Title: Peer Support for Veteran Families Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Peer Support for Veteran Families Act
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish an education program and a peer support program for the education and training of family members and caregivers of eligible veterans with mental health disorders. Under this bill, eligible veterans are those who are enrolled in the VA health care system. Such veterans must give permission for their caregiver or family caregiver to participate in either program established under this bill.
The VA must establish a four-year education program to provide a course to family members and caregivers of eligible veterans on matters relating to coping with mental health disorders in veterans. In implementing the program, the VA must enter into contracts with certain nonprofit entities with experience in mental health education.
Under the peer support program, the VA must provide peer support to family members and caregivers of eligible veterans on matters relating to coping with mental health disorders in veterans. The VA must provide peer support at each location where the education program is provided, and such support must include regular meetings in group settings between peer support coordinators, family members, and caregivers.
The VA must conduct a survey of the satisfaction of individuals who have participated in the education program and the peer support program.
VA mental health care providers must monitor the progress of the programs.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7964 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7964

  To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out education 
programs and peer support programs for family members and caregivers of 
                 veterans with mental health disorders.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 7, 2020

 Ms. Finkenauer (for herself, Mr. Curtis, and Mr. McKinley) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out education 
programs and peer support programs for family members and caregivers of 
                 veterans with mental health disorders.

    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 ``Peer Support for Veteran Families 
Act''.

SEC. 2. EDUCATION PROGRAM AND PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR FAMILY MEMBERS 
              AND CAREGIVERS OF VETERANS WITH MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS.

