SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Support The Resiliency of Our Nation’s Great Veterans 
Act of 2022’’ or the ‘‘STRONG Veterans Act of 2022’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—TRAINING TO SUPPORT VETERANS’ MENTAL HEALTH 
Sec. 101. Mental health and suicide prevention outreach to minority veterans 
and American Indian and Alaska Native veterans. 
Sec. 102. Expansion of Vet Center workforce. 
Sec. 103. Expansion of mental health training for Department of Veterans Af-
fairs. 
Sec. 104. Expansion of scholarships and loan repayment programs for mental 
health providers. 
TITLE II—VETERANS CRISIS LINE 
Sec. 201. Veterans Crisis Line. 
Subtitle A—Veterans Crisis Line Training and Quality Management 
Sec. 211. Staff training. 
Sec. 212. Quality review and management. 
Sec. 213. Guidance for high-risk callers. 
Sec. 214. Oversight of training of social service assistants and clarification of 
job responsibilities. 
Subtitle B—Pilot Programs and Research on Veterans Crisis Line 
Sec. 221. Pilot programs. 
Sec. 222. Authorization of appropriations for research on effectiveness and op-
portunities for improvement of Veterans Crisis Line. 
Subtitle C—Transition of Crisis Line Number 
Sec. 231. Feedback on transition of crisis line number. 
TITLE III—OUTREACH TO VETERANS 
Sec. 301. Solid Start program of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
Sec. 302. Designation of Buddy Check Week by Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
Sec. 303. Improvements to Veterans Justice Outreach Program. 
Sec. 304. Department of Veterans Affairs Governors Challenge Program. 
TITLE IV—MENTAL HEALTH CARE DELIVERY 
Sec. 401. Expansion of peer specialist support program of Department of Vet-
erans Affairs. 
Sec. 402. Expansion of Vet Center services.
Sec. 403. Eligibility for mental health services. 
Sec. 404. Mental health consultations. 
TITLE V—RESEARCH 
Sec. 501. Veterans integration to academic leadership program of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs. 
Sec. 502. Improvement of sleep disorder care furnished by Department of Vet-
erans Affairs. 
Sec. 503. Study on inpatient mental health and substance use care from De-
partment of Veterans Affairs. 
Sec. 504. Study on treatment from Department of Veterans Affairs for co-oc-
curring mental health and substance use disorders. 
Sec. 505. Study on workload of suicide prevention teams of Department of Vet-
erans Affairs. 
Sec. 506. Expansion of suicide prevention and mental health research. 
Sec. 507. Study on mental health and suicide prevention support for military 
families. 
Sec. 508. Research on brain health. 
Sec. 509. Study on efficacy of clinical and at-home resources for post-traumatic 
stress disorder. 
TITLE I—TRAINING TO SUPPORT 
VETERANS’ MENTAL HEALTH 
SEC. 101. MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION 
OUTREACH TO MINORITY VETERANS AND 
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE VET-
ERANS. 
(a) STAFFING REQUIREMENT.—Beginning not later 
than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that each 
medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs has 
no fewer than one full-time employee whose responsibility 
is serving as a minority veteran coordinator. 
(b) TRAINING.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in con-
sultation with the Indian Health Service and the Director 
of the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention of
the Department of Veterans Affairs, shall ensure that all 
minority veteran coordinators receive training in delivery 
of mental health and suicide prevention services culturally 
appropriate for American Indian and Alaska Native vet-
erans, especially with respect to the identified populations 
and tribes within the coordinators’ catchment areas. 
