[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 130, 114th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


Public Law 114-247
114th Congress

An Act


 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve the Veterans
Crisis Line. <>

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``No Veterans Crisis Line Call Should
Go Unanswered Act''.
SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO VETERANS CRISIS LINE.

(a) Quality Assurance Document.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall develop a quality assurance document to use in carrying out the
Veterans Crisis Line. Such document shall--
(1) outline clearly defined and measurable performance
indicators and objectives to improve the responsiveness and
performance of the Veterans Crisis Line, including at backup
call centers;
(2) include quantifiable timeframes to meet designated
objectives to assist the Secretary in tracking the progress of
the Veterans Crisis Line and such backup call centers in meeting
the performance indicators and objectives specified in paragraph
(1); and
(3) with respect to such timeframes and objectives, be
consistent with guidance issued by the Office of Management and
Budget.

(b) Plan.--The Secretary shall develop a plan to ensure that each
telephone call, text message, and other communications received by the
Veterans Crisis Line, including at backup call centers, is answered in a
timely manner by a person, consistent with the guidance established by
the American Association of Suicidology. <> Such plan
shall include guidelines to carry out periodic testing of the Veterans
Crisis Line, including such backup centers, during each fiscal year to
identify and correct any problems in a timely manner.

(c) Submission.-- <> Not later than 180
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives and the Senate a report containing the document
developed under subsection (a) and the plan developed under subsection
(b).

[[Page 997]]

(d) Veterans Crisis Line Defined.--In this section, the term
``Veterans Crisis Line'' means the toll-free hotline for veterans
established under section 1720F(h) of title 38, United States Code.

Approved November 28, 2016.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 5392:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 162 (2016):
Sept. 26, considered and passed House.
Nov. 16, considered and passed Senate.