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(1) were used by such individuals to finance 
education relating to psychiatric medicine, including 
education leading to— 
(A) a degree of doctor of medicine; or 
(B) a degree of doctor of osteopathy; and 
(2) were obtained from any of the following: 
(A) A governmental entity. 
(B) A private financial institution. 
(C) A school. 
(D) Any other authorized entity as deter-
mined by the Secretary. 
(b) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), an 
individual eligible for participation in the pilot pro-
gram is an individual who— 
(A) either— 
(i) is licensed or eligible for licensure 
to practice psychiatric medicine in the Vet-
erans Health Administration of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs; or 
(ii) is enrolled in the final year of a 
residency program leading to a specialty 
qualification in psychiatric medicine that is 
approved by the Accreditation Council for 
Graduate Medical Education; and 
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(B) demonstrates a commitment to a long- 
term career as a psychiatrist in the Veterans 
Health Administration, as determined by the 
Secretary. 
(2) PROHIBITION
ON
SIMULTANEOUS
ELIGI-
BILITY.—An individual who is participating in any 
other program of the Federal Government that re-
pays the educational loans of the individual is not el-
igible to participate in the pilot program. 
(c) SELECTION.—The Secretary shall select not less 
than 10 individuals described in subsection (b) to partici-
pate in the pilot program for each year in which the Sec-
retary carries out the pilot program. 
(d) PERIOD
OF OBLIGATED SERVICE.—The Sec-
retary shall enter into an agreement with each individual 
selected under subsection (c) in which such individual 
agrees to serve a period of 2 or more years of obligated 
service for the Veterans Health Administration in the field 
of psychiatric medicine, as determined by the Secretary. 
(e) LOAN REPAYMENTS.— 
(1) AMOUNTS.—Subject to paragraph (2), a 
loan repayment under this section may consist of 
payment of the principal, interest, and related ex-
penses of a loan obtained by an individual who is 
participating in the pilot program for all educational 
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expenses (including tuition, fees, books, and labora-
tory expenses) of such individual relating to edu-
cation described in subsection (a)(1). 
(2) LIMIT.—For each year of obligated service 
that an individual who is participating in the pilot 
program agrees to serve under subsection (d), the 
Secretary may pay not more than $30,000 in loan 
repayment on behalf of such individual. 
(f) BREACH.— 
(1) LIABILITY.—An individual who participates 
in the pilot program and fails to satisfy the period 
of obligated service under subsection (d) shall be lia-
ble to the United States, in lieu of such obligated 
service, for the amount that has been paid or is pay-
able to or on behalf of the individual under the pilot 
program, reduced by the proportion that the number 
of days served for completion of the period of obli-
gated service bears to the total number of days in 
the period of obligated service of such individual. 
(2) REPAYMENT PERIOD.—Any amount of dam-
ages that the United States is entitled to recover 
under this subsection shall be paid to the United 
States not later than 1 year after the date of the 
breach of the agreement. 
(g) REPORT.— 
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(1) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date on which the pilot program under sub-
section (a) commences, the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate 
and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
House of Representatives a report on the pilot pro-
gram. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) The number of individuals who partici-
pated in the pilot program, including the num-
ber of new hires. 
(B) The locations in which such individuals 
were employed by the Department, including 
how many such locations were rural or urban 
locations. 
(C) An assessment of the quality of the 
work performed by such individuals in the 
course of such employment, including the per-
formance reviews of such individuals. 
(D) The number of psychiatrists the Sec-
retary determines is needed by the Department 
in the future. 
(3) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 90 days 
before the date on which the pilot program termi-
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nates under subsection (i), the Secretary shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives an update to the re-
port submitted under paragraph (1) and any rec-
ommendations that the Secretary considers appro-
priate. 
(h) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall prescribe 
regulations to carry out this section, including standards 
for qualified loans and authorized payees and other terms 
and conditions for the making of loan repayments. 
(i) TERMINATION.—The authority to carry out the 
pilot program shall expire on the date that is 3 years after 
the date on which the Secretary commences the pilot pro-
gram. 
SEC. 5. PILOT PROGRAM ON COMMUNITY OUTREACH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall establish a pilot program to assist veterans 
transitioning from serving on active duty and to improve 
the access of veterans to mental health services. 
(b) LOCATIONS.—The Secretary shall carry out the 
pilot program under subsection (a) at not less than five 
Veterans Integrated Service Networks that have a large 
population of veterans who— 
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(1) served in the reserve components of the 
Armed Forces; or 
(2) are transitioning into communities with an 
established population of veterans after having re-
cently separated from the Armed Forces. 
(c) FUNCTIONS.—The pilot program at each Vet-
erans Integrated Service Network described in subsection 
(b) shall include the following: 
(1) A community oriented veteran peer support 
network, carried out in partnership with an appro-
priate entity with experience in peer support pro-
grams, that— 
(A) establishes peer support training 
guidelines; 
(B) develops a network of veteran peer 
support counselors to meet the demands of the 
communities in the Veterans Integrated Service 
Network; 
(C) conducts training of veteran peer sup-
port counselors; 
(D) with respect to one medical center se-
lected by the Secretary in each such Veterans 
Integrated Service Network, has— 
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(i) a designated peer support spe-
cialist who acts as a liaison to the commu-
nity oriented veteran peer network; and 
(ii) a certified mental health profes-
sional designated as the community ori-
ented veteran peer network mentor; and 
(E) is readily available to veterans, includ-
ing pursuant to the Veterans Integrated Service 
Network cooperating and working with State 
and local governments and appropriate entities. 
