PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Aug 3, 2006
Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop and implement a comprehensive program for reducing the incidence of suicide among veterans.
Requires the program to include: (1) a national mental health campaign to increase mental health awareness in the veteran community; (2) mandatory training on suicide and suicide prevention for appropriate Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees and contractor personnel; (3) family education and peer support counseling; (4) veterans' health assessments, counseling, and access to mental health services; (5) suicide prevention counselors; (6) research on suicide prevention and on mental health of veterans who experienced sexual trauma; (7) 24-hour veterans' mental health care availability; and (8) a toll-free hotline.
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) suicide among veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious problem; and (2) the Secretary should take into consideration the special needs of veterans suffering from PTSD in developing and implementing the program.
People & committees
Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA] · D–IA
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 15, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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