Title: Urging the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prioritize the hiring of mental health professionals.
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Recognizes the critical shortage of mental health professionals working for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Calls on the VA to prioritize the hiring of such professionals.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 258 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 258

 Urging the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prioritize the hiring of 
                      mental health professionals.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 6, 2017

Mr. Crist submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Urging the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prioritize the hiring of 
                      mental health professionals.

Whereas the VA Office of Inspector General identified mental health 
        professionals among the highest vacancies (OIG Determination of VHA 
        Occupational Staffing Shortages, September 28, 2016, Report No. 16-
        00351-453);
Whereas 38 U.S.C. 7405 authorizes the Secretary to accelerate hiring of mental 
        health professionals;
Whereas the Veterans Crisis Line has answered almost two million calls since 
        2007, 250,000 chats since chat service was added in 2009, and 44,000 
        texts since text-messaging service was added in 2011;
Whereas the stressors of military service can increase the incidence of post-
        traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can increase the risk of mental 
        illness, substance abuse, and suicide;
Whereas social isolation, measured by low levels of support in the first year 
        after discharge from military service, can lead to homelessness,
Whereas a study of servicemembers returning from deployment finds that mental 
        health concerns are more likely to be reported after six months rather 
        than immediately;
Whereas between 2001 and 2011, the rate of mental health diagnoses among active 
        duty servicemembers increased approximately 65 percent;
Whereas a total of 936,283 servicemembers and veterans have been diagnosed with 
        at least one mental disorder over this time period, with nearly 49 
        percent being diagnosed with more than one mental disorder; and
Whereas studies from the National Center for PTSD show that between 10-18 
        percent of combat troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are likely to 
        have PTSD after deployment: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the critical shortage of mental health 
        professionals working for the Department of Veterans Affairs; 
        and
            (2) calls on the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to exercise 
        the authority under 38 U.S.C. 7405 to prioritize the hiring of 
        mental health professionals.
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