Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

(1) IN GENERAL. Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress and publish on a website of the Department of Veterans Affairs a strategic plan for the provision by the Department of health care to any veteran during the one-year period following the discharge or release of the veteran from active military, naval, or air service.

(2) ELEMENTS. The plan submitted under paragraph (1) shall include the following:

(A) An identification of general goals and objectives for the provision of health care to veterans described in such paragraph.

(B) A description of how such goals and objectives are to be achieved, including

(i) a description of the use of existing personnel, information, technology, facilities, public and private partnerships, and other resources of the Department of Veterans Affairs;

(ii) a description of the anticipated need for additional resources for the Department; and

(iii) an assessment of cost.

(C) An analysis of the anticipated health care needs, including mental health care, for such veterans, disaggregated by geographic area.

(D) An analysis of whether such veterans are eligible for enrollment in the system of annual patient enrollment of the Department under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code.

(E) A description of activities designed to promote the availability of health care from the Department for such veterans, including outreach to members of the Armed Forces though the Transition Assistance Program under sections 1142 and 1144 of title 10, United States Code.

(F) A description of legislative or administrative action required to carry out the plan.

(G) A description of how the plan would further the ongoing initiatives under Executive Order 13822 (83 Fed. Reg. 1513; relating to supporting our veterans during their transition from uniformed service to civilian life) to provide seamless access to high-quality mental health care and suicide prevention resources to veterans as they transition, with an emphasis on the one-year period following separation.

(b) Definitions. In this section:

(1) ACTIVE MILITARY, NAVAL, OR AIR SERVICE. The term active military, naval, or air service has the meaning given that term in section 101(24) of title 38, United States Code.

(2) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS. The term appropriate committees of Congress means

(A) the Committee on Veterans Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and

(B) the Committee on Veterans Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.

SEC. 102. Review of records of former members of the Armed Forces who die by suicide within one year of separation from the Armed Forces.

(a) Review.

(1) IN GENERAL. The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly review the records of each former member of the Armed Forces who died by suicide, as determined by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, within one year following the discharge or release of the former member from active military, naval, or air service during the five-year period preceding the date of the enactment of this Act.

(2) RECORDS TO BE REVIEWED. In completing the review required under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall review the following records maintained by the Department of Defense:

(A) Health treatment records.

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