SEC. 2. COUNSELING FOR STUDENT VETERANS WITH MEN-
TAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 36 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘SEC. 3697B. ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING FOR MENTAL AND 
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. 
‘‘(a) HOTLINE
FOR
MENTAL
HEALTH
PROFES-
SIONALS AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—(1) 
Subject to the availability of appropriations for such pur-
pose, the Secretary shall establish a toll-free telephone 
number to provide mental and behavioral health profes-
sionals with the information described in paragraph (2). 
‘‘(2) The information described in this paragraph is 
information related to the treatment and counseling of a 
veteran reporting or exhibiting symptoms of— 
‘‘(A) post-traumatic stress disorder; 
‘‘(B) traumatic brain injury; 
‘‘(C) anxiety; 
‘‘(D) depression; 
‘‘(E) sexual assault; 
‘‘(F) sexual trauma; 
‘‘(G) readjustment disorder; or 
‘‘(H) other service-connected mental health con-
ditions. 
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‘‘(3) The Secretary shall ensure that a licensed men-
tal health counselor employed by the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs operates the hotline and provides the infor-
mation described in paragraph (2). 
‘‘(4) The Secretary shall ensure that the hotline is 
operational during business hours each weekday (other 
than Saturdays and Federal holidays). 
‘‘(5) In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary 
shall— 
‘‘(A) notify each institution of higher learning 
of the hotline by mail; and 
‘‘(B) provide information regarding the hotline 
on the Internet website of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs. 
‘‘(b) TRAINING MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH 
PROFESSIONALS.—(1) Subject to the availability of appro-
priations for such purpose, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall provide mental and behavioral health profes-
sionals at each institution of higher learning with training 
on the information described in paragraph (2) of sub-
section (a). 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall ensure that the training 
under paragraph (1)— 
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‘‘(A) is provided by a licensed psychiatrist, li-
censed psychologist, or licensed counselor employed 
by the Department of Veterans Affairs; and 
‘‘(B) is provided to mental and behavioral 
health professionals at least once every two years. 
‘‘(3) The Secretary may not pay a reporting fee under 
section 3684(c) of this title to an institution of higher 
learning with at least 100 veterans enrolled at such insti-
tution unless a mental and behavioral health professional 
of such institution receives training provided by the Sec-
retary under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(c) BIENNIAL REPORTS.—Not later than October 1 
of each even-numbered year, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall submit to Congress a report on mental and be-
havioral health professionals. Each such report shall in-
clude the following: 
‘‘(1) The number of institutions of higher learn-
ing that employ a mental and behavioral health pro-
fessional who has received training under subsection 
(b). 
‘‘(2) The number of veterans who have died by 
suicide while enrolled in an institution of higher 
learning. 
‘‘(3) The number of calls received by the hot-
line. 
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‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘mental and behavioral health 
professional’ means a licensed psychiatrist, licensed 
psychologist, or licenced counselor employed by an 
institution of higher learning. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘institution of higher learning’ 
has the meaning given that term in section 3452(f) 
of this title. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘hotline’ means the toll-free tele-
phone number established under subsection (a).’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Subsection (c) of 
section 3684 of such title is amended by striking ‘‘The 
Secretary’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to section 3697B(b)(3) 
of this title, the Secretary’’. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 36 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘3697B. Assistance and training for mental and behavioral health profes-
sionals.’’. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Section 3697B of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take 
effect on the date that is one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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