I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2184 
To improve oversight and evaluation of the mental health and suicide preven-
tion media outreach campaigns of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 9, 2019 
Mr. MORELLE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To improve oversight and evaluation of the mental health 
and suicide prevention media outreach campaigns of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Reach Every Veteran 
in Crisis Act’’. 
SEC. 2. EVALUATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PRE-
VENTION MEDIA OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF TARGETS.— 
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(II) Response rate. 
(III) Click rate. 
(IV) Such other metrics as the 
Secretary considers necessary. 
(B) PERIODIC
UPDATES.—The Secretary 
shall periodically update the metrics under sub-
paragraph (A) as more accurate metrics become 
available. 
(3) CONSULTATION.—In establishing the tar-
gets under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall con-
sult with the following: 
(A) Relevant stakeholders as determined 
by the Secretary. 
(B) Mental health and suicide prevention 
experts. 
(C) Such other persons as the Secretary 
considers appropriate. 
(b) 
REPORTS
ON
OUTREACH
TARGETS
AND 
METRICS.— 
(1) REPORT ON TARGETS AND METRICS.—Not 
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of 
Representatives a report detailing the targets estab-
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lished under subsection (a)(1) to evaluate the effec-
tiveness of the mental health and suicide prevention 
media outreach campaigns of the Department in 
raising awareness about mental health and suicide 
prevention, including the metrics on which such tar-
gets are based under subsection (a)(2). 
(2) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than one year 
after the submittal of the report under paragraph 
(1), and annually thereafter, 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 a report detailing— 
(A) the progress of the Department in 
meeting the targets established under sub-
section (a)(1); and 
(B) a description of any action to be taken 
by the Department to modify mental health and 
suicide prevention media outreach campaigns if 
those targets are not being met. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF OVERSIGHT PROCESS FOR DE-
PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MENTAL 
HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION MEDIA 
OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF OVERSIGHT PROCESS.—Not 
later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this 
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Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a 
process to oversee the mental health and suicide preven-
tion media outreach campaigns of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs. 
(b) COMPONENTS
OF OVERSIGHT PROCESS.—The 
process established under subsection (a) shall include a de-
lineation of the roles and responsibilities of officials in 
leadership and contract oversight positions within the Of-
fice of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention of the Vet-
erans Health Administration, including during periods of 
staff turnover or program changes. 
SEC. 4. REPORT ON EXPENDITURES AND OBLIGATIONS OF 
FUNDS OF THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH 
AND SUICIDE PREVENTION. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and semiannu-
ally thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall sub-
mit to the appropriate congressional committees a report 
detailing the expenditures of and obligations of funds by 
the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention of the 
Veterans Health Administration during the period covered 
by the report. 
(b) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.— 
In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
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(1) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
SEC. 5. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS. 
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that 
each contract into which the Secretary enters to develop 
mental health and suicide prevention outreach media in-
cludes a requirement that the contractor— 
(1) track metrics used by the Secretary under 
section 2(a)(2); and 
(2) not less frequently than quarterly, report 
such metrics to the Office of Mental Health and Sui-
cide Prevention of the Veterans Health Administra-
tion. 
Æ 
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