(c) COORDINATION WITH SUICIDE PREVENTION CO-
ORDINATORS.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation 
with the Director of the Office of Mental Health and Sui-
cide Prevention, shall ensure that the suicide prevention 
coordinator and minority veteran coordinator of each med-
ical center of the Department have developed and dissemi-
nated to the director of the medical center a written plan 
for conducting mental health and suicide prevention out-
reach to all tribes and urban Indian health organizations 
within the catchment area of the medical center. Each 
such plan shall include for each tribe covered by the 
plan— 
(1) contact information for tribal leadership 
and the tribal health facility or Indian Health Serv-
ice facility serving that tribe; 
(2) a schedule for and list of outreach plans 
(including addressing any barriers to accessing De-
partment mental health care);
(3) documentation of any conversation with 
tribal leaders that may guide culturally appropriate 
delivery of mental health care to American Indian or 
Alaska Native veterans; 
(4) documentation of any progress in incor-
porating traditional healing practices into mental 
health and suicide prevention protocols and options 
available for veterans who are members of such 
tribe; and 
(5) documentation of any coordination among 
the Department, the Indian Health Service, urban 
Indian health organizations, and the Substance 
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 
for the purpose of improving suicide prevention ef-
forts tailored to veterans who are members of such 
tribe and the provision of culturally competent men-
tal health care to such veterans. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the en-
actment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report on outreach efforts to minority vet-
erans and American Indian and Alaska Native veterans. 
Such report shall include each of the following:
(1) The number of minority veteran coordina-
tors within the Department. 
(2) The number and percentage of minority vet-
eran coordinators who are women. 
(3) The number and percentage of minority vet-
eran coordinators who are persons of color. 
(4) The number and percentage of Department 
medical centers with minority veteran coordinators. 
(5) The number and percentage of Department 
mental health providers who are enrolled members of 
a federally recognized Indian tribe or self-identify as 
Native American. 
(6) The number and percentage of Department 
mental health providers who speak a second lan-
guage. 
(7) A review of the outreach plans developed 
and submitted to all Department medical centers for 
outreach to American Indian and Alaska Native vet-
erans. 
(8) A review of mental health care provided an-
nually by the Department to American Indian and 
Alaska Native veterans for the past three years, in-
cluding number of appointments, and an assessment 
of any barriers to providing this care.
SEC. 102. EXPANSION OF VET CENTER WORKFORCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act and subject to the avail-
ability of appropriations, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall hire an additional 50 full-time equivalent employees 
for Vet Centers to bolster the workforce of Vet Centers 
and to provide expanded mental health care to veterans, 
members of the Armed Forces, and their families through 
outreach, community access points, outstations, and Vet 
Centers. 
(b) VET CENTER DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘Vet Center’’ has the meaning given that term in 
section 1712A(h) of title 38, United States Code. 
SEC. 103. EXPANSION OF MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING FOR 
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than three years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act and subject to the 
availability of appropriations, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs, in collaboration with the Office of Mental Health 
and Suicide Prevention and the Office of Academic Affili-
ations, shall add an additional 250 paid trainee slots in 
covered mental health disciplines to the workforce of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(b) COVERED MENTAL HEALTH DISCIPLINES DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘covered mental health 
disciplines’’ means psychiatry, psychology, advanced prac-
tice nursing (with a focus on mental health or substance 
use disorder), social work, licensed professional mental 
health counseling, and marriage and family therapy. 
SEC. 104. EXPANSION OF SCHOLARSHIPS AND LOAN REPAY-
MENT PROGRAMS FOR MENTAL HEALTH PRO-
VIDERS. 
(a) EXPANSION OF HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SCHOL-
ARSHIP PROGRAM.—Beginning in academic year 2022, 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall include not fewer 
than an additional (as compared to academic year 2021) 
50 awards per academic year under the Department of 
Veterans Affairs Health Professional Scholarship Pro-
gram under subchapter II of chapter 76 of title 38, United 
States Code, for applicants otherwise eligible for such pro-
gram who are pursuing degrees or training in mental 
health disciplines, including advanced practice nursing 
(with a focus on mental health or substance use disorder), 
psychology, and social work. 
(b) EXPANSION OF EDUCATION DEBT REDUCTION 
PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Beginning in fiscal year 
2022, the Secretary shall provide not fewer than an 
additional (as compared to fiscal year 2021) 200 
debt reduction awards per year under the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs Education Debt Reduction
Program under subchapter VII of chapter 76 of title 
38, United States Code, to be used to recruit mental 
health professionals to the Department of Veterans 
Affairs in disciplines that include psychiatry, psy-
chology, advanced practice nursing (with a focus on 
mental health or substance use disorder), and social 
work. 
(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs $8,000,000 per year to 
carry out the additional awards under paragraph 
(1). 
