§2.Zero Suicide Initiative pilot program
This section establishes a pilot program called the Zero Suicide Initiative (i.e., implementing the curriculum of the Zero Suicide Institute of the Education Development Center) to train Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) staff on suicide care processes (e.g., screening, assessment, treatment, care transitions) for veterans and reduce suicide rates. (As background, the Zero Suicide framework is a comprehensive suicide prevention model used in healthcare systems to improve identification, intervention, and follow-up for at-risk patients.)
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) must establish the program within 180 days of enactment, with the first year dedicated to development, planning, and site selection in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, experts, veterans service organizations, and others. The program requires selection of 5-10 staff leaders per site for at least 10 weeks of education, including (1) completing the Institute's organizational self-study and two-day Zero Suicide Academy; (2) developing a data collection plan; (3) conducting a workforce survey on suicide care competence; and (4) reviewing and implementing site policies on suicide care.
VA must select 15 candidate sites within 180 days of enactment and finalize five sites (one serving rural/remote veterans) within 270 days, consulting the National Institute of Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, VA mental health offices, and the Zero Suicide Institute, while considering factors such as staff capacity, geographic and size variation, regional veteran suicide rates, and patient demographics.
VA must submit annual progress reports to the congressional VA committees beginning two years after establishment (until program termination), assessing staff progress, training percentages, policy alignment with Institute standards (e.g., lethal means counseling, safety planning), and site comparisons of suicide-related outcomes (e.g., screening rates, suicide attempts and deaths). VA must submit a final report to the committees one year after termination, including analysis of annual reports.