American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans Mental Health Act
Bill: S.5181 | Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon (D-MT)
Policy area: Native Americans

Summary:
American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans Mental Health Act
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide mental health and suicide prevention outreach to American Indian and Alaska Native veterans.
Specifically, the bill requires that each VA medical center have a full-time minority veteran coordinator. The coordinator must receive training in the delivery of culturally appropriate mental health and suicide prevention services to American Indian and Alaska Native veterans.
Further, the suicide prevention coordinator and minority veteran coordinator of each VA medical center must develop and disseminate a written plan for conducting mental health and suicide prevention outreach to all tribes and urban Indian health organizations within the area of the medical center.

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make certain 
improvements relating to mental health and suicide prevention outreach 
 to minority veterans and American Indian and Alaska Native veterans, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``American Indian and Alaska Native 
Veterans Mental Health Act''.

SEC. 2. MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION OUTREACH TO MINORITY 
              VETERANS AND AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE VETERANS.

    (a) Staffing Requirement.--Beginning not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall ensure that each medical center of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs has not fewer than one full-time employee whose 
responsibility is serving as a minority veteran coordinator.
    (b) Training.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the Director 
of the Indian Health Service and the Director of the Office of Mental 
Health and Suicide Prevention of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
shall ensure that all minority veteran coordinators receive training in 
delivery of mental health and suicide prevention services culturally 
appropriate for American Indian and Alaska Native veterans, especially 
with respect to the populations and Indian Tribes identified within the 
catchment area served by each such coordinator.
    (c) Coordination With Suicide Prevention Coordinators.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with 
        the Director of the Office of Mental Health and Suicide 
        Prevention of the Department, shall ensure that the suicide 
        prevention coordinator and minority veteran coordinator of each 
        medical center of the Department have developed and 
        disseminated to the director of the medical center a written 
        plan for conducting mental health and suicide prevention 
        outreach to all Indian Tribes and Urban Indian organizations 
        within the catchment area of the medical center.
            (2) Elements of plan.--Each plan required under paragraph 
        (1) shall include for each Indian Tribe covered by the plan--
                    (A) contact information for leadership of the 
                Indian Tribe and the Tribal health facility or facility 
                of the Indian Health Service serving the Indian Tribe;
                    (B) a schedule for and list of outreach plans 
                (including plans addressing any barriers to accessing 
                mental health care from the Department);
                    (C) documentation of any conversation with leaders 
                of the Indian Tribe that may guide culturally 
                appropriate delivery of mental health care to American 
                Indian or Alaska Native veterans;
                    (D) documentation of any progress in incorporating 
                traditional healing practices into mental health and 
                suicide prevention protocols and options available for 
                veterans who are members of such Indian Tribe; and
                    (E) documentation of any coordination among the 
                Department of Veterans Affairs, the Indian Health 
                Service, Urban Indian organizations, and the Substance 
                Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the 
                Department of Health and Human Services for the purpose 
                of improving suicide prevention efforts tailored to 
                veterans who are members of such Indian Tribe and the 
                provision of culturally competent mental health care to 
                such veterans.
    (d) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
        Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee 
        on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 
        on outreach efforts to minority veterans and American Indian 
        and Alaska Native veterans.
            (2) Elements.--The report required under paragraph (1) 
        shall include each of the following:
                    (A) The number of minority veteran coordinators 
                within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
                    (B) The number and percentage of minority veteran 
                coordinators who are women.
                    (C) The number and percentage of minority veteran 
                coordinators who are persons of color.
                    (D) The number and percentage of medical centers of 
                the Department with a minority veteran coordinator.
                    (E) The number and percentage of mental health 
                providers of the Department who are enrolled members of 
                an Indian Tribe or self-identify as Native American.
                    (F) The number and percentage of mental health 
                providers of the Department who speak a second 
                language.
                    (G) A review of the outreach plans developed and 
                submitted to all medical centers of the Department for 
                outreach to American Indian and Alaska Native veterans.
                    (H) An annual review of mental health care provided 
                by the Department to American Indian and Alaska Native 
                veterans during the three-year period preceding the 
                date of the report, including the number of 
                appointments for such care and an assessment of any 
                barriers to providing such care.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304(e)).
            (2) Urban indian organization.--The term ``Urban Indian 
        organization'' has the meaning given that term in section 4 of 
        the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603).
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