Clay Hunt SAV Act

Bill: 113-hr-5059
Sponsor: Rep. Walz, Timothy J. [D-MN-1]
Introduced: 2014-07-10 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Allied health services
Congressional oversight
Department of Veterans Affairs
Drug therapy
Evidence and witnesses
Executive agency funding and structure
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health care coverage and access
Health personnel
Higher education
Medical education
Mental health
Military medicine
Military personnel and dependents
National Guard and reserves
Neurological disorders
Student aid and college costs
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-10
text: 
Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act or the Clay Hunt SAV Act - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Secretary of Defense (DOD), at least annually, to each arrange for an independent third party evaluation of, respectively, the VA and DOD mental health care and suicide prevention programs.
 
Requires a board reviewing the discharge or dismissal of a former member of the Armed Forces whose application for relief is based at least in part on post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury related to military operations or sexual trauma, to: (1) review the medical evidence from the VA or a civilian health provider that is presented by the former member; and (2) review the case, with a presumption of administrative irregularity, and place the burden on the VA or DOD to prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that no error or injustice occurred.
 
Directs the VA Secretary to publish an Internet website that serves as a centralized source to provide veterans with regularly updated information regarding all of the VA's mental health care services.
 
Requires the VA Secretary and the DOD Secretary to enter into certain strategic relationships to facilitate:
 
 
 the mental health referrals of members of the reserve components who have a service-connected disability and are being discharged or released from the Armed Forces, 
 
 timely behavioral health services for such members, 
 
 communication when such members are at risk for behavioral health reasons, and 
 
 the transfer of documentation for line-of-duty and fitness-for-duty determinations.
 
 
Requires the VA Secretary to carry out a three-year pilot program to repay the education loans relating to psychiatric medicine that are incurred by individuals who:
 
 
are eligible to practice psychiatric medicine in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) or are enrolled in the final year of a residency program leading to a specialty qualification in psychiatric medicine,
 
demonstrate a commitment to a long-term career as a psychiatrist in the VHA, and
 
agree to a period of obligated service with the VHA in the field of psychiatric medicine.
 
 
Directs the VA Secretary to carry out a program, as part of the Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program, under which the VA Secretary and an institution of higher education (IHE) agree to cover the full cost of charges not covered by post-9/11 educational assistance that are incurred by veterans who: (1) are pursuing an advanced degree in mental health at the IHE, and (2) intend to seek employment as a mental health professional in the VA. Allows the VA Secretary to cover up to 64% of those charges, if the school covers the remainder.
 
Requires the DOD Secretary to submit to Congress a zero-based review of the staffing requirements for individual State National Guard Commands with respect to Directors of Psychological Health.
 
Directs the VA Secretary to establish a pilot program at not less than five Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) to assist veterans transitioning from active duty and to improve the access of veterans to mental health services. Requires the pilot program at each VISN to include: (1) a community oriented veteran peer support network, and (2) a community outreach team for each medical center in such VISN.
 
 

action_date: 2014-12-09
text: 
Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act or the Clay Hunt SAV Act - (Sec. 2) Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) arrange for an independent third party evaluation, at least annually, of the VA's mental health care and suicide prevention programs; and (2) submit a report to Congress, by December 1 of each year, containing the most recent evaluations not yet submitted to Congress and any recommendations the Secretary considers appropriate.
 
(Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary to survey the VA's existing Internet websites and information resources to publish an Internet website that serves as a centralized source to provide veterans with information, updated at least once every 90 days, regarding all of the VA's mental health care services.
 
(Sec. 4) Requires the Secretary to carry out a three-year pilot program to repay the education loans relating to psychiatric medicine that are incurred by individuals who:
 
 
are eligible to practice psychiatric medicine in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) or are enrolled in the final year of a residency program leading to a specialty qualification in psychiatric medicine;
 
demonstrate a commitment to a long-term career as a psychiatrist in the VHA; and
 
agree to a period of two or more years of obligated service with the VHA in the field of psychiatric medicine, as determined by the Secretary.
 
 
Limits the loan repayment to no more than $30,000 for each year an individual performs such obligated service.
 
Directs the Secretary to submit interim and final reports to Congress on such pilot program.
 
 
(Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary to establish a three-year pilot program at not less than five Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) to assist veterans transitioning from active duty and to improve the access of veterans to mental health services. Requires the pilot program at each VISN to include: (1) a community oriented veteran peer support network, carried out in partnership with an entity that has experience in peer support programs; and (2) a community outreach team for each medical center in such VISN.
 
Directs the Secretary to submit interim and final reports to Congress on such pilot program.
 
(Sec. 6) Authorizes the Secretary to collaborate with nonprofit mental health organizations to prevent suicide among veterans. Requires the Secretary and any such organization with which the Secretary is collaborating to exchange training sessions and best practices.
 
Directs the Secretary to select a VA Director of Suicide Prevention Coordination to undertake any collaboration with nonprofit mental health organizations.
 
(Sec. 7) Extends, for the one-year period beginning on January 1, 2015, combat veterans' eligibility for VA hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for illnesses which have not been medically proven to be attributable to their service, provided: (1) they were discharged or released from active duty between January 1, 2009, and January 1, 2011, and (2) did not enroll to receive such care during the five-year period of eligibility following their discharge.
 
(Sec. 8) Prohibits the authorization of any additional appropriations to carry out this Act's provisions.
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-12-10
text: Received in the Senate.
action_date: 2014-12-09
text: The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2014-12-09
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2014-12-09
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H8899-8901)
action_date: 2014-12-09
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H8899-8901)
action_date: 2014-12-09
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5059.
action_date: 2014-12-09
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8899-8904)
action_date: 2014-12-09
text: Mr. Miller (FL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2014-07-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2014-07-10
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2014-07-10
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2014-07-10
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-07-10
text: Introduced in House