Veteran Peer Specialist Act of 2021
Bill: S.2386 | Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard (D-CT)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Veteran Peer Specialist Act of 2021
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make permanent and expand the program that establishes at least two peer specialists in patient aligned care teams at VA medical centers to promote the use and integration of services for mental health, substance use disorder, and behavioral health in a primary care setting.

To amend the VA MISSION Act of 2018, to expand the peer specialist 
 support program of the Department of Veterans Affairs to all medical 
           centers of the Department, 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 ``Veteran Peer Specialist Act of 
2021''.

SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF PEER SPECIALIST SUPPORT PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Expansion.--Section 506 of the VA MISSION Act of 2018 (Public 
Law 115-182; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (d) through (f) as 
        subsections (e) through (g);
            (2) in subsection (b), in the subsection heading, by 
        striking ``Timeframe'' and inserting ``Initial Timeframe'';
            (3) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
                ``Selection'' and inserting ``Initial Selection''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding 
                subparagraph (A), by striking ``The Secretary shall'' 
                and inserting ``In establishing the program at initial 
                locations, the Secretary shall'';
            (4) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(d) Timeframe for Expansion of Program; Selection of Additional 
Locations.--
            ``(1) Timeframe for expansion.--The Secretary shall make 
        permanent and expand the program to additional medical centers 
        of the Department as follows:
                    ``(A) As of the date of the enactment of the 
                Veteran Peer Specialist Act of 2021, at each medical 
                center participating in the program on the day before 
                such date of enactment.
                    ``(B) During the five-year period following such 
                date of enactment, at an additional 25 medical centers 
                per year until the program is carried out at each 
                medical center of the Department.
            ``(2) Selection of additional locations.--In selecting 
        medical centers for the expansion of the program under 
        paragraph (1)(B), until such time as each medical center of the 
        Department is participating in the program by establishing not 
        fewer than two peer specialists at the medical center, the 
        Secretary shall prioritize medical centers in the following 
        areas:
                    ``(A) Rural areas and other areas that are 
                underserved by the Department.
                    ``(B) Areas that are not in close proximity to an 
                active duty military installation.
                    ``(C) Areas representing different geographic 
                locations, such as census tracts established by the 
                Bureau of the Census.'';
            (5) in subsection (e), as redesignated by paragraph (1)--
                    (A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
                ``Gender-specific Services'' and inserting 
                ``Considerations for Hiring Peer Specialists'';
                    (B) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
                striking ``location selected under subsection (c)'' and 
                inserting ``medical center''; and
                    (C) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 
                following new paragraphs:
            ``(2) female peer specialists are hired and made available 
        to support female veterans who are treated at each medical 
        center; and
            ``(3) to the extent practical, peer specialists are hired 
        in demographic percentages that reflect the racial and ethnic 
        demographic percentages of the overall veteran population.''; 
        and
            (6) by amending subsection (g), as redesignated by 
        paragraph (1), to read as follows:
    ``(g) Reports.--
            ``(1) Periodic reports.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than one year after 
                the date of the enactment of the Veteran Peer 
                Specialist Act of 2021, and annually thereafter for 
                five years, 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 the program, including the expansion of the 
                program under subsection (d)(1).
                    ``(B) Elements.--Each report under subparagraph (A) 
                shall include, with respect to the one-year period 
                preceding the submission of the report, the following:
                            ``(i) The findings and conclusions of the 
                        Secretary with respect to the program.
                            ``(ii) An assessment of the benefits of the 
                        program to veterans and family members of 
                        veterans.
                            ``(iii) An assessment of the effectiveness 
                        of peer specialists in engaging under 
                        subsection (f) with health care providers in 
                        the community and veterans served by such 
                        providers.
                            ``(iv) The name and location of each 
                        medical center where new peer specialists were 
                        hired.
                            ``(v) The number of new peer specialists 
                        hired at each medical center pursuant to this 
                        section and the total number of peer 
                        specialists within the Department hired 
                        pursuant to this section.
                            ``(vi) An assessment of any barriers 
                        confronting the recruitment, training, or 
                        retention of peer specialists.
            ``(2) Final report.--Not later than one year after the 
        Secretary determines that the program is being carried out at 
        each medical center of the Department, 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 notifying such committees of that 
        determination.''.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out the amendments made by this section 
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2027.
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