(2) A community outreach team for each med-
ical center selected by the Secretary pursuant to 
paragraph (1)(D) that— 
(A) assists veterans transitioning into com-
munities; 
(B) establishes a veteran transition advi-
sory group to facilitate outreach activities; 
(C) includes the participation of appro-
priate community organizations, State and local 
governments, colleges and universities, cham-
bers of commerce and other local business orga-
nizations, and organizations that provide legal 
aid or advice; and 
(D) coordinates with the Veterans Inte-
grated Service Network regarding the Veterans 
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Integrated Service Network carrying out an an-
nual mental health summit to assess the status 
of veteran mental health care in the community 
and to develop new or innovative means to pro-
vide mental health services to veterans. 
(d) REPORTS.— 
(1) INITIAL
REPORT.—Not later than 18 
months after the date on which the pilot program 
under subsection (a) commences, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives a report on the pilot 
program. With respect to each Veterans Integrated 
Service Network described in subsection (b), the re-
port shall include— 
(A) a full description of the peer support 
model implemented under the pilot program, 
participation data, and data pertaining to past 
and current mental health related hospitaliza-
tions and fatalities; 
(B) recommendations on implementing 
peer support networks throughout the Depart-
ment; 
(C) whether the mental health resources 
made available under the pilot program for 
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members of the reserve components of the 
Armed Forces is effective; and 
(D) a full description of the activities and 
effectiveness of community outreach coordi-
nating teams under the pilot program, including 
partnerships that have been established with 
appropriate entities. 
(2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 90 days 
before the date on which the pilot program termi-
nates under subsection (e), the Secretary shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives an update to the re-
port submitted under paragraph (1). 
(e) CONSTRUCTION.—This section may not be con-
strued to authorize the Secretary to hire additional em-
ployees of the Department to carry out the pilot program 
under subsection (a). 
(f) TERMINATION.—The authority of the Secretary to 
carry out the pilot program under subsection (a) shall ter-
minate on the date that is 3 years after the date on which 
the pilot program commences. 
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SEC. 6. COLLABORATION ON SUICIDE PREVENTION EF-
FORTS 
BETWEEN 
DEPARTMENT 
OF 
VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS AND NON-PROFIT MENTAL 
HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS. 
(a) COLLABORATION.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs may collaborate with non-profit mental health orga-
nizations to prevent suicide among veterans as follows: 
(1) To improve the efficiency and effectiveness 
of suicide prevention efforts carried out by the Sec-
retary and non-profit mental health organizations. 
(2) To assist non-profit mental health organiza-
tions with the suicide prevention efforts of such or-
ganizations through the use of the expertise of em-
ployees of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(3) To jointly carry out suicide prevention ef-
forts. 
(b) EXCHANGE OF RESOURCES.—In carrying out any 
collaboration under subsection (a), the Secretary and any 
non-profit mental health organization with which the Sec-
retary is collaborating under such subsection shall ex-
change training sessions and best practices to help with 
the suicide prevention efforts of the Department and such 
organization. 
(c) DIRECTOR OF SUICIDE PREVENTION COORDINA-
TION.—The Secretary shall select within the Department 
a Director of Suicide Prevention Coordination to under-
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take any collaboration with non-profit mental health orga-
nizations under this section or any other provision of law. 
SEC. 7. ADDITIONAL PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY FOR HEALTH 
CARE FOR CERTAIN VETERANS OF COMBAT 
SERVICE DURING CERTAIN PERIODS OF HOS-
TILITIES AND WAR. 
Paragraph (3) of section 1710(e) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(3) In the case of care for a veteran described in 
paragraph (1)(D), hospital care, medical services, and 
nursing home care may be provided under or by virtue 
of subsection (a)(2)(F) only during the following periods: 
‘‘(A) Except as provided by subparagraph (B), 
with respect to a veteran described in paragraph 
(1)(D) who is discharged or released from the active 
military, naval, or air service after January 27, 
2003, the five-year period beginning on the date of 
such discharge or release. 
‘‘(B) With respect to a veteran described in 
paragraph (1)(D) who is discharged or released from 
the active military, naval, or air service after Janu-
ary 1, 2009, and before January 1, 2011, but did 
not enroll to receive such hospital care, medical serv-
ices, or nursing home care pursuant to such para-
graph during the five-year period described in sub-
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paragraph (A), the one-year period beginning on 
January 1, 2015. 
‘‘(C) With respect to a veteran described in 
paragraph (1)(D) who is discharged or released from 
the active military, naval, or air service on or before 
January 27, 2003, and did not enroll in the patient 
enrollment system under section 1705 of this title on 
or before such date, the three-year period beginning 
on January 27, 2008.’’. 
SEC. 8. PROHIBITION ON NEW APPROPRIATIONS. 
No additional funds are authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this Act and the amendments made 
by this Act, and this Act and such amendments shall be 
carried out using amounts otherwise made available for 
such purposes. 
Passed the House of Representatives December 9, 
2014. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
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