Supporting Survivors of Military Sexual Trauma Act of 2020

To direct the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs to coordinate support for survivors of sexual trauma. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Supporting Survivors of Military Sexual Trauma Act of 2020 2. Coordination of support for survivors of sexual trauma (a) In general Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs shall jointly develop, implement, and maintain a standard of coordinated care for members of the Armed Forces who are survivors of sexual trauma. Such standard shall include the following: (b) Minimum elements The standard developed and implemented under subsection (a) by the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs shall include the following: (1) Information for members of the Armed Forces The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that— (A) information is posted in each facility of the Department of Defense regarding services furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to survivors of sexual trauma; and (B) Sexual Assault Response Coordinators and Uniformed Victim Advocates receive annual training on resources of the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding sexual trauma. (2) Coordination between staff of the Departments The Secretaries shall ensure that a Sexual Assault Response Coordinator or Uniformed Victim Advocate of the Department of Defense who receives a report of an instance of sexual trauma connects each survivor to the Military Sexual Trauma Coordinator of the Department of Veterans Affairs at the facility of that Department nearest to the residence of that survivor. (c) Reports (1) Report on residential treatment Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs shall provide a report to the appropriate committees of Congress regarding the availability of residential treatment programs for survivors of sexual trauma, including— (A) barriers to access for such programs; and (B) resources required to reduce such barriers. (2) Initial report Upon implementation of the standard under subsection (a), the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the standard. (3) Progress reports Not later than 180 days after submitting the initial report under paragraph (2), and on December 1 of each subsequent year, the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the progress of the Secretaries in implementing and improving the standard. (4) Updates Whenever the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs update the standard developed under subsection (a), the Secretaries shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on such update, including a comprehensive and detailed description of such update and the reasons for such update. (d) Definitions In this Act: (1) The term sexual trauma (2) The term appropriate committees of Congress (A) the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate; and (B) the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Summary: Supporting Survivors of Military Sexual Trauma Act of 2020 This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop, implement, and maintain a standard of coordinated care for members of the Armed Forces who are survivors of sexual trauma, including by requiring that information is posted in DOD facilities regarding VA services for such survivors.