US Codex
Bill
Notes

H.R. 1969 — what changed

No Wrong Door for Veterans Act

From Introduced in House to Reported in House. 1 section amended and 2 added between Introduced in House and Reported in House.

Sec. 2 Reauthorization and improvement of Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program of Department of Veterans Affairs

(a)
changed Reorganization—Duration— Subsection (b) of section Section 201 of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 (Public Law 116–171; 38 U.S.C. 1720F note) is amended, in the second sentence, subsection (j), by striking “Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention” “the date that is three years after the date on which the first grant is awarded under this section” and inserting “the Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Clinical Services”.“September 30, 2026”.
(b)
changed Grant money: amount; use—Emergent suicide care— Such section is further amended, in subsection (c)(2)(A), by striking “$750,000 per grantee per fiscal year” and inserting “$500,000 per fiscal year (not more than 5 percent of which may be spent on food and non-alcoholic beverages), plus $10,000 per eligible individual who receives suicide prevention services provided or coordinated by such grantee”.amended—
(1)
added in subsection (m)—
(A)
added by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4);
(B)
added by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph (3):

added “(3) Emergent suicide care—In the case of an eligible individual who receives suicide prevention services provided or coordinated by an eligible entity in receipt of a grant under this section, the eligible entity shall notify—

added “(A) the eligible individual that the individual may be eligible for emergent suicide care under section 1720J of title 38, United States Code; and

added “(B) the Secretary, if an eligible individual notified under subparagraph (A) elects to receive such emergent suicide care.”

(C)
added in paragraph (4), as so redesignated, by striking “(1) or (2)” and inserting “(1), (2), or (3)”; and
(2)
added in subsection (n)—
(A)
added by inserting “(1) In general.—” before “When” and adjusting the margins accordingly; and
(c)
removed Preference in distribution of grants— Such section is further amended, in subsection (d)(2), by adding at the end the following: “The Secretary shall not give preference to an eligible entity solely because the eligible entity previously received, or applied for, a grant under this section”.
(d)
removed Reapplication by a previous grantee— Such section is further amended, in subsection (f), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

removed “(3) Reapplication by previous grantee—An application submitted by an eligible entity that previously received grant funds under this section shall include in such application evidence that the eligible entity used such grant funds to serve a significant number of veterans.”

(e)
removed Briefing for local VAMCs— Such section is further amended, in subsection (h), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

removed “(5) Briefing for local VAMCs—Not less than once per calendar quarter, the Secretary shall provide, to the appropriate personnel of each medical center of the Department located not more than 100 miles from the primary location of a grantee, a briefing about the grant program under this section in order to improve coordination between a grantee and such personnel. The Secretary may permit a representative of a grantee to attend such a briefing.”

(f)
removed Duration— Such section is further amended, in subsection (j), by striking “the date that is three years after the date on which the first grant is awarded under this section” and inserting “September 30, 2028”.
(g)
removed Emergent suicide care— Such section is further amended, in subsection (n)—
(1)
removed by inserting “(1)” before “When”; and
(B)
renumbered was (8)(4) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

added “(2) Time frame—If the Secretary does not provide services under paragraph (1) to an eligible individual during the 72-hour period following a referral under subsection (m), such eligible individual shall be treated as eligible for emergent suicide care under section 1720J of title 38, United States Code.”

removed “(2) A grantee shall notify—

removed “(A) an eligible individual receiving suicide prevention services provided or coordinated by such grantee that such eligible individual may receive emergent suicide care under section 1720J of title 38, United States Code; and

removed “(B) the Secretary if such eligible individual requests such emergent suicide care.”

(c)
renumbered was (9) Reauthorization— Such section is further amended, in subsection (p)—
(1)
added by striking “section a total of $174,000,000 for fiscal years 2021 through 2025.” and inserting “section—”; and
(1)
removed by striking “a total of $174,000,000 for fiscal years 2021 through 2025” and inserting an em dash; and
(2)
renumbered was (9)(4) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:

added “(1) a total of $174,000,000 for fiscal years 2021 through 2025; and

added “(2) $52,500,000 for fiscal year 2026.”

(d)
added Requirements for eligible entities— Such section is further amended, in subsection (q)(3)—
(1)
added by inserting “an entity that has continuously provided mental health care or support services in the United States during the two-year period before the date on which the entity applies for a grant under this section and that is” after “means”;
(2)
added in subparagraph (A), by striking “or foundation” and inserting “, foundation, or health care provider”; and
(3)
added in subparagraph (E), by striking “A” and inserting “a”.

removed “(1) for fiscal years 2021 through 2025, a total of $174,000,000; and

removed “(2) for fiscal years 2026 through 2028, a total of $157,500,000.”

(i)
removed Clarification of eligible entities— Such section is further amended, in subsection (q)(3)—
(1)
removed in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting “an entity that has continuously provided mental health care or support services in the United States during the two-year period before the date on which the entity applies for a grant under this section, and that is” after “means”; and
(2)
removed in subparagraph (A), by inserting “, or a health care provider” after “foundation”.
(e)
renumbered was (11) Technical correction to definitions— Such section is further amended, in subsection (q)(5), by striking “Medical services” and inserting “The term “emergency treatment” means medical services”.
(f)
added Required use of certain screening protocol— Such section is further amended, in subsection (q)(11)(A)(ii), by inserting after “risk” the following: “, which in the case of a grant made on or after the date of the enactment of the No Wrong Door for Veterans Act, shall be the Columbia Protocol (also known as the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale)”.
(k)
removed Required use of screening protocol selected by the Secretary—
(1)
removed In general— Such section is further amended, in subsection (q)(11)(A)(ii), by striking “screening for risk” and inserting “screening for risk, using a protocol selected by the Secretary”.
(2)
removed Rules of construction— In addition to the protocol selected pursuant to the amendment made by paragraph (1)—
(A)
removed the Secretary may furnish another protocol to a grantee; and
(B)
removed a grantee may use another protocol to screen for risk.

Sec. 3 Inclusion of adaptive prostheses and terminal devices for sports and other recreational activities in medical services furnished to eligible veterans by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs

added

added Section 1701 of title 38, United States Code, is amended, in paragraph (6)(F)(i), by inserting “(including adaptive prostheses and terminal devices for sports and other recreational activities)” after “artificial limbs”.

Sec. 4 Extension of certain limits on payments of pension

added

added Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking “November 30, 2031” and inserting “January 30, 2033”.