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<congress>One Hundred Seventeenth Congress of the United States of America</congress><session display="yes">2d Session</session><enrolled-dateline display="yes">Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday, the third day of January, two thousand and twenty two</enrolled-dateline><legis-num display="yes">S. 1198</legis-num><current-chamber display="no">IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES</current-chamber><legis-type display="yes">AN ACT</legis-type><official-title display="yes">To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve and expand the Solid Start program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.</official-title></form><legis-body style="OLC" display-enacting-clause="yes-display-enacting-clause"><section section-type="section-one" id="S1" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>1.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This Act may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Solid Start Act of 2022</short-title></quote>.</text></section><section id="HE3738F06323E49C7AE14CE467C996370" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>2.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Solid Start program of the Department of Veterans Affairs</header><subsection id="H322E4043A6BB46BC935D11856B26CE40" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/38/63">Chapter 63</external-xref> of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subchapter: </text><quoted-block id="H2C87C1E49C174D38BD9A3A8FF2390D52" style="USC" act-name="" display-inline="no-display-inline"><subchapter id="HC4732AF43B654E4395D7ECB99466F9F6" style="USC" commented="no" level-type="subsequent"><enum>II</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Other outreach programs and activities</header><section id="HEC49656139534110ACC96B1016F79526" section-type="subsequent-section" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>6320.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Solid Start program</header><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H12B0FF66DFB24F80A0FAD3F5F3A345B9"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary shall carry out a program, to be known as the <quote>Solid Start program</quote>, under which the Secretary shall—</text><paragraph id="H9D0186F7FF0B4DC0B4F5F4EEA14CA88A" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">build the capacity of the Department to efficiently and effectively respond to the queries and needs of veterans who have recently separated from the Armed Forces; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H137A9AEA65F547A0B7C48AA3B64BC0A6" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">systemically integrate and coordinate efforts to assist veterans, including efforts—</text><subparagraph id="HFC85C3CA0C504C2E98E8C9F3D883D927" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">to proactively reach out to newly separated veterans to inform them of their eligibility for programs of and benefits provided by the Department; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC14E1AED6CC349D18E256264E9186E9F" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">to connect veterans in crisis to resources that address their immediate needs.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H76C06D48664C4ED4B77E77435E13A14B"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Activities of the Solid Start program</header><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HBB2B88D61E5E42A3842DE83A68DB1E8A"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, shall carry out the Solid Start program of the Department by—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HAB31B26445F342EDAECBD41DC0D99FFF" indent="up1"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">collecting up-to-date contact information during transition classes or separation counseling for all members of the Armed Forces who are separating from the Armed Forces, while explaining the existence and purpose of the Solid Start program;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" indent="up1" id="H9498D81BF4AA4776A839DD055FA3F196"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">calling each veteran, regardless of separation type or characterization of service, three times within the first year after separation of the veteran from the Armed Forces; </text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" indent="up1" id="HCC7EDBBE58744175AED5A5B5A500B425"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">providing information about the Solid Start program on the website of the Department and in materials of the Department, especially transition booklets and other resources;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" indent="up1" id="H00F19CEE6F6041658BC80FE6AEB5EEF7"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">ensuring calls are truly tailored to the needs of each veteran’s unique situation by conducting quality assurance tests;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" indent="up1" id="HE2F6534E6EC34FFA98511D7B8615C974"><enum>(E)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">prioritizing outreach to veterans who have accessed mental health resources prior to separation from the Armed Forces; </text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" indent="up1" id="H9B96AC48AFF845959B5633C5F8577F1E"><enum>(F)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">providing women veterans with information that is tailored to their specific health care and benefit needs;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" indent="up1" id="HF8B11E1AD3594E4E9C6AF64B2E2B75A5"><enum>(G)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">as feasible, providing information on access to State and local resources, including Vet Centers and veterans service organizations; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" indent="up1" id="HAAE1234ADA374859A8B8FCC754CD1136"><enum>(H)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">gathering and analyzing data assessing the effectiveness of the Solid Start program.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph display-inline="no-display-inline" commented="no" indent="up1" id="H853B66E1B36C4652901F214005348177"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, may carry out the Solid Start program by—</text><subparagraph display-inline="no-display-inline" commented="no" id="H4AA7BD152A1449C5969E7BD26528F916"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">encouraging members of the Armed Forces who are transitioning to civilian life to authorize alternate points of contact who can be reached should the member be unavailable during the first year following the separation of the member from the Armed Forces; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph display-inline="no-display-inline" commented="no" id="H428BA66565134B6E96F37E6FE57523E0"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">following up missed phone calls with tailored mailings to ensure the veteran still receives similar information.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph display-inline="no-display-inline" commented="no" indent="up1" id="H230DB683C8A7470F93ACBFF569783FF6"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this subsection: </text><subparagraph display-inline="no-display-inline" commented="no" id="HFD10B63936F84D53A69A1D90D0B26957"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>Vet Center</term> has the meaning given that term in section 1712A(h) of this title.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph display-inline="no-display-inline" commented="no" id="HB125A5386DFE417CBE939DA6296DE715"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>veterans service organization</term> means an organization recognized by the Secretary for the representation of veterans under section 5902 of this title.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section></subchapter><after-quoted-block display="yes">.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="HF14061BBF7024314AD52D25244EF6909" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Conforming amendments</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Chapter 63 of such title, as amended by subsection (a), is further amended—</text><paragraph id="H08C2B1CC21A94A2E831B6835B89D9ED8" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting before section 6301 the following: </text><quoted-block id="H5D8377B3A62C4D7A9B87EDF7B5100941" style="USC" act-name="" display-inline="no-display-inline"><subchapter id="H97A676E2ED794B77A3099C4CAF868549" style="OLC" commented="no" level-type="subsequent"><enum>I</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Outreach services program</header></subchapter><after-quoted-block display="yes">;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block><continuation-text continuation-text-level="paragraph" commented="no">and </continuation-text></paragraph><paragraph id="H5EE7C6526EA44B1F88FF5781848299CB" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in sections 6301, 6303, 6304, 6305, 6306, and 6307, by striking <quote>this chapter</quote> each place it appears and inserting <quote>this subchapter</quote>. </text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HFAC5593B8C544B9781F34F945844C0F3" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(c)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Clerical amendments</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 63 of such title is amended—</text><paragraph id="H031B6A0C21EC4BF1ACCB750CA1EDDE10" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting before the item relating to section 6301 the following new item: </text><quoted-block style="USC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H7519FB62CA3E46D3B9B8DA9BDD216413"><toc><toc-entry level="subchapter" bold="off">Subchapter I—Outreach services program </toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block display="yes">; </after-quoted-block></quoted-block><continuation-text continuation-text-level="paragraph" commented="no">and<pagebreak></pagebreak></continuation-text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC25314E875B04BB1A5EC751C9D094708" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by adding at the end the following new items: </text><quoted-block style="USC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H892EFDF641294F54B69355F843D18050"><toc><toc-entry level="subchapter" bold="off">Subchapter II—Other outreach programs and activities </toc-entry><toc-entry level="section" bold="off">6320. Solid Start program.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block display="yes">.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection></section></legis-body><attestation><attestation-group><attestor display="no"></attestor><role>Speaker of the House of Representatives</role></attestation-group><attestation-group><attestor display="no"></attestor><role>Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate</role></attestation-group></attestation></bill> |