(c) OUTREACH.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall develop a public awareness campaign to 
encourage veterans and mental health professionals 
to choose the Department for their mental health ca-
reer. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The campaign required under 
paragraph (1)— 
(A) shall advertise the paid trainee, schol-
arship, and loan repayment opportunities of-
fered by the Department; and
(B) may highlight the new graduate med-
ical education residencies available at the De-
partment for medical students entering resi-
dency. 
TITLE II—VETERANS CRISIS 
LINE 
SEC. 201. VETERANS CRISIS LINE. 
In this title, the term ‘‘Veterans Crisis Line’’ means 
the toll-free hotline for veterans established under section 
1720F(h) of title 38, United States Code. 
Subtitle A—Veterans Crisis Line 
Training and Quality Management 
SEC. 211. STAFF TRAINING. 
(a) REVIEW OF TRAINING FOR VETERANS CRISIS 
LINE CALL RESPONDERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall enter into an agreement with an orga-
nization outside the Department of Veterans Affairs 
to review the training for Veterans Crisis Line call 
responders on assisting callers in crisis. 
(2) COMPLETION OF REVIEW.—The review con-
ducted under paragraph (1) shall be completed not 
later than one year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
(3) ELEMENTS OF REVIEW.—The review con-
ducted under paragraph (1) shall consist of a review 
of the training provided by the Department on sub-
jects including risk assessment, lethal means assess-
ment, substance use and overdose risk assessment, 
safety planning, referrals to care, supervisory con-
sultation, and emergency dispatch. 
(4) UPDATE OF TRAINING.—If any deficiencies 
in the training for Veterans Crisis Line call respond-
ers are found pursuant to the review under para-
graph (1), the Secretary shall update such training 
and associated standards of practice to correct those 
deficiencies not later than one year after the comple-
tion of the review. 
(b) RETRAINING GUIDELINES FOR VETERANS CRISIS 
LINE CALL RESPONDERS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall develop guidelines on retraining and 
quality management for when a Veterans Crisis Line 
call responder has an adverse event or when a qual-
ity review check by a supervisor of such a call re-
sponder denotes that the call responder needs im-
provement.
(2) ELEMENTS
OF
GUIDELINES.—The guide-
lines developed under paragraph (1) shall specify the 
subjects and quantity of retraining recommended 
and how supervisors should implement increased use 
of silent monitoring or other performance review 
mechanisms. 
SEC. 212. QUALITY REVIEW AND MANAGEMENT. 
(a) MONITORING OF CALLS ON VETERANS CRISIS 
LINE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall require that not fewer than two calls 
per month for each Veterans Crisis Line call re-
sponder be subject to supervisory silent monitoring, 
which is used to monitor the quality of conduct by 
such call responder during the call. 
(2) BENCHMARKS.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish benchmarks for requirements and performance 
of Veterans Crisis Line call responders on super-
visory silent monitored calls. 
(3) QUARTERLY REPORTS.—Not less frequently 
than quarterly, the Secretary shall submit to the Of-
fice of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs a report on occur-
rence and outcomes of supervisory silent monitoring 
of calls on the Veterans Crisis Line.
(b) QUALITY MANAGEMENT PROCESSES FOR VET-
ERANS CRISIS LINE.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the leadership for the 
Veterans Crisis Line, in partnership with the Office of 
Mental Health and Suicide Prevention of the Department 
and the National Center for Patient Safety of the Depart-
ment, shall establish quality management processes and 
expectations for staff of the Veterans Crisis Line, includ-
ing with respect to reporting of adverse events and close 
calls. 
(c) ANNUAL COMMON CAUSE ANALYSIS FOR CALL-
ERS TO VETERANS CRISIS LINE WHO DIE BY SUICIDE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not less frequently than an-
nually, the Secretary shall perform a common cause 
analysis for all identified callers to the Veterans Cri-
sis Line that died by suicide during the one-year pe-
riod preceding the conduct of the analysis before the 
caller received contact with emergency services and 
in which the Veterans Crisis Line was the last point 
of contact. 
(2) SUBMITTAL OF RESULTS.—The Secretary 
shall submit to the Office of Mental Health and Sui-
cide Prevention of the Department the results of 
each analysis conducted under paragraph (1).