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Title II — Mental health workforce

S. 3293 · 117th Congress · Dec 1, 2021 · Lineage

II Mental health workforce

Sec. 201 Expansion of Vet Center workforce

(a)
In general— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall hire an additional 100 full-time equivalent employees for Vet Centers to bolster the workforce of Vet Centers and to provide expanded mental health care to veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and their families through outreach, community access points, outstations, and Vet Centers.
(b)
Vet center defined— In this section, the term Vet Center has the meaning given that term in section 1712A(h) of title 38, United States Code.

Sec. 202 Expansion of mental health training for Department of Veterans Affairs

(a)
In general— Not later than three years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in collaboration with the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and the Office of Academic Affiliations, shall add an additional 500 paid trainee slots in covered mental health disciplines to the workforce of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(b)
Covered mental health disciplines defined— In this section, the term covered mental health disciplines means psychiatry, psychology, advanced practice nursing (with a focus on mental health or substance use disorder), social work, licensed professional mental health counseling, and marriage and family therapy.

Sec. 203 Expansion of scholarships and loan repayment programs for mental health providers

(a)
Expansion of Health Professional Scholarship Program— Beginning in academic year 2022, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall include not fewer than an additional (as compared to academic year 2021) 50 awards per academic year under the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Professional Scholarship Program under subchapter II of chapter 76 of title 38, United States Code, for applicants otherwise eligible for such program who are pursuing degrees or training in mental health disciplines, including advanced practice nursing (with a focus on mental health or substance use disorder), psychology, and social work.
(b)
Expansion of Education Debt Reduction Program—
(1)
In general— Beginning in fiscal year 2022, the Secretary shall provide not fewer than an additional (as compared to fiscal year 2021) 200 debt reduction awards per year under the Department of Veterans Affairs Education Debt Reduction Program under subchapter VII of chapter 76 of title 38, United States Code, to be used to recruit mental health professionals to the Department of Veterans Affairs in disciplines that include psychiatry, psychology, advanced practice nursing (with a focus on mental health or substance use disorder), and social work.
(2)
Authorization of appropriations— There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $8,000,000 per year to carry out the additional awards under paragraph (1).
(c)
Outreach—
(1)
In general— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop a public awareness campaign to encourage veterans and mental health professionals to choose the Department for their mental health career.
(2)
Elements— The campaign required under paragraph (1)—
(A)
shall advertise the paid trainee, scholarship, and loan repayment opportunities offered by the Department; and
(B)
may highlight the new graduate medical education residencies available at the Department for medical students entering residency.

Sec. 204 Study on workload of suicide prevention teams of Department of Veterans Affairs

(a)
In general— The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, acting through the Under Secretary for Health and the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, shall conduct a study evaluating the workload of local suicide prevention teams of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(b)
Elements— The study conducted under subsection (a) shall—
(1)
identify the effects of the growth of the suicide prevention program of the Department on the workload of suicide prevention teams;
(2)
incorporate key practices for staffing model design in determining suicide prevention staffing needs; and
(3)
determine which facilities of the Department need increased suicide prevention coordinator staffing to meet the needs of veterans, with an emphasis placed on facilities with high patient volume and facilities located in States with high rates of veteran suicide.
(c)
Report— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report—
(1)
on the findings of the study conducted under subsection (a); and
(2)
indicating any changes made to the staffing of suicide prevention teams of the Department resulting from the determinations made under subsection (b)(3), including a list of facilities of the Department where staffing was adjusted.