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REACH for Veterans Act

USA117th CongressS-2283| Senate 
| Updated: 10/20/2021
Jon Tester

Jon Tester

Democratic Senator

Montana

Cosponsors (8)
Jon Ossoff (Democratic)Dianne Feinstein (Democratic)Jerry Moran (Republican)Ben Ray Luján (Democratic)Christopher A. Coons (Democratic)John Boozman (Republican)Patty Murray (Democratic)Richard Blumenthal (Democratic)

Veterans' Affairs Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Revising and Expediting Actions for the Crisis Hotline for Veterans Act or the REACH for Veterans Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to update training and procedures for call responders of the Veterans Crisis Line. Specifically, the VA must enter into an agreement with an outside organization to review the training for crisis line call responders. The VA must update the training if any deficiencies are identified after the review. Among other requirements, the VA must develop guidelines on retraining and quality management for when a call responder has an adverse event or needs improvement, annually perform a common cause analysis for identified callers to the crisis line who died by suicide in situations where the crisis line was the last point of contact, develop enhanced guidance and procedures to respond to calls to the crisis line related to substance use and overdose risk, review the current emergency dispatch standard operating procedure of the crisis line, and solicit feedback from veterans service organizations on how to conduct outreach regarding the move to 988 as the new suicide and mental health crisis hotline. Each call responder must be subject to at least two calls per month that are silently monitored by a supervisor to check for quality of conduct. The Veterans Crisis Line, Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention of the VA, and National Center for Patient Safety of the VA must establish quality management processes and expectations for staff of the crisis line.
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Timeline
Jun 24, 2021
Introduced in Senate
Jun 24, 2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Oct 14, 2021

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 117-5073
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Oct 20, 2021
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
  • June 24, 2021
    Introduced in Senate


  • June 24, 2021
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.


  • October 14, 2021

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 117-5073
    Subcommittee Hearings Held.


  • October 20, 2021
    Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

Armed Forces and National Security

Related Bills

  • HR 117-5073: REACH for Veterans Act
Congressional oversightDepartment of Veterans AffairsDrug, alcohol, tobacco useEmergency communications systemsEmergency medical services and trauma careGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment information and archivesHealth promotion and preventive careMental healthSocial work, volunteer service, charitable organizationsTelephone and wireless communicationVeterans' medical careVeterans' organizations and recognition

REACH for Veterans Act

USA117th CongressS-2283| Senate 
| Updated: 10/20/2021
Revising and Expediting Actions for the Crisis Hotline for Veterans Act or the REACH for Veterans Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to update training and procedures for call responders of the Veterans Crisis Line. Specifically, the VA must enter into an agreement with an outside organization to review the training for crisis line call responders. The VA must update the training if any deficiencies are identified after the review. Among other requirements, the VA must develop guidelines on retraining and quality management for when a call responder has an adverse event or needs improvement, annually perform a common cause analysis for identified callers to the crisis line who died by suicide in situations where the crisis line was the last point of contact, develop enhanced guidance and procedures to respond to calls to the crisis line related to substance use and overdose risk, review the current emergency dispatch standard operating procedure of the crisis line, and solicit feedback from veterans service organizations on how to conduct outreach regarding the move to 988 as the new suicide and mental health crisis hotline. Each call responder must be subject to at least two calls per month that are silently monitored by a supervisor to check for quality of conduct. The Veterans Crisis Line, Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention of the VA, and National Center for Patient Safety of the VA must establish quality management processes and expectations for staff of the crisis line.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Jun 24, 2021
Introduced in Senate
Jun 24, 2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Oct 14, 2021

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 117-5073
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Oct 20, 2021
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
  • June 24, 2021
    Introduced in Senate


  • June 24, 2021
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.


  • October 14, 2021

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 117-5073
    Subcommittee Hearings Held.


  • October 20, 2021
    Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
Jon Tester

Jon Tester

Democratic Senator

Montana

Cosponsors (8)
Jon Ossoff (Democratic)Dianne Feinstein (Democratic)Jerry Moran (Republican)Ben Ray Luján (Democratic)Christopher A. Coons (Democratic)John Boozman (Republican)Patty Murray (Democratic)Richard Blumenthal (Democratic)

Veterans' Affairs Committee

Armed Forces and National Security

Related Bills

  • HR 117-5073: REACH for Veterans Act
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Congressional oversightDepartment of Veterans AffairsDrug, alcohol, tobacco useEmergency communications systemsEmergency medical services and trauma careGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment information and archivesHealth promotion and preventive careMental healthSocial work, volunteer service, charitable organizationsTelephone and wireless communicationVeterans' medical careVeterans' organizations and recognition