I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5223 
To provide for the enhancement of the suicide prevention programs of the 
Department of Defense, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 6, 2008 
Mr. BOSWELL (for himself, Mr. HAYES, Mr. BRALEY of Iowa, Mr. ORTIZ, 
Mrs. BOYDA
of Kansas, Mr. BARTLETT
of Maryland, and Mr. 
LOEBSACK) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To provide for the enhancement of the suicide prevention 
programs of the Department of Defense, 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 ‘‘Armed Forces Suicide 
Prevention Act of 2008’’. 
SEC. 2. ENHANCEMENT OF SUICIDE PREVENTION PRO-
GRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
(a) ENHANCEMENT OF SUICIDE PREVENTION PRO-
GRAMS.—The Secretary of Defense shall take appropriate 
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actions to enhance the suicide prevention programs of the 
Department of Defense. 
(b) TRAINING AND ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR 
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.—The actions taken 
under subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) A review and evaluation of existing suicide 
prevention efforts across the military departments, 
including an assessment of the effectiveness of cur-
rent efforts and of how such efforts are addressing 
issues related to combat stress. 
(2) A requirement for suicide prevention train-
ing (as described in subsection (c)) on an annual 
basis for all members of the Armed Forces (includ-
ing members of the National Guard and Reserve), 
for all civilian health care community and family 
support professionals of the Department of Defense, 
and for such other service personnel of the Depart-
ment as the Secretary shall designate for purposes 
of this paragraph. 
(3) Enhancement of the basic lifesaving train-
ing course for members of the Armed Forces to in-
clude within such training matters relating to rec-
ognition of risk factors for suicide, identification of 
signs and symptoms of mental health concerns and 
combat stress, and protocols for responding to crisis 
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situations involving members of the Armed Forces 
who may be at high risk for suicide. 
(4) Enhancement of training for military med-
ics and medical personnel to include within such 
training matters relating to recognition of risk fac-
tors for suicide, identification of signs and symptoms 
of mental health concerns and combat stress, and 
protocols for responding to crisis situations involving 
members of the Armed Forces who may be at high 
risk for suicide. 
(5) Review and enhancement of requirements 
for access of units to crisis response teams to pre-
vent and respond to traumatic events, such as mem-
bers in crisis or loss of unit members, which teams 
shall include qualified mental health professionals 
and may include medical staff, chaplains, family 
support staff, peers, and other appropriate per-
sonnel. 
(c) SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING.—For purposes 
of this section, suicide prevention training is comprehen-
sive training on suicide prevention (including, at a min-
imum, education, training, peer-to-peer support methods, 
outreach, and de-stigmatization on suicide) developed by 
the Secretary of Defense for purposes of this section in 
consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the 
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National Institute of Mental Health, the Substance Abuse 
and Mental Health Services Administration of the Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services, and the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention. 
(d) OUTREACH.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The actions taken under 
subsection (a) shall include a campaign of outreach 
throughout the Armed Forces and the military fam-
ily communities intended to— 
(A) reduce the stigma among members of 
the Armed Forces and their families, and in 
such communities, associated with mental 
health concerns; 
(B) encourage members of the Armed 
Forces and individuals in such communities to 
seek help with such concerns; 
(C) increase awareness among members of 
the Armed Forces and in such communities 
that mental health is essential to overall health; 
and 
(D) increase awareness among members of 
the Armed Forces and in such communities re-
garding substance abuse concerns, relationship 
and financial difficulties, and legal and occupa-
tional difficulties. 
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(2) PUBLIC ADDRESSES.—As part of the cam-
paign of outreach, the Secretary shall provide for the 
inclusion in addresses to veterans service organiza-
tions and other public addresses, and in other public 
speeches, by senior officials of the Department of 
Defense of the themes of the importance of mental 
health, and the importance of seeking help on men-
tal health concerns and stress on military family 
members, for members of the Armed Forces, vet-
erans, and their families. 
(e) POST-DEPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR SPOUSES 
AND PARENTS OF RETURNING MEMBERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 
spouses and parents of members of the Armed 
Forces, including members of the National Guard 
and Reserve, who are returning from deployment as-
sistance in— 
(A) understanding issues that arise in the 
readjustment of such members— 
(i) for members of the National Guard 
and Reserve, to civilian life; and 
(ii) for members of the regular compo-
nents of the Armed Forces, to military life 
in a non-combat environment; 
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(B) identifying signs and symptoms of sub-
stance abuse, mental health conditions, trau-
matic brain injury, and risk factors for suicide; 
and 
(C) encouraging such members and their 
families in seeking assistance for such condi-
tions and in seeking assistance on relationship, 
financial, legal, and occupational difficulties. 
