S.Amdt. 684

SA 684. Ms. BALDWIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
her to the bill S. 2226, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2024 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle B of title VII, add the following:

SEC. 715. IMPROVEMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR MEMBERS OF
NATIONAL GUARD.

(a) Establishment of Suicide Prevention Workforce.--
(1) In general.--The Chief of the National Guard Bureau, in
consultation with the Director of the Army National Guard,
the Director of the Air National Guard, and the Secretary of
Defense, shall establish a full time suicide prevention
workforce for the National Guard.
(2) Duties.--The suicide prevention workforce established
under paragraph (1) shall--
(A) provide resources, education, and resources on suicide
prevention to members of the National Guard at heightened
risk for perpetuating harm or those contemplating multiple
forms of violence, including suicide; and
(B) coordinate a standardized process and language between
the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard with
respect to suicide prevention programs to synchronize and
oversee standardization and collaboration of such programs,
including with respect to--
(i) how reports are made;
(ii) how data is collected; and
(iii) such other matters as the Chief of the National Guard
Bureau considers appropriate.
(3) Structure.--The Chief of the National Guard Bureau
shall structure the suicide prevention workforce established
under paragraph (1) and related mental health wellness
resources for members of the National Guard under an
integrated organizational structure that coordinates and
communicates between prevention and wellness programs across
the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard.
(4) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau
for fiscal year 2024 $465,000,000 to carry out this
subsection.
(b) Star Behavioral Health Providers Program.--

[[Page S2793]]

(1) In general.--The Chief of the National Guard Bureau
shall establish a Star Behavioral Health Providers Program
under which the Chief shall provide access by members of the
National Guard to civilian health care providers who have
completed education and training related to the physical and
mental health needs of members of the Armed Forces.
(2) Grants.--The Chief of the National Guard Bureau shall
establish a grant program under which States may award grants
to civilian health care providers who agree to enter into a
memorandum of understanding with the Chief under which the
provider agrees to provide care to members of the National
Guard under the Star Behavioral Health Providers Program
established under paragraph (1).
(3) Funding.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the
Chief of the National Guard Bureau such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this subsection.
(c) Comptroller General Study on Expansion of Care for
Reserve Components.--The Comptroller General of the United
States shall conduct a study that--
(1) assesses the appropriate ratio of mental health
providers within the National Guard to members of the
National Guard;
(2) assesses the feasibility and advisability of, and
funding requirements for, increasing the authorization of
amounts under the Defense Health Program for the reserve
components to provide funding for clinical care for members
of the reserve components; and
(3) reviews the participation by States in a Star Behavior
Health Providers Program, whether under subsection (b) or
otherwise, and assesses the feasibility of expanding
participation in such a program to all States and territories
of the United States.
______