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HR 2699 115th Congress House Armed Forces and National Security Health promotion and preventive care Mental health Military medicine Military operations and strategy Veterans' medical care

To direct the Secretary of Defense to more effectively provide mental health resources for members of the Armed Forces at high risk of suicide, and for other purposes.

Introduced: May 25, 2017 See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 17, 2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
May 25, 2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
May 25, 2017
Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, 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.
May 25, 2017
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to develop a methodology to:

  • identify units of the Armed Forces that have a disproportionately high rate of suicide and suicide attempts;
  • provide additional mental health resources for members of the Armed Forces deployed with such units;
  • identify the circumstances of deployments associated with increased vulnerability to suicide, including the length and area of deployment and the nature and extent of contact with enemy forces; and
  • provide additional preventative mental health care to units deployed under similar circumstances.

DOD shall: (1) develop a methodology to assess the rate of suicide and suicide attempts of members of the Armed Forces of units that have been deployed in support of a contingency operation after September 11, 2001, and (2) provide outreach regarding the available mental health resources for veterans enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system who were deployed with such units.

Information obtained pursuant to this bill may be used by DOD and VA officers, employees, and contractors only for the purposes of carrying it out.

What's happening now July 17, 2017

Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Democratic 1