# Plain Language Summary: Daniel J. Harvey, Jr. and Adam Lambert Improving Servicemember Transition to Reduce Veteran Suicide Act

This bill creates a test program designed to help military members prepare for civilian life in ways that could reduce veteran suicide. Right now, many service members leave the military without adequate preparation for the challenges they'll face, and veteran suicide rates remain a serious problem. This program aims to change that by providing better support during the transition period—that critical time when someone is still in the military but about to leave.

Here's what the program would actually do: At ten military bases across the country, service members preparing to leave the military would participate in group education sessions led by social workers or nurses. These sessions would cover real challenges veterans face, like losing the tight-knit military community, struggling with identity changes, dealing with isolation, and recognizing warning signs of depression or suicidal thoughts. The program would also educate service members about specific mental health issues common among veterans, including PTSD, traumatic brain injury, substance abuse, and sleep disorders. Importantly, each person would get personalized contact information for Veterans Affairs facilities near where they plan to live after discharge, making it easier to connect with mental health services right away.

Before leaving the military, each participant would also meet one-on-one with a VA social worker or nurse who would assess their health needs and help them register with the VA system. If eligible, the VA would schedule their first appointment within 90 days of discharge. The program would run for five years at locations serving at least 300 service members annually, covering all military branches and both active duty and reserve components. Congress would receive yearly reports tracking how many people participated, whether the program actually reduced suicide attempts, and whether it should be expanded permanently.

Daniel J. Harvey, Jr. and Adam Lambert Improving Servicemember Transition to Reduce Veteran Suicide Act

Nunn, Zachary

Daniel J. Harvey Jr. and Adam Lambert Improving Servicemember Transition to Reduce Veteran Suicide Act This bill requires the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs to jointly carry out a five-year pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of providing certain services and a module comprised of specified elements as part of the pre-separation transition process for members of the Armed Forces for the purpose of reducing the incidence of suicide among veterans.