I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3009 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to carry out a pilot program to pre- 
program suicide prevention resources into certain smart devices issued 
to members of the Armed Forces. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 28, 2023 
Mr. JOYCE of Ohio (for himself, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. FITZPATRICK, and Ms. 
NORTON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to carry out a pilot 
program to pre-program suicide prevention resources into 
certain smart devices issued to members of the Armed 
Forces. 
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 ‘‘Military Suicide Pre-
vention in the 21st Century Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Although electronic devices, such as mobile 
phones, computers, and tables, increasingly are 
being leveraged as vehicles for health in the civilian 
world, almost nothing is known about how covered 
devices may be used among members of the Armed 
Forces to positively impact the health of such mem-
bers. 
(2) The Defense Health Agency created the 
Virtual Hope Box application to help members of 
the Armed Forces build resilience. 
(3) Users of the Virtual Hope Box application 
reported significantly greater ability to cope with un-
pleasant emotions and thoughts. 
(4) Members of the Armed Forces who are be-
havioral health patients experiencing distress, emo-
tional dysregulation, or suicidal ideation are often 
separated from direct clinical support when they 
need it. 
(5) The Virtual Hope Box application offers a 
highly portable, accessible, and discreet tool for ef-
fectively increasing coping self-efficacy. 
(6) A strongly linked chain of care depends on 
engaged leaders as well as highly competent first re-
sponders, crisis hotline workers, emergency depart-
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ment personnel, chaplains, primary care clinicians, 
and behavioral health clinicians. 
SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM ON PRE-PROGRAMMING OF SUI-
CIDE PREVENTION RESOURCES INTO SMART 
DEVICES 
ISSUED 
TO 
MEMBERS 
OF 
THE 
ARMED FORCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall commence the conduct of a pilot program under 
which the Secretary— 
(1) pre-downloads the Virtual Hope Box appli-
cation of the Defense Health Agency, or such suc-
cessor application, on the covered devices of mem-
bers of the Armed Forces; 
(2) pre-programs the National Suicide Hotline 
number and Veterans Crisis Line number into the 
contacts for such covered devices; and 
(3) provides training, as part of the training on 
suicide 
awareness 
and 
prevention 
conducted 
throughout the Department of Defense, on the pre-
ventative resources described in paragraphs (1) and 
(2). 
(b) DURATION.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
carry out the pilot program under this section for a two- 
year period. 
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(c) SCOPE.—The Secretary of Defense shall deter-
mine the appropriate scope of individuals participating in 
the pilot program under this section to best represent each 
Armed Force and to ensure a relevant sample size. 
(d) IDENTIFICATION
OF OTHER RESOURCES.—In 
carrying out the pilot program under this section, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall coordinate with the Director of the 
Defense Health Agency and the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs to identify other useful technology-related resources 
for use in the pilot program. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after the date 
on which the pilot program under this section terminates, 
the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees 
on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and 
the Senate a report on the pilot program, including rec-
ommendations by the Secretary relating to expanding the 
scope of future pilot programs to include members of the 
Armed Forces who do not possess covered devices. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered device’’ means a smart 
device (including a mobile phone) that is issued to 
an individual by the Secretary of Defense or the Sec-
retary of an Armed Force. 
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(2) The term ‘‘Veterans Crisis Line’’ means the 
toll-free hotline for veterans established under sec-
tion 1720F(h) of title 38, United States Code. 
Æ 
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