Save Our Ser­vice­mem­bers Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-3013
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]
Introduced: 2021-10-20
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Government information and archives

Health information and medical records

Health promotion and preventive care

Mental health

Military medicine

Military personnel and dependents
Latest action: action_date: 2021-10-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-10-20
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Save Our Servicemembers Act of 2021</strong></p> <p>This bill requires the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness within the Department of Defense (DOD) to evaluate and standardize DOD's suicide prevention efforts.</p> <p>Specifically, the bill directs the Defense Suicide Prevention Office to collaborate with each military department to (1) develop and implement a process to ensure that individual nonclinical suicide prevention efforts are assessed for effectiveness, and (2) develop consistent suicide-related definitions for use throughout DOD. The bill also requires the use of such suicide-related definitions in any updated policies of DOD or each military department.<br> </p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 3013 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES October 20, 2021 Ms. Ernst (for herself, Mr. Kelly , Mr. Cramer , Mr. Blumenthal , Mr. Crapo , Mr. Van Hollen , Mr. Tillis , Mr. Bennet , Mr. Hoeven , Mrs. Gillibrand , Ms. Collins , Ms. Klobuchar , Mr. Scott of Florida , Ms. Hirono , Mr. Daines , Mrs. Shaheen , Mr. Risch , Mr. Menendez , Mr. Blunt , Mr. King , Mr. Cornyn , Mr. Padilla , Mr. Marshall , Mr. Ossoff , Mr. Sullivan , Mr. Tuberville , Mr. Grassley , Mr. Rubio , Ms. Murkowski , Mr. Wyden , Mr. Hickenlooper , Ms. Rosen , Mr. Warner , and Mrs. Hyde-Smith ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To require the evaluation and standardization of suicide prevention efforts by the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Save Our Ser­vice­mem­bers Act of 2021 . 2. Evaluation and standardization of suicide prevention efforts by the Department of Defense Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness shall— (1) direct the Defense Suicide Prevention Office to collaborate with each Secretary of a military department— (A) to develop and implement a process to ensure that individual non-clinical suicide prevention efforts are assessed for effectiveness among members of the Armed Forces; and (B) to develop consistent suicide-related definitions to be used throughout the Department of Defense; (2) require the use of suicide-related definitions developed under paragraph (1)(B) to be used in any updated policies of the Department of Defense or any military department; and (3) enhance collaboration between the Defense Suicide Prevention Office and the Psychological Health Center of Excellence on the production of annual suicide reports to minimize duplication of efforts by the Department of Defense.