A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to designate one week each year as "Buddy Check Week" for the purpose of outreach and education concerning peer wellness checks for veterans, and for other purposes.
Bill: S.544 | Sponsor: Sen. Ernst, Joni (R-IA)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to designate one week each year as Buddy Check Week for the purposes of organizing outreach events and educating veterans on how to conduct peer wellness checks. The VA shall ensure that the Veterans Crisis Line has a plan for handling the potential increase in calls that may occur during such week.

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to designate one week each 
year as ``Buddy Check Week'' for the purpose of outreach and education 
 concerning peer wellness checks for 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. DESIGNATION OF BUDDY CHECK WEEK BY SECRETARY OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall designate 
one week each year to organize outreach events and educate veterans on 
how to conduct peer wellness checks, which shall be known as ``Buddy 
Check Week''.
    (b) Educational Opportunities.--
            (1) In general.--During Buddy Check Week, the Secretary, in 
        consultation with organizations that represent veterans, 
        nonprofits that serve veterans, mental health experts, members 
        of the Armed Forces, and such other entities and individuals as 
        the Secretary considers appropriate, shall collaborate with 
        organizations that represent veterans to provide educational 
        opportunities for veterans to learn how to conduct peer 
        wellness checks.
            (2) Training matters.--As part of the educational 
        opportunities provided under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
        provide the following:
                    (A) A script for veterans to use to conduct peer 
                wellness checks that includes information on 
                appropriate referrals to resources veterans might need.
                    (B) Online and in-person training, as appropriate, 
                on how to conduct a peer wellness check.
                    (C) Opportunities for members of organizations that 
                represent veterans to learn how to train individuals to 
                conduct peer wellness checks.
                    (D) Training for veterans participating in Buddy 
                Check Week on how to transfer a phone call directly to 
                the Veterans Crisis Line.
                    (E) Resiliency training for veterans participating 
                in Buddy Check Week on handling a veteran in crisis.
            (3) Online materials.--All training materials provided 
        under the educational opportunities under paragraph (1) shall 
        be made publicly available on a website of the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs.
    (c) Outreach.--The Secretary, in collaboration with organizations 
that represent veterans, may conduct outreach regarding educational 
opportunities under subsection (b) at--
            (1) public events where many veterans are expected to 
        congregate;
            (2) meetings of organizations that represent veterans;
            (3) facilities of the Department; and
            (4) such other locations as the Secretary, in collaboration 
        with organizations that represent veterans, considers 
        appropriate.
    (d) Veterans Crisis Line Plan.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall ensure that a plan 
        exists for handling the potential increase in the number of 
        calls into the Veterans Crisis Line that may occur during Buddy 
        Check Week.
            (2) Submittal of plan.--The head of the Veterans Crisis 
        Line shall submit to the Secretary a plan for how to handle 
        excess calls during Buddy Check Week, which may include the 
        following:
                    (A) Additional hours for staff.
                    (B) The use of a backup call center.
                    (C) Any other plan to ensure that calls from 
                veterans in crisis are being answered in a timely 
                manner by an individual trained at the same level as a 
                Veterans Crisis Line responder.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Organization that represents veterans.--The term 
        ``organization that represents veterans'' means an organization 
        recognized by the Secretary for the representation of veterans 
        under section 5902 of title 38, United States Code.
            (2) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 101 of such title.
            (3) Veterans crisis line.--The term ``Veterans Crisis 
        Line'' means the toll-free hotline for veterans provided by the 
        Secretary under section 1720F(h) of such title.

            Passed the Senate October 7, 2021.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
117th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                 S. 544

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