(2) 
INFORMATION
ON
AVAILABLE
RE-
SOURCES.—In providing assistance under paragraph 
(1), the Secretary shall provide information on the 
national suicide prevention hotline, local resources 
for mental health services, family counseling serv-
ices, or other appropriate services, including services 
available from both military providers of such serv-
ices and community-based providers of such services. 
(3) TIMING.—The Secretary shall provide re-
sources under paragraph (1) with respect to a mem-
ber of the Armed Forces not later than six months 
after the date of the return of such member from 
deployment. 
(f) ASSESSMENT OF ACTIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 
for an evaluation and assessment of the actions un-
dertaken under this section by an appropriate non- 
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Federal Government entity selected by the Secretary 
for purposes of this subsection. The Secretary may 
provide for the evaluation and assessment by con-
tract or other cooperative agreement with, or by 
grant to, the entity so selected. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—In conducting the evaluation 
and assessment required under paragraph (1), the 
entity selected under that paragraph shall evaluate 
and assess the effectiveness of the actions taken 
under this section in reducing the incidence of sui-
cide among members of the Armed Forces, includ-
ing— 
(A) the extent to which the actions taken 
under this section effectively targeted members 
of the Armed Forces and their families; and 
(B) the extent to which the actions taken 
under this section increased awareness among 
members of the Armed Forces and their fami-
lies on risk factors for suicide. 
SEC. 3. REPORT TO CONGRESS ON SUICIDE PREVENTION 
PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act and annually 
thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Con-
gress a report on the programs and activities of the Sec-
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retary of Defense to reduce the incidence of suicide among 
members of the Armed Forces. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—Each report under this section shall 
include the following: 
(1) The total number of suicides among mem-
bers of the Armed Forces during the period begin-
ning on January 1, 2002, and ending at the end of 
the most recent calendar year quarter preceding the 
submittal of such report, including the number of 
suicides confirmed and the number of deaths being 
investigated as a suicide, set forth— 
(A) by calendar year quarter in which 
death occurred; 
(B) by military department of the mem-
bers concerned; and 
(C) by whether death occurred while the 
members concerned were deployed or while as-
signed to permanent duty station or homeport. 
(2) A description of the status of the program 
required by section 2, including, for the first three 
reports under this section, a current description of 
the implementation of the program, including the 
costs of implementation of the program. 
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(3) A description of the coordination of the pro-
gram with suicide prevention efforts of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs. 
(4) In the case of the first report under this 
section, a plan for additional programs and activities 
to reduce the incidence of suicide among current and 
former members of the Armed Forces. 
(5) Such recommendations for additional legis-
lative or administrative action as the Secretary con-
siders appropriate to improve and enhance the sui-
cide prevention programs and activities of the De-
partment of Defense. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—In developing the plan required 
by subsection (b)(4), the Secretary of Defense shall con-
sult with the following: 
(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
(2) The National Institute of Mental Health. 
(3) The Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
Services Administration of the Department of 
Health and Human Services. 
(4) The Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention. 
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SEC. 4. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR UNIFORMED BE-
HAVIORAL 
HEALTH 
PROFESSIONALS 
FOR 
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
The Secretary of Defense may award grants to, and 
enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with, such 
entities as the Secretary considers appropriate to identify 
and implement within the Department of Defense innova-
tive and effective strategies for the recruitment and reten-
tion of qualified uniformed behavioral health professionals 
to provide mental health services, and substance abuse dis-
order prevention and treatment services, for members of 
the Armed Forces. 
SEC. 5. REDUCING THE STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH SEEK-
ING MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT. 
The Secretary of Defense may award grants to, and 
enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with, such 
entities as the Secretary considers appropriate to identify 
and implement within the Department of Defense innova-
tive and effective strategies for reducing the stigma associ-
ated with seeking mental health treatment. 
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is hereby authorized to be appropriated for fis-
cal year 2009 for the Department of Defense $6,000,000 
to carry out this Act. 
Æ 
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