1Providing for peer-to-peer support for veterans; and making an
2appropriation.

3The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4hereby enacts as follows:

5Section 1. Short title.

6This act shall be known and may be cited as the Peer-to-Peer
7Support for Veterans Act.

8Section 2. Legislative findings.

9The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:

10(1) The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has a moral duty
11and responsibility to provide proper services to its military
12personnel and veterans, including the new class of veterans
13returning from deployment in United States military
14operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

15(2) While many individuals will return with physical
16injuries and disabilities, a larger number will return with

1psychological injuries connected to the trauma and stress
2associated with combat.

3(3) Posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain
4injury, military sexual trauma and alarming rates of suicide
5among active duty personnel and veterans require the
6Commonwealth to take immediate action to ensure that the
7proper mental health, addiction and other services are
8available to its military personnel.

9(4) Statistics have shown that over 300,000 veterans, or
10approximately one in five, of Operation Iraqi Freedom and
11Operation Enduring Freedom were diagnosed with posttraumatic
12stress disorder by the end of 2012. Treatment costs for the
13veterans have been estimated to exceed $2,000,000,000.

14(5) In 2012, there were approximately 3,374 reported
15cases of military sexual trauma, which includes rape, sexual
16assault and sexual harassment. However, it is estimated that
17approximately 26,000 service members experienced unwanted
18sexual contact.

19(6) In 2012, suicide rates among active duty personnel
20averaged one per day.

21(7) Veterans now account for 20% of all United States
22suicides, with veterans under 24 years of age committing
23suicide at rates four times higher than other veterans
24groups.

25(8) Posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain
26injury, military sexual trauma and suicide among veterans are
27often linked with alcohol or substance abuse as veterans seek
28to find relief from the symptoms and feelings.

29(9) Unfortunately, the stigma attached to receiving
30mental health treatment often causes military personnel and

1veterans to avoid seeking professional treatment for their
2condition.

3(10) Establishing a program where veterans can support
4one another through peer-to-peer counseling may assist in
5removing the stigma surrounding receipt of mental health or
6addiction services and allow veterans to receive needed care
7as the veterans recover from the psychological scars often
8associated with military service.

9Section 3. Definitions.

10The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12context clearly indicates otherwise:

13"Certified peer counselor." An individual who meets all of
14the following:

15(1) Has personal experience as a mental health treatment
16recipient or who is in recovery from alcohol abuse, sexual
17abuse or trauma, substance abuse or chemical dependence.

18(2) Has:

19(i) served in the active military or naval service
20of the United States or the Pennsylvania National Guard
21and has been released from service other than by
22dishonorable discharge, as documented by the individual's
23discharge papers; or

24(ii) been furloughed to the reserve components of
25the armed forces of the United States.

26(3) Has the training, credentials or experience to
27provide counseling and is recognized by the department under
28this act.

29"Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.

30"Peer support service." A service that meets all of the

1following:

2(1) Is designated by the department and which is used in
3the treatment of and recovery from mental illness, sexual
4abuse trauma, alcohol abuse, substance abuse or chemical
5dependence.

6(2) Is delivered by a certified peer counselor.

7"Secretary." The Secretary of Health of the Commonwealth.

8"Veteran." As defined in 51 Pa.C.S. § 9601 (relating to
9definitions).

10Section 4. Duties of department.

11(a) Establishment of programs.--Notwithstanding any other
12provision of law, the secretary, in conjunction with the
13Secretary of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs and the
14Adjutant General, or the Deputy Adjutant General for Veterans'
15Affairs if designated by the Adjutant General, shall develop and
16establish a minimum of four regional peer support service
17programs for veterans in this Commonwealth. The department
18shall, if possible, establish the programs in a manner that
19ensures access to a program by all veterans within this
20Commonwealth regardless of geographic location.

21(b) Services.--Services provided by a peer support service
22program established under subsection (a) shall include peer-to-
23peer counseling for all of the following:

24(1) Mental health issues, including treatment and
25recovery support for posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic
26brain injury and depression.

27(2) Alcohol, substance abuse or chemical dependence
28treatment and recovery support, including treatment planning,
29recovery coaching and relapse prevention.

30(3) Military sexual trauma treatment and recovery

1support.

2(4) Co-occurring disorders.

3(5) Any other counseling service which the department
4believes will further the intent and goals of this act.

5Section 5. Certified peer counselors.

6The department, in conjunction with the Department of Public
7Welfare, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs and the
8Adjutant General, or the Deputy Adjutant General for Veterans'
9Affairs if designated by the Adjutant General, shall establish
10guidelines for the recruitment, training and development of
11individuals capable of providing the services under section
124(b). The guidelines shall include the establishment of minimum
13qualifications to receive credentials as a certified peer
14counselor and procedures to suspend, revoke or annul the
15credentials.

16Section 6. Nonprofit organization.

17Nothing under this act shall prohibit the department from
18contracting with nonprofit organizations within this
19Commonwealth that provide services to veterans to offer peer-to-
20peer counseling in accordance with this act.

21Section 7. Publication.

22(a) Duty.--The department shall publish the contact
23information for an entity offering peer-to-peer counseling under
24this act in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

25(b) The department and the Department of Military Affairs
26shall each post the contact information for an entity offering
27peer-to-peer counseling under this act on its publicly
28accessible Internet website.

29Section 20. Appropriation.

30The sum of $1,000,000 is appropriated to the department to

1carry out the provisions of this act.

2Section 21. Effective date.

3This act shall take effect in 60 days.