(C) the Office of Mental Health and Sui-
cide Prevention of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs; 
(D) the Health Services Research Division 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs; 
(E) the Office of Health Care Trans-
formation of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs; and 
(F) the Zero Suicide Institute. 
(4) FACTORS.—In selecting sites for the pro-
gram, the Secretary shall consider the following fac-
tors: 
(A) Interest in, and capacity of, the staff 
of the medical centers to implement the pro-
gram. 
(B) Geographic variation. 
(C) Variations in size of medical centers. 
(D) Regional suicide rates of veterans. 
(E) Demographic and health characteris-
tics of populations served by each medical cen-
ter. 
(f) ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than two years 
after the date on which the Secretary establishes the 
program, and annually thereafter until termination 
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of the program, 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 program. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—Each report under paragraph 
(1) shall include the following: 
(A) Progress of staff leaders at each site 
in carrying out tasks under paragraphs (1) 
through (5) of subsection (d). 
(B) The percentage of staff at each site 
trained under paragraph (6) of subsection (d). 
(C) An assessment of whether policies and 
procedures implemented at each site align with 
standards of the Institute with regard to— 
(i) suicide screening; 
(ii) lethal means counseling; 
(iii) referrals for comprehensive as-
sessment of suicidality; 
(iv) safety planning for patients re-
ceiving referrals under clause (iii); 
(v) risk management during care 
transitions; and 
(vi) outreach to high-risk patients. 
(D) A comparison of the suicide-related 
outcomes at program sites and those of other 
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medical centers of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, including— 
(i) the percentage of patients screened 
for suicide risk; 
(ii) the percentage of patients coun-
seled in lethal means safety; 
(iii) 
the 
percentage 
of 
patients 
screened for suicide risk referred for com-
prehensive assessment of suicidality; 
(iv) the percentage of patients re-
ferred for comprehensive assessment who 
complete safety planning; 
(v) emergency department utilization; 
(vi) inpatient psychiatric hospitaliza-
tions; 
(vii) the number of suicide attempts 
among all patients and among patients re-
ferred for comprehensive assessment of 
suicidality; and 
(viii) the number of suicide deaths 
among all patients and among patients re-
ferred for comprehensive assessment of 
suicidality. 
(g) FINAL REPORT.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the termination of the program, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives a final report. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report under paragraph 
(1) shall include the following: 
(A) A detailed analysis of information in 
the annual reports under subsection (f). 
(B) An evaluation of the effectiveness and 
outcomes of the program, including an evalua-
tion of all data collected during the program. 
(C) The determination of the Secretary 
whether it is feasible to continue the program. 
(D) The recommendations of the Secretary 
whether to expand the program to additional 
sites, extend the program, or make the program 
permanent. 
(h) TERMINATION; EXTENSION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
the program shall terminate on the date that is five 
years after the date on which the Secretary estab-
lishes the program under subsection (a). 
(2) AUTHORITY
TO
EXTEND.—The Secretary 
may extend the program for not more than two 
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years if the Secretary notifies Congress in writing of 
such extension not less than 180 days before the ter-
mination date under paragraph (1). 
Æ 
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