Veterans' Care Quality Transparency Act

Bill: 116-hr-2372
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14]
Introduced: 2019-04-25
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Government ethics and transparency, public corruption

Government information and archives

Government studies and investigations

Health promotion and preventive care

Mental health

Veterans' medical care
Latest action: action_date: 2020-10-20
text: Became Public Law No: 116-177.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-04-25
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Veterans' Care Quality Transparency Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report on all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement entered into by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with non-VA entities relating to suicide prevention and the provision or coordination of mental health services.</p>

action_date: 2019-05-17
action_desc: Reported to House
text: <p><b>Veterans' Care Quality Transparency Act</b></p> <p> This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report on all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement entered into by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with non-VA entities relating to suicide prevention and the provision or coordination of mental health services.</p>

action_date: 2019-05-21
action_desc: Passed House
text: <p><b>Veterans' Care Quality Transparency Act</b></p> <p> This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report on all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement entered into by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with non-VA entities relating to suicide prevention and the provision or coordination of mental health services.</p>

action_date: 2020-09-24
action_desc: Passed Senate
text: <p><b>Veterans' Care Quality Transparency Act</b></p> <p> This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report on all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement entered into by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with non-VA entities relating to suicide prevention and the provision or coordination of mental health services.</p>

action_date: 2020-10-20
action_desc: Public Law
text: <p><b>Veterans' Care Quality Transparency Act</b></p> <p> This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report on all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement entered into by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with non-VA entities relating to suicide prevention and the provision or coordination of mental health services.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2372 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 25, 2019 Ms. Underwood introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct an assessment of all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement between Under Secretary of Health and non-Department of Veterans Affairs entities relating to suicide prevention and mental health services.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans’ Care Quality Transparency Act . 2. Comptroller General assessment of memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement between Under Secretary of Health and non-Department of Veterans Affairs entities relating to suicide prevention and mental health services (a) Assessment Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct an assessment of the effectiveness of all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement entered into by the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health and a non-Department of Veterans Affairs entity relating to— (1) suicide prevention activities and outreach; and (2) the provision or coordination of mental health services during the five-year period preceding the date of the enactment of this Act. (b) Contents of assessment The assessment required by subsection (a) shall include an assessment of— (1) the regional variances of the non-Department entities with which the Under Secretary has entered into a memorandum of understanding or memorandum of agreement referred to in subsection (a); (2) the size of the catchment area of each such entity; (3) the staffing structures of such entities; (4) any accreditation or licensure any such entity has obtained in relation to the services the entity provides; (5) any variances in the subpopulations of veterans served by such entities; (6) any limitations any such entity may face in carrying out its obligations under the memorandum of understanding or memorandum of agreement; (7) the extent to which the Under Secretary provides oversight and tracks outcomes of such entities; (8) any variations in the structure or requirements of the memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement; (9) a breakdown of the percentage of such entities that serve— (A) women veterans; (B) minority veterans; (C) veterans who are over the age of 55; (D) veterans between the ages of 18 and 34; and (E) veterans’ families; and (10) any measures taken to ensure the secure exchange of data and information between such entities and the Department of Veterans Affairs. (c) Report to Congress Not later than 60 days after the completion of the assessment under subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the results of the assessment.

tv_txt: IB 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2372 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct an assessment of all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement between Under Secretary of Health and non-Department of Veterans Affairs entities relating to suicide prevention and mental health services.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans’ Care Quality Transparency Act . 2. Comptroller General assessment of memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement between Under Secretary of Health and non-Department of Veterans Affairs entities relating to suicide prevention and mental health services (a) Assessment Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct an assessment of the effectiveness of all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement entered into by the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health and a non-Department of Veterans Affairs entity relating to— (1) suicide prevention activities and outreach; and (2) the provision or coordination of mental health services during the 5-year period preceding the date of the enactment of this Act. (b) Contents of assessment The assessment required by subsection (a) shall include an assessment of— (1) the size of the catchment area of each such entity; (2) the staffing structures of such entities; (3) any accreditation or licensure any such entity has obtained in relation to the services the entity provides; (4) any variances in the subpopulations of veterans served by such entities; (5) any limitations any such entity may face in carrying out its obligations under the memorandum of understanding or memorandum of agreement; (6) the extent to which the Under Secretary provides oversight and tracks outcomes of such entities; (7) any variations in the structure or requirements of the memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement; (8) a breakdown of the percentage of such entities that serve— (A) women veterans; (B) minority veterans; (C) veterans who are over the age of 55; (D) veterans between the ages of 18 and 34; (E) veterans who reside in United States insular areas; and (F) veterans’ families; and (9) any measures taken to ensure the secure exchange of data and information between such entities and the Department of Veterans Affairs. (c) Report to Congress Not later than 270 days after the completion of the assessment under subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the results of the assessment.