    (a) Programs.--Not later than 270 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish an education program (in this section referred to as the 
``education program'') and a peer support program (in this section 
referred to as the ``peer support program'') for the education and 
training of family members and caregivers of eligible veterans with 
mental health disorders.
    (b) Education Program.--
            (1) In general.--Under the education program, the Secretary 
        shall provide a course of education to family members and 
        caregivers of eligible veterans on matters relating to coping 
        with mental health disorders in veterans.
            (2) Duration.--
                    (A) In general.--The education program shall be 
                carried out during the four-year period beginning on 
                the date of the commencement of the education program.
                    (B) Authority for extension.--The Secretary may 
                extend the duration of the education program for an 
                additional four years.
            (3) Locations.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as required by subparagraph 
                (D), the Secretary shall carry out the education 
                program at the following facilities of the Department 
                of Veterans Affairs:
                            (i) Not less than 10 medical centers of the 
                        Department.
                            (ii) Not less than 10 clinics of the 
                        Department.
                            (iii) Not less than 10 Vet Centers (as 
                        defined in section 1712A(h) of title 38, United 
                        States Code).
                    (B) Solicitation of applications.--In selecting 
                locations for the education program, the Secretary 
                shall solicit applications from eligible facilities of 
                the Department that are interested in carrying out the 
                education program.
                    (C) Considerations.--In selecting locations for the 
                education program, the Secretary shall consider the 
                feasibility and advisability of selecting locations in 
                the following areas:
                            (i) Rural areas.
                            (ii) Areas that are not in close proximity 
                        to an active duty installation.
                            (iii) Areas in different geographic 
                        locations.
                    (D) Expansion of locations.--Not later than two 
                years after the date of the commencement of the 
                education program, the Secretary shall expand the 
                number of facilities at which the Secretary is carrying 
                out the education program to include the following:
                            (i) Not less than 10 additional medical 
                        centers of the Department.
                            (ii) Not less than 10 additional clinics of 
                        the Department.
                            (iii) Not less than 10 additional Vet 
                        Centers.
            (4) Contracts.--
                    (A) In general.--In carrying out the education 
                program, the Secretary shall enter into contracts with 
                qualified entities described in subparagraph (B) to 
                offer the course of education described in paragraph 
                (5) to family members and caregivers of eligible 
                veterans and covered veterans.
                    (B) Qualified entity described.--A qualified entity 
                described in this subparagraph is a non-profit entity 
                with experience in mental health education and 
                outreach, including work with children, teens, and 
                young adults, that--
                            (i) uses high quality, relevant, and age-
                        appropriate information in educational 
                        programming, materials, and coursework, 
                        including such programming, materials, and 
                        coursework for children, teens, and young 
                        adults; and
                            (ii) works with agencies, departments, 
                        nonprofit mental health organizations, early 
                        childhood educators, and mental health 
                        providers to develop educational programming, 
                        materials, and coursework.
                    (C) Priority.--In entering into contracts under 
                this paragraph, the Secretary shall give priority to 
                qualified entities that have demonstrated cultural 
                competence in serving military and veteran populations, 
                and, to the extent practicable, use internet technology 
                for the delivery of course content in an effort to 
                expand the availability of support services, especially 
                in rural areas.
            (5) Elements.--The course of education described in this 
        paragraph shall consist of not less than 10 weeks of education 
        and shall include the following:
                    (A) General education on different mental health 
                disorders, including information to improve 
                understanding of the experiences of individuals 
                suffering from those disorders.
                    (B) Techniques for handling crisis situations and 
                administering mental health first aid to individuals 
                suffering from mental health disorders.
                    (C) Techniques for coping with the stress of living 
                with someone with a mental health disorder.
                    (D) Information on additional services available 
                for family members and caregivers through the 
                Department or community organizations and providers 
                related to mental health disorders.
                    (E) Such other matters as the Secretary considers 
                appropriate.
            (6) Instructors.--
                    (A) Training.--Each instructor of the course of 
                education described in paragraph (5) shall maintain a 
                level of proficiency in the course of education as 
                determined by the Secretary, and shall submit proof of 
                that level of proficiency to the Secretary at such time 
                and in such manner as the Secretary determines 
                appropriate.
                    (B) Individuals who have completed the course as 
                instructors.--Commencing as of the date that is two 
                years after the date of the commencement of the 
                education program, any individual who has successfully 
                completed the course of education described in 
                paragraph (5) and has successfully completed such 
                additional training as is required for instructors 
                pursuant to subparagraph (A) may act as an instructor 
                in the course of education.
    (c) Peer Support Program.--
            (1) In general.--Under the peer support program, the 
        Secretary shall provide peer support to family members and 
        caregivers of eligible veterans on matters relating to coping 
        with mental health disorders in veterans.
            (2) Locations.--The Secretary shall provide peer support 
        under the peer support program at each location at which the 
        Secretary provides education under the education program.
            (3) Elements.--Peer support under the peer support program 
        shall consist of meetings in group settings between a peer 
        support coordinator under paragraph (4) and family members and 
        caregivers of eligible veterans on matters relating to coping 
        with mental health disorders in veterans. At each location, 
        those meetings shall be conducted not less often than twice 
        each calendar quarter.
            (4) Peer support coordinator.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
                director of each participating facility, may select an 
                individual who has successfully completed the course of 
                education described in subsection (b)(5) to serve as a 
                peer support coordinator for each such facility to 
                carry out the peer support program.
                    (B) Proficiency of instructors.--Each peer support 
                coordinator shall maintain a level of proficiency in 
                peer support as determined by the Secretary, and shall 
                submit proof of that level of proficiency to the 
                Secretary at such time and in such manner as the 
                Secretary determines appropriate.
    (d) Surveys.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a 
        comprehensive survey of the satisfaction of individuals that 
        have participated in the course of education described in 
        subsection (b)(5) and individuals that have participated in the 
        peer support program that includes the following:
                    (A) The general satisfaction of those individuals 
                with the education and assistance provided in the 
                education program and the peer support program.
                    (B) The perceived effectiveness of the education 
                program and the peer support program in providing 
                education and assistance that is useful for those 
                individuals.
                    (C) The applicability of the education program and 
                the peer support program to the issues faced by those 
                individuals.
                    (D) Such other matters as the Secretary considers 
                appropriate.
                    (E) A representative sample of the information 
                required by subparagraphs (A) through (D) from each 
                Veterans Integrated Service Network that is 
                participating in the education program and the peer 
                support program.
            (2) Compilation of information.--The information compiled 
        as a result of the surveys required by paragraph (1) shall be 
        included in the annual report required by subsection (e)(1).
    (e) Reports.--
            (1) Annual report.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than one year after the 
                date of the commencement of the education program and 
                not later than September 30 each year thereafter until 
                2024, 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 education program and the peer support 
                program.
                    (B) Elements.--Each report submitted under 
                subparagraph (A) shall include the following:
                            (i) The number of individuals that 
                        participated in the course of education 
                        described in subsection (b)(5) during the year 
                        preceding the submission of the report.
                            (ii) The number of individuals that 
                        participated in the peer support program during 
                        the year preceding the submission of the 
                        report.
                            (iii) A detailed analysis of the surveys 
                        conducted under subsection (d) with respect to 
                        the individuals described in clause (i) and 
                        (ii).
                            (iv) The degree to which veterans and 
                        family members and caregivers of veterans are 
                        aware of the eligibility requirements for 
                        enrollment in the education program and the 
                        peer support program.
                            (v) Any plans for expansion of the 
                        education program and the peer support program.
                            (vi) The interim findings and conclusions 
                        of the Secretary with respect to the success of 
                        the education program and the peer support 
                        program.
            (2) Final report.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than one year after the 
                completion of the education program, 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 
                feasibility and advisability of continuing the 
                education program and the peer support program.
                    (B) Elements.--The report submitted under 
                subparagraph (A) shall include the following:
                            (i) A detailed analysis of the surveys 
                        conducted under subsection (d).
                            (ii) The feasibility and advisability of 
                        continuing the education program without 
                        entering into contracts for the course of 
                        education described in subsection (b)(5) and 
                        instead using peer support coordinators 
                        selected under subsection (c)(4) as instructors 
                        of the course of education.
                            (iii) The feasibility and advisability of 
                        expanding the education program and the peer 
                        support program.
    (f) Permission Required.--A caregiver or family caregiver may not 
participate in the education program or the peer support program 
without the permission of the eligible veteran for whom the caregiver 
or family caregiver provides care.
    (g) Monitoring of Program.--The Secretary shall select mental 
health care providers of the Department to monitor the progress of the 
instruction provided under the education program and to monitor the 
progress of the peer support program. Such mental health care providers 
shall carry out such monitoring by meeting not less than quarterly 
with--
            (1) instructors of the course of education described in 
        subsection (b)(5); and
            (2) peer support coordinators under subsection (c)(4).
    (h) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``eligible veteran'' means a veteran who is 
        enrolled in the health care system established under section 
        1705(a) of title 38, United States Code.
            (2) The terms ``caregiver'' and ``family member'' have the 
        meaning given those terms in section 1720G(d) of title 38, 
        United States Code.
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