I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4182 
To improve the efforts of the Department of Veterans Affairs to prevent 
suicide by women veterans, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 9, 2019 
Ms. WATERS (for herself, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. NORTON, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of 
Georgia, Mr. CUELLAR, and Ms. GABBARD) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To improve the efforts of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
to prevent suicide by women veterans, 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 ‘‘Women Veterans Sup-
port Act’’. 
SEC. 2. STUDY ON SUICIDE BY WOMEN VETERANS. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
enter into an agreement with an independent entity to 
conduct a study on suicide by women veterans. 
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(b) MATTERS
INCLUDED.—The study conducted 
under subsection (a) shall— 
(1) determine whether experiences with the 
medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs vary by gender and, if so, the causes of such 
variation; and 
(2) include recommendations to— 
(A) improve preventing women veterans 
from attempting or committing suicide; and 
(B) address any variations described in 
paragraph (1). 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of 
Representatives and the Senate, and make publicly avail-
able, a report on the results of the study conducted under 
subsection (a), which shall include recommendations to 
improve the care provided to women veterans by the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs. 
SEC. 3. OUTREACH BY CENTER FOR WOMEN VETERANS. 
(a) CENTER FOR WOMEN VETERANS.—Section 318 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end the following new subsections: 
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‘‘(g) OUTREACH ACTIVITIES.—(1) The Center shall 
carry out outreach activities on a national scale under sub-
section (d) to prevent suicide by women veterans. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop 
metrics to track the effectiveness of the outreach activities 
carried out pursuant to paragraph (1). Such metrics shall 
include measures of both performance and effectiveness. 
‘‘(3)(A) Not later than October 1, 2020, and annually 
thereafter through 2024, the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committees on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committees on 
Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Represent-
atives a report on the effectiveness of the outreach activi-
ties carried out pursuant to paragraph (1), including a 
description of the metrics developed under paragraph (2). 
‘‘(B) The report submitted under subparagraph (A) 
shall include the following: 
‘‘(i) An assessment of the effectiveness of the 
outreach activities carried out pursuant to para-
graph (1). 
‘‘(ii) An explanation of why the metrics devel-
oped under paragraph (2) were chosen. 
‘‘(iii) An assessment of how accurately those 
metrics will reflect the goals and objectives specified 
in such paragraph. 
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‘‘(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated for the Center $2,800,000 
for fiscal year 2021. Of such amounts, not less than 50 
percent shall be expended on outreach activities conducted 
by the Center under subsection (g).’’. 
(b) OFFICE OF WOMEN’S HEALTH SERVICES.— 
(1) OUTREACH.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs, acting through the Office of Women’s Health 
Services, shall carry out outreach activities on a 
local and regional scale to prevent suicide by women 
veterans. 
(2) METRICS.—The Secretary shall develop 
metrics to track the effectiveness of the outreach ac-
tivities carried out pursuant to paragraph (1). Such 
metrics shall include measures of both performance 
and effectiveness. 
(3) REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than October 
1, 2020, and annually thereafter through 2024, 
the Secretary shall submit to the Committees 
on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committees on 
Appropriations of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives a report on the effectiveness of 
the outreach activities carried out pursuant to 
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paragraph (1), including a description of the 
metrics developed under paragraph (2). 
(B) MATTERS
INCLUDED.—The report 
submitted under subparagraph (A) shall include 
the following: 
(i) An assessment of the effectiveness 
of the outreach activities carried out pur-
suant to paragraph (1). 
(ii) An explanation of why the metrics 
developed under paragraph (2) were cho-
sen. 
(iii) An assessment of how accurately 
those metrics will reflect the goals and ob-
jectives specified in such paragraph. 
(4) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs for the Office of Women’s 
Health Services $27,800,000 for fiscal year 2021. 
Of such amounts, not less than 50 percent shall be 
expended on outreach activities conducted by the Of-
fice under paragraph (1). 
SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR WOMEN VETERANS. 
(a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—Commencing not later 
than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a grant 
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program to provide services described in subsection (f) to 
women veterans. 
(b) DURATION OF PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall 
carry out the program during the five-year period begin-
ning on the date of the commencement of the program. 
(c) GRANTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry 
out the program through the award of grants to eli-
gible organizations for the provision of assistance de-
scribed in subsection (a). 
(2) MATCHING
FUNDS
REQUIRED.—A grant 
under this section shall be in an amount that does 
not exceed 50 percent of the amount required by the 
organization to provide the services described in sub-
section (f). 
(d) ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS.—For purposes of 
this section, an eligible organization is any nonprofit orga-
nization that the Secretary determines, in consultation 
with State entities that serve veterans, is suitable for re-
ceipt of a grant under the program. 
(e) SELECTION OF GRANT RECIPIENTS.— 
(1) APPLICATIONS.—An organization seeking a 
grant under the program shall submit to the Sec-
retary an application therefor at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information and assur-
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ances as the Secretary, in consultation with State 
entities that serve veterans, may require. 