Passed the House of Representatives May 21, 2019. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2372 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 22, 2019 Received AN ACT To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct an assessment of all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement between Under Secretary of Health and non-Department of Veterans Affairs entities relating to suicide prevention and mental health services.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans’ Care Quality Transparency Act . 2. Comptroller General assessment of memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement between Under Secretary of Health and non-Department of Veterans Affairs entities relating to suicide prevention and mental health services (a) Assessment Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct an assessment of the effectiveness of all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement entered into by the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health and a non-Department of Veterans Affairs entity relating to— (1) suicide prevention activities and outreach; and (2) the provision or coordination of mental health services during the 5-year period preceding the date of the enactment of this Act. (b) Contents of assessment The assessment required by subsection (a) shall include an assessment of— (1) the size of the catchment area of each such entity; (2) the staffing structures of such entities; (3) any accreditation or licensure any such entity has obtained in relation to the services the entity provides; (4) any variances in the subpopulations of veterans served by such entities; (5) any limitations any such entity may face in carrying out its obligations under the memorandum of understanding or memorandum of agreement; (6) the extent to which the Under Secretary provides oversight and tracks outcomes of such entities; (7) any variations in the structure or requirements of the memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement; (8) a breakdown of the percentage of such entities that serve— (A) women veterans; (B) minority veterans; (C) veterans who are over the age of 55; (D) veterans between the ages of 18 and 34; (E) veterans who reside in United States insular areas; and (F) veterans’ families; and (9) any measures taken to ensure the secure exchange of data and information between such entities and the Department of Veterans Affairs. (c) Report to Congress Not later than 270 days after the completion of the assessment under subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the results of the assessment.

Passed the House of Representatives May 21, 2019. Cheryl L. Johnson, Clerk

tv_txt: IB Union Calendar No. 48 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2372 [Report No. 116–72] IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 25, 2019 Ms. Underwood introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs May 17, 2019 Additional sponsor: Ms. Porter May 17, 2019 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 25, 2019 A BILL To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct an assessment of all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement between Under Secretary of Health and non-Department of Veterans Affairs entities relating to suicide prevention and mental health services.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans’ Care Quality Transparency Act . 2. Comptroller General assessment of memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement between Under Secretary of Health and non-Department of Veterans Affairs entities relating to suicide prevention and mental health services (a) Assessment Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct an assessment of the effectiveness of all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement entered into by the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health and a non-Department of Veterans Affairs entity relating to— (1) suicide prevention activities and outreach; and (2) the provision or coordination of mental health services during the five-year period preceding the date of the enactment of this Act. (b) Contents of assessment The assessment required by subsection (a) shall include an assessment of— (1) the size of the catchment area of each such entity; (2) the staffing structures of such entities; (3) any accreditation or licensure any such entity has obtained in relation to the services the entity provides; (4) any variances in the subpopulations of veterans served by such entities; (5) any limitations any such entity may face in carrying out its obligations under the memorandum of understanding or memorandum of agreement; (6) the extent to which the Under Secretary provides oversight and tracks outcomes of such entities; (7) any variations in the structure or requirements of the memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement; (8) a breakdown of the percentage of such entities that serve— (A) women veterans; (B) minority veterans; (C) veterans who are over the age of 55; (D) veterans between the ages of 18 and 34; (E) veterans who reside in United States insular areas; and (F) veterans’ families; and (9) any measures taken to ensure the secure exchange of data and information between such entities and the Department of Veterans Affairs. (c) Report to Congress Not later than 270 days after the completion of the assessment under subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the results of the assessment.

May 17, 2019 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

tv_txt: IB One Hundred Sixteenth Congress of the United States of America At the Second Session Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, the third day of January, two thousand and twenty H. R. 2372 AN ACT To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct an assessment of all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement between Under Secretary of Health and non-Department of Veterans Affairs entities relating to suicide prevention and mental health services.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans’ Care Quality Transparency Act . 2. Comptroller General assessment of memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement between Under Secretary of Health and non-Department of Veterans Affairs entities relating to suicide prevention and mental health services (a) Assessment Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct an assessment of the effectiveness of all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement entered into by the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health and a non-Department of Veterans Affairs entity relating to— (1) suicide prevention activities and outreach; and (2) the provision or coordination of mental health services during the 5-year period preceding the date of the enactment of this Act. (b) Contents of assessment The assessment required by subsection (a) shall include an assessment of— (1) the size of the catchment area of each such entity; (2) the staffing structures of such entities; (3) any accreditation or licensure any such entity has obtained in relation to the services the entity provides; (4) any variances in the subpopulations of veterans served by such entities; (5) any limitations any such entity may face in carrying out its obligations under the memorandum of understanding or memorandum of agreement; (6) the extent to which the Under Secretary provides oversight and tracks outcomes of such entities; (7) any variations in the structure or requirements of the memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement; (8) a breakdown of the percentage of such entities that serve— (A) women veterans; (B) minority veterans; (C) veterans who are over the age of 55; (D) veterans between the ages of 18 and 34; (E) veterans who reside in United States insular areas; and (F) veterans’ families; and (9) any measures taken to ensure the secure exchange of data and information between such entities and the Department of Veterans Affairs. (c) Report to Congress Not later than 270 days after the completion of the assessment under subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the results of the assessment.

Speaker of the House of Representatives. Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.