) Training requirement The Secretary shall ensure that all Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists receive training not less frequently than annually on— (1) best practices for identifying and conducting outreach to justice-involved veterans and relevant stakeholders in the criminal justice community; and (2) veteran eligibility for the Veterans Justice Outreach Program, including with respect to consistently communicating changes regarding eligibility (including through the use of a script or other reference materials). (f) Reports on implementation (1) First report Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the following: (A) An assessment of implementing subsection (c), including— (i) strategies to increase Veterans Justice Outreach specialists responsible for supporting justice-involved veterans in rural, remote, or underserved areas; and (ii) the progress of the Secretary in addressing gaps in the workforce of the Veterans Justice Outreach Program identified pursuant to paragraph (2) of such subsection. (B) The performance goals and implementation plans established under subsection (d)(1). (2) Subsequent report Not later than three years after the date on which the first report is submitted under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the progress of the Secretary in meeting the performance goals and carrying out activities under the implementation plans established under subsection (d)(1). (g) Report on veterans treatment courts Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall submit to Congress a report on the engagement of the Department of Veterans Affairs with veterans treatment courts, including— (1) the availability and efficacy of veterans treatment courts in meeting the needs of justice-involved veterans; (2) best practices for Department of Veterans Affairs staff and justice-involved veterans in working with veterans treatment courts; and (3) the ability of justice-involved veterans to access veterans treatment courts, including any barriers that exist to increasing such access. (h) Definitions In this section: (1) Justice-involved veteran The term justice-involved veteran (2) Veterans Justice Outreach Program The term Veterans Justice Outreach Program (3) Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist The term Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist (4) Veterans treatment court The term veterans treatment court 42 U.S.C. 3797aa(i)(1)

Summary: Veterans Justice Outreach Improvement Act of 2021 The bill updates the Veterans Justice Outreach Program, which is a program through which the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) identifies justice-involved veterans and provides them with access to VA services. Justice-involved veterans are those with active, ongoing, or recent contact with some component of a local criminal justice system. Under the bill, the VA must conduct program outreach to justice-involved veterans, military and veterans service organizations, and relevant stakeholders in the criminal justice community (e.g., local law enforcement). The VA must also develop a strategic plan for the program. In developing the plan, the VA must conduct (1) a workforce gap analysis for the program; and (2) an assessment of barriers to working with justice-involved veterans in rural, remote, and underserved areas. The VA must increase the number of Veterans Justice Outreach specialists responsible for supporting justice-involved veterans in rural, remote, or underserved areas. The bill requires the VA to establish performance goals and implementation plans for the program, Veterans Justice Outreach specialists, and for providing support for research regarding justice-involved veterans. Finally, the VA must ensure all Veterans Justice Outreach specialists receive annual training on (1) best practices for identifying and conducting outreach to justice-involved veterans and relevant stakeholders in the criminal justice community, and (2) veteran eligibility for the program.