(2) PRIORITY
FOR
HUBS
OF
SERVICES.—In 
awarding grants under the program, the Secretary 
shall give priority to an organization that provides 
multiple forms of services described in subsection 
(f). 
(f) USE OF GRANT FUNDS.—Each organization re-
ceiving a grant under the program shall use the grant to 
provide to services to women veterans, including with re-
spect to— 
(1) health care services, including to obtain 
health insurance coverage; 
(2) mental health support services; 
(3) daily living services; 
(4) income support services; 
(5) financial counseling services; 
(6) legal assistance; 
(7) education supportive services; 
(8) career advancement services; 
(9) transportation; 
(10) childcare; and 
(11) housing. 
(g) ANNUAL REPORTS.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the commencement of the program 
and not less frequently than once each year there-
after until the termination of the program, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report on the program carried out under 
this section. 
(2) CONTENTS.—Each report submitted under 
paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) A list of the organizations that have 
received grants under the program, including 
the geographic location of the organization and 
the types of services outlined in subsection (f) 
that each organization provides. 
(B) The number of veterans served by each 
organization. 
(C) An assessment of the effectiveness of 
the services provided under the program. 
(D) The amount of each grant awarded to 
each organization under the program. 
(E) Such other matters as the Secretary 
considers appropriate. 
(3) 
APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
GRESS.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘appropriate 
committees of Congress’’ means— 
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(A) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
Senate; and 
(B) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
House of Representatives. 
SEC. 5. GRANTS FOR ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING MENTAL 
HEALTH WELLNESS SERVICES TO VETERANS. 
(a) GRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 17 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by add-
ing at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1720J. Financial assistance for mental health sup-
portive services for veterans seeking 
mental health treatment 
‘‘(a) PLAN.—(1) The Secretary shall develop a plan 
to carry out the financial assistance described in sub-
section (b). 
‘‘(2) Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Senate the plan developed under sub-
section (a), including a description of any legislative ac-
tions the Secretary determines necessary to carry out the 
plan. 
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‘‘(b) DISTRIBUTION OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) Not later than 90 days after the date by which the 
Secretary is required to submit the plan under subsection 
(a)(2), the Secretary shall provide financial assistance to 
eligible entities approved under this section to provide or 
coordinate the provision of mental health supportive serv-
ices described in subsection (c) for a veteran with a mental 
health condition who is seeking mental health treatment. 
‘‘(2) Financial assistance under paragraph (1) shall 
consist of the award of a grant to an approved eligible 
entity for each veteran described in paragraph (1) for 
which the approved eligible entity is providing or coordi-
nating the provision of mental health supportive services. 
‘‘(3)(A) The Secretary shall award grants under this 
section to each approved eligible entity that is providing 
or coordinating the provision of mental health supportive 
services under this section. 
‘‘(B) The Secretary may establish intervals of pay-
ment for the administration of grants under this section 
and establish a maximum amount to be awarded, in ac-
cordance with the services being provided and the duration 
of such services. 
‘‘(4) In providing financial assistance under para-
graph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to entities 
providing or coordinating the provision of supportive men-
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tal health services for veterans with mental health condi-
tions who face barriers in accessing mental health care 
services from the Department. 
‘‘(5) The Secretary shall ensure that, to the extent 
practicable, financial assistance under this subsection is 
equitably distributed across geographic regions, including 
rural communities and tribal lands. 
‘‘(6) Each entity receiving financial assistance under 
this section to provide mental health supportive services 
to a veteran with a mental health condition shall notify 
that veteran that such services are being paid for, in whole 
or in part, by the Department. 
‘‘(7) The Secretary shall require entities receiving fi-
nancial assistance under this section to submit a report 
to the Secretary that describes the services provided or 
coordinated with such financial assistance. 
‘‘(c) MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.— 
The mental health supportive services described in this 
subsection are services provided by an eligible entity or 
a subcontractor of an eligible entity that address the needs 
of veterans with mental health conditions, including— 
‘‘(1) outreach services; 
‘‘(2) case management services; 
‘‘(3) assistance in obtaining any benefits from 
the Department that the veteran may be eligible to 
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receive, including health care services, vocational and 
rehabilitation counseling, employment and training 
services, and educational assistance; and 
‘‘(4) assistance in obtaining and coordinating 
the provision of other public benefits provided by 
any Federal, State, or local agency, or any other eli-
gible entity, including— 
‘‘(A) health care services (including obtain-
ing health insurance); 
‘‘(B) daily living services; 
‘‘(C) personal financial planning services; 
‘‘(D) transportation services; 
‘‘(E) income support services; 
‘‘(F) fiduciary and representative payee 
services; 
‘‘(G) legal services to assist the veteran 
with issues that interfere with the ability of the 
veteran to find and retain meaningful employ-
ment, housing, or benefits to which the veteran 
may be entitled; 
‘‘(H) child care services; 
‘‘(I) housing counseling; and 
‘‘(J) other services necessary for maintain-
ing independent living. 
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