Lethal Means Safety Training Act
Bill: S.1277 | Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard (D-CT)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Lethal Means Safety Training Act
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to update its Lethal Means Safety and Suicide Prevention training course at least once a year to ensure it is culturally appropriate and uses best practices identified by subject matter experts (e.g., veterans service organizations).
The bill requires certain VA employees and care providers to take the most recently updated version of the training course within 90 days after the person is hired, agrees to furnish care, or receives support and at least annually thereafter. Specifically, the bill requires the following categories of VA employees or care providers to take the training course:
The VA must publish the training course on a publicly available VA website. Additionally, the VA must publish a report on its website that includes the percentage of individuals in each category who have completed such training.

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update the Lethal Means 
  Safety and Suicide Prevention training course of the Department of 
               Veterans Affairs, 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 ``Lethal Means Safety Training Act''.

SEC. 2. SUICIDE RISK MANAGEMENT AND PREVENTION AND LETHAL MEANS 
              TRAINING.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Initial update.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
        Affairs, in consultation with individuals and entities 
        described in subsection (c), shall update the Lethal Means 
        Safety and Suicide Prevention training course of the Department 
        of Veterans Affairs to ensure that it is culturally appropriate 
        and uses best practices identified by appropriate subject 
        matter experts.
            (2) Subsequent updates.--Not less frequently than once each 
        year, the Secretary shall update the training course described 
        in paragraph (1) as appropriate, taking into consideration best 
        practices, and publish a report on the internet website of the 
        Department that includes the percentage of individuals in each 
        category described in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of 
        subsection (b) who completed such training during the year 
        covered by the report.
    (b) Training.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall require each employee 
        described in paragraph (2) to take the most recently updated 
        version of the training course described in subsection (a)(1)--
                    (A) not later than 90 days after the date such 
                employee is initially hired by the Department; and
                    (B) at least once every year thereafter.
            (2) Covered employee.--An employee described in this 
        paragraph is any of the following:
                    (A) An employee of the Veterans Health 
                Administration or Veterans Benefits Administration who 
                regularly interacts with veterans in the course of 
                performing the responsibilities of the employee.
                    (B) A compensation and pension examiner, including 
                an employee of a contractor of the Department who 
                performs compensation and pension examinations.
                    (C) An employee of a Vet Center or vocational 
                rehabilitation facility.
            (3) Community care providers.--As a condition of furnishing 
        care through a non-Department provider under section 1703 of 
        title 38, United States Code, the Secretary shall require any 
        employee of such provider who provides such care to take the 
        most recently updated version of the training course described 
        in subsection (a)(1)--
                    (A) not later than 90 days after the date on which 
                the Secretary first agrees to furnish any such care 
                through such provider; and
                    (B) at least once every year thereafter.
            (4) Caregivers.--As a condition of providing support to a 
        caregiver under section 1720G of title 38, United States Code, 
        the Secretary shall require the caregiver to take the most 
        recently updated version of the training course described in 
        subsection (a)--
                    (A) not later than 90 days after the date on which 
                the caregiver first receives support under such 
                section; and
                    (B) at least once every year thereafter.
    (c) Individuals and Entities Described.--The individuals and 
entities described in this subsection are the following:
            (1) The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in 
        consultation with the Director of the National Institute of 
        Mental Health, the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and 
        Mental Health Services Administration, and the heads of such 
        other Federal agencies as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
        considers appropriate.
            (2) Experts in the assessment, treatment, and management of 
        individuals at risk for suicide.
            (3) Such professional associations as the Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs considers appropriate.
            (4) Federal firearms license dealers and instructors.
            (5) Experts in lethal means safety counseling practice and 
        education.
            (6) Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical 
        Centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
            (7) Veterans service organizations.
    (d) Public Availability.--The Secretary shall make the training 
course described in subsection (a) publicly available on an internet 
website of the Department.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Vet center.--The term ``Vet Center'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 1712A(h) of title 38, United States 
        Code.
            (2) Veterans service organization.--The term ``veterans 
        service organization'' means an organization recognized by the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the representation of 
        veterans under section 5902 of title 38, United States Code.
                                 <all>