A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide for peer support specialists for claimants who are survivors of military sexual trauma, and for other purposes.

Summary

This bill prescribes that a peer support specialist of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must not be responsible for providing assistance to a veteran regarding a claim for compensation for a covered mental health condition (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder) based on military sexual trauma (MST) experienced during active service. Such specialists must only provide counseling services, guidance, and support and must not participate in the adjudication of the claim. As part of the forms for claims for compensation for a covered mental health condition based on MST, the VA must include an option for a veteran to elect to be referred to a MST trauma coordinator at the VA facility closest to the veteran's residence. Additionally, the VA must (1) ensure that its peer support specialists receive annual training on providing peer support regarding MST, and (2) provide annual training on the processing of claims for compensation for covered mental health conditions based on MST to its MST coordinators and peer specialists.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

1. 22 June 2022

   Introduced

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 22 June 2022

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

• Introduced in Senate · 22 June 2022 · Official file

Documents

3 official files

• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 22 June 2022

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in Senate (PDF)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 22 June 2022

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 22 June 2022

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Catherine Cortez Masto · D · Sponsor
• John Boozman · R · Sponsor
• Richard Blumenthal · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] · D · Cosponsor
• Lisa Murkowski · R · Cosponsor
• Kevin Cramer · R · Cosponsor
• Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI] · D · Cosponsor
• Kirsten Gillibrand · D · Cosponsor
• Elizabeth Warren · D · Cosponsor
• Angus King · I · Cosponsor
• Richard Durbin · D · Cosponsor
• · ssva00 · Standing

Related records

• related to → VA Peer Support Enhancement for MST Survivors Act