Vet Center Outreach Act of 2021
Bill: S.2924 | Sponsor: Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood (D-NH)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Vet Center Outreach Act of 2021
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to take specified actions to provide information on Vet Centers to service members who are transitioning to civilian life. Vet Centers are community-based counseling centers that provide social and psychological services to eligible veterans, active duty service members, and their families.
Specifically, the VA must electronically transmit, within seven days after a service member separates from the Armed Forces, specified personnel information (e.g., contact information) to the Vet Center nearest to where that service member intends to permanently reside after their separation.
The VA must ensure that the information is used to contact members and former members of the Armed Forces who are transitioning to civilian life within 14 days of receiving the information.
As part of the Transition Assistance Program, the VA must provide members of the Armed Forces with information on how to locate Vet Centers and how to use services provided through Vet Centers (e.g., mental health services).

To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of 
 Veterans Affairs to transmit certain information to personnel of Vet 
Centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding members of the 
Armed Forces transitioning from service in the Armed Forces to civilian 
                     life, 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 ``Vet Center Outreach Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. TRANSMITTAL OF INFORMATION TO VET CENTER PERSONNEL ON MEMBERS 
              OF ARMED FORCES TRANSITIONING FROM SERVICE IN ARMED 
              FORCES TO CIVILIAN LIFE.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter III of chapter 17 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 1730D. Transmittal of information to Vet Center personnel on 
              members of Armed Forces transitioning from service in 
              Armed Forces to civilian life
    ``(a) Transmittal of Information.--Not later than seven days after 
the date on which a member or former member of the Armed Forces 
separates from service in the Armed Forces, the Secretary, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Defense, if necessary, shall 
transmit the information described in subsection (b) to the personnel 
of the Vet Center nearest to where the member or former member intends 
to permanently reside after such separation.
    ``(b) Information Described.--The information described in this 
subsection includes, with respect to the member or former member of the 
Armed Forces, the following:
            ``(1) Name.
            ``(2) Armed Force in which the member served.
            ``(3) Physical address.
            ``(4) Email address.
            ``(5) Phone number.
            ``(6) Service record.
            ``(7) Marital status.
            ``(8) Such other information as the Secretary considers 
        relevant, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the 
        Chief Officer of the Readjustment Counseling Service of the 
        Veterans Health Administration.
    ``(c) Method of Transmittal.--The Secretary shall transmit 
information under subsection (a) electronically, in the form of an 
orderly and easily understood list.
    ``(d) Receipt of Information.--Information transmitted under 
subsection (a) shall be received and processed by the Readjustment 
Counseling Service as the Chief Officer of the Readjustment Counseling 
Service considers appropriate.
    ``(e) Use of Information.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
information transmitted from the Chief Officer of the Readjustment 
Counseling Service to Vet Centers is used to contact members and former 
members of the Armed Forces transitioning from service in the Armed 
Forces to civilian life not more than 14 days after receipt of the 
information.
    ``(f) Referral to Closer Vet Center.--If it is found, after 
personnel of a Vet Center contact a member or former member of the 
Armed Forces transitioning from service in the Armed Forces to civilian 
life, that another Vet Center is closer to where the member or former 
lives, the personnel who initially contacted the member or former 
member shall, only with the consent of the member or former member, 
directly connect the member or former member to the relevant personnel 
of the other Vet Center.
    ``(g) Vet Center Defined.--In this section, the term `Vet Center' 
has the meaning given that term in section 1712A(h) of this title.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 17 of such title is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 1730C the following new item:

``1730D. Transmittal of information to Vet Center personnel on members 
                            of Armed Forces transitioning from service 
                            in Armed Forces to civilian life.''.

SEC. 3. PROVISION OF INFORMATION UNDER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--As part of the Transition Assistance Program, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide to members of the Armed 
Forces the following information:
            (1) Instructions on how to locate Vet Centers, with a focus 
        on the location where the members of the Armed Forces may 
        intend to permanently reside after separation from service in 
        the Armed Forces.
            (2) An explanation how to use services provided through Vet 
        Centers, including the social, emotional, and mental health 
        services offered.
    (b) Manner of Provision.--The Secretary shall provide the 
information under subsection (a) during instructor-led classroom and 
virtual courses.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Transition assistance program.--The term ``Transition 
        Assistance Program'' means the preseparation counseling, 
        employment assistance, and other transitional services provided 
        under sections 1142 and 1144 of title 10, United States Code.
            (2) Vet center.--The term ``Vet Center'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 1712A(h) of title 38, United States 
        Code.
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