PRINTER'S NO. 430
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
491
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY YUDICHAK, FONTANA, KITCHEN, TEPLITZ, SCAVELLO,
BLAKE, GORDNER, SCHWANK, BREWSTER, SMITH, VULAKOVICH,
TARTAGLIONE, HUGHES, COSTA, RAFFERTY, WILEY AND BOSCOLA,
FEBRUARY 13, 2015
REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, FEBRUARY 13, 2015
AN ACT
Providing for peer-to-peer support for veterans; and making an
appropriation.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Peer-to-Peer
Support for Veterans Act.
Section 2. Legislative findings.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has a moral duty
and responsibility to provide proper services to its military
personnel and veterans, including the new class of veterans
returning from deployment in United States military
operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
(2) While many individuals will return with physical
injuries and disabilities, a larger number will return with
psychological injuries connected to the trauma and stress
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associated with combat.
(3) Posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain
injury, military sexual trauma and alarming rates of suicide
among active duty personnel and veterans require the
Commonwealth to take immediate action to ensure that the
proper mental health, addiction and other services are
available to its military personnel.
(4) Statistics have shown that over 300,000 veterans, or
approximately one in five, of Operation Iraqi Freedom and
Operation Enduring Freedom were diagnosed with posttraumatic
stress disorder by the end of 2012. Treatment costs for the
veterans have been estimated to exceed $2,000,000,000.
(5) In 2012, there were approximately 3,374 reported
cases of military sexual trauma, which includes rape, sexual
assault and sexual harassment. However, it is estimated that
approximately 26,000 service members experienced unwanted
sexual contact.
(6) In 2012, suicide rates among active duty personnel
averaged one per day.
(7) Veterans now account for 20% of all United States
suicides, with veterans under 24 years of age committing
suicide at rates four times higher than other veterans
groups.
(8) Posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain
injury, military sexual trauma and suicide among veterans are
often linked with alcohol or substance abuse as veterans seek
to find relief from the symptoms and feelings.
(9) Unfortunately, the stigma attached to receiving
mental health treatment often causes military personnel and
veterans to avoid seeking professional treatment for their
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condition.
(10) Establishing a program where veterans can support
one another through peer-to-peer counseling may assist in
removing the stigma surrounding receipt of mental health or
addiction services and allow veterans to receive needed care
as the veterans recover from the psychological scars often
associated with military service.
Section 3. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Certified peer counselor." An individual who meets all of
the following:
(1) Has personal experience as a mental health treatment
recipient or who is in recovery from alcohol abuse, sexual
abuse or trauma, substance abuse or chemical dependence.
(2) Has:
(i) served in the active military or naval service
of the United States or the Pennsylvania National Guard
and has been released from service other than by
dishonorable discharge, as documented by the individual's
discharge papers; or
(ii) been furloughed to the reserve components of
the armed forces of the United States.
(3) Has the training, credentials or experience to
provide counseling and is recognized by the department under
this act.
"Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.
"Peer support service." A service that meets all of the
following:
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(1) Is designated by the department and which is used in
the treatment of and recovery from mental illness, sexual
abuse trauma, alcohol abuse, substance abuse or chemical
dependence.
(2) Is delivered by a certified peer counselor.
"Secretary." The Secretary of Health of the Commonwealth.
"Veteran." As defined in 51 Pa.C.S. ยง 9601 (relating to
definitions).
Section 4. Duties of department.
(a) Establishment of programs.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, the secretary, in conjunction with the
Secretary of Drug and Alcohol Programs and the Adjutant General,
or the Deputy Adjutant General for Veterans' Affairs if
designated by the Adjutant General, shall develop and establish
a minimum of four regional peer support service programs for
veterans in this Commonwealth. The department shall, if
possible, establish the programs in a manner that ensures access
to a program by all veterans within this Commonwealth regardless
of geographic location.
(b) Services.--Services provided by a peer support service
program established under subsection (a) shall include peer-to-
peer counseling for all of the following:
(1) Mental health issues, including treatment and
recovery support for posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic
brain injury and depression.
(2) Alcohol, substance abuse or chemical dependence
treatment and recovery support, including treatment planning,
recovery coaching and relapse prevention.
(3) Military sexual trauma treatment and recovery
support.
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(4) Co-occurring disorders.
(5) Any other counseling service which the department
believes will further the intent and goals of this act.
Section 5. Certified peer counselors.
The department, in conjunction with the Department of Human
Services, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs and the
Adjutant General, or the Deputy Adjutant General for Veterans'
Affairs if designated by the Adjutant General, shall establish
guidelines for the recruitment, training and development of
individuals capable of providing the services under section
4(b). The guidelines shall include the establishment of minimum
qualifications to receive credentials as a certified peer
counselor and procedures to suspend, revoke or annul the
credentials.
Section 6. Nonprofit organization.
Nothing under this act shall prohibit the department from
contracting with nonprofit organizations within this
Commonwealth that provide services to veterans to offer peer-to-
peer counseling in accordance with this act.
Section 7. Publication.
(a) Duty.--The department shall publish the contact
information for an entity offering peer-to-peer counseling under
this act in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
(b) The department and the Department of Military and
Veterans Affairs shall each post the contact information for an
entity offering peer-to-peer counseling under this act on its
publicly accessible Internet website.
Section 8. Appropriation.
The sum of $1,000,000 is appropriated to the department to
carry out the provisions of this act.
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Section 9. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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