Expanding the Families of Veterans Access to Mental Health Services Act

Bill: 117-s-2817
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]
Introduced: 2021-09-23
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Health care coverage and access

Mental health

Military personnel and dependents

Veterans' medical care
Latest action: action_date: 2021-09-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-09-23
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Expanding the Families of Veterans Access to Mental Health Services Act</strong></p> <p>The bill expands eligibility for readjustment counseling and related mental health services, including through a Vet Center, to family members of a veteran or member of the Armed Forces who died by suicide.</p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2817 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 23, 2021 Mr. Tillis introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to furnish readjustment counseling and related mental health services to family members of members of the Armed Forces or veterans who died by suicide, and other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Expanding the Families of Veterans Access to Mental Health Services Act . 2. Eligibility for mental health services for family members of members of the Armed Forces and veterans who died by suicide Section 1712A(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subparagraph (A)(ii)— (A) in subclause (I), by striking and ; (B) in subclause (II), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (C) by adding at the end the following new subclause: (III) in the case of a veteran or member who died by suicide, to the degree that counseling furnished to such individual is found to aid in coping with the effects of such suicide. ; (2) in subparagraph (B)(i)(II)— (A) in item (aa), by striking or ; (B) in item (bb), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or ; and (C) by adding at the end the following new item: (cc) coping with the effects of a suicide described in subclause (III) of such clause. ; and (3) in subparagraph (C)(vii)— (A) in subclause (I), by striking or at the end; (B) in subclause (II), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or ; and (C) by adding at the end the following new subclause: (III) veteran or member of the Armed Forces who died by suicide. . 3. Effective date The amendments made by section 2 shall apply with respect to family members of a member of the Armed Forces or veteran who died by suicide before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this Act.