Sens. Smith and Blackburn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Study Sexual Trauma and Suicide Risk in Military
This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process after being sent to the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs for review. It is considered active, but there are no upcoming votes or hearings scheduled at this time. The bill does not currently have a companion bill in the House.
Bipartisan support for veteran mental health often helps bills move, but many study-based bills face delays in a crowded legislative calendar.
Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
Veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma or intimate partner violence would benefit from updated clinical guidelines that better identify their suicide risk. By formally recognizing these experiences as risk factors, clinicians at the VA would be better equipped to screen for and respond to suicidal thoughts in this population. This is especially important since many veterans experiencing these traumas may not currently be flagged for closer mental health monitoring.
“incorporate findings on military sexual trauma and intimate partner violence, including the results of the report, as risk factors for suicide and suicidal ideation into the Department of Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guidelines”
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
No votes, news coverage, or related bills recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Improving Personal Risk Assessments to Prevent Suicide Act
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.