I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3674 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a report 
on mental health care furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs 
in certain States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 1, 2021 
Mr. PHILLIPS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to 
Congress a report on mental health care furnished by 
the Department of Veterans Affairs in certain States. 
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 ‘‘Vet Center Support 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. ASSESSMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE FUR-
NISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS IN CERTAIN STATES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives 
a report regarding mental health care furnished by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to veterans in each cov-
ered State. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report under subsection (a) 
shall include, with respect to covered States, the following: 
(1) An assessment of the ability of the Depart-
ment to furnish to veterans— 
(A) readjustment counseling; 
(B) therapy for post-traumatic stress dis-
order and other trauma-related therapy; 
(C) group counseling; 
(D) marriage and family counseling; 
(E) military sexual trauma counseling; 
(F) bereavement counseling; 
(G) screenings and referrals for medical 
issues; 
(H) substance abuse assessments and re-
ferrals; 
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(I) employment assessments and referrals; 
and 
(J) explanations and referrals regarding 
benefits furnished through the Veterans Bene-
fits Administration of the Department. 
(2) An assessment of the feasibility of estab-
lishing additional Vet Centers. 
(3) An assessment of the feasibility of increas-
ing staff at existing Vet Centers to ensure com-
prehensive coverage, including with respect to bar-
riers regarding— 
(A) demonstrating a need for additional 
Vet Centers, mobile Vet Centers, and commu-
nity access points; 
(B) including drive time as a measure of 
productivity while conducting outreach to un-
derserved areas; and 
(C) building a new Vet Center. 
(4) An analysis of staffing shortages at Vet 
Centers, including delays in approving and proc-
essing new hires. 
(5) An outreach strategy for using mobile Vet 
Centers, Vet Center outstations, and community ac-
cess points to ensure that mental health care serv-
ices reach veterans in underserved areas. 
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(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED
STATE.—The term ‘‘covered 
State’’ means each State (including the District of 
Columbia, Puerto Rico, and any territory or posses-
sion of the United States) that has a ratio of one 
Vet Center per 100,000 or more veterans who reside 
in such State (as such population is determined by 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, acting through 
the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Sta-
tistics, for fiscal year 2021). 
(2) VET CENTER.—The term ‘‘Vet Center’’ has 
the meaning given that term in section 1712A of 
title 38, United States Code, including with respect 
to Vet Center outstations, but not including mobile 
Vet Centers. 
Æ 
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