This act prescribes that a peer support specialist of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must not be responsible for providing assistance to a veteran regarding a claim for compensation for a covered mental health condition (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder) based on military sexual trauma (MST) experienced during active service. Such specialists must only provide counseling services, guidance, and support and must not participate in the adjudication of the claim.
As part of the forms for claims for compensation for a covered mental health condition based on MST, the VA must include an option for a veteran to elect to be referred to a MST trauma coordinator at the VA facility closest to the veteran's residence.
Additionally, the VA must (1) ensure that its peer support specialists receive annual training on providing peer support regarding MST, and (2) provide annual training on the processing of claims for compensation for covered mental health conditions based on MST to its MST coordinators and peer specialists.
[117th Congress Public Law 271]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 136 STAT. 4179]]

Public Law 117-271
117th Congress

                                 An Act


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
 Veterans Affairs to provide for peer support specialists for claimants 
       who are survivors of military sexual trauma, and for other 
            purposes. <<NOTE: Dec. 27, 2022 -  [H.R. 2724]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROCESSING OF CLAIMS BY VETERANS 
                              FOR COMPENSATION FOR CERTAIN MENTAL 
                              HEALTH CONDITIONS BASED ON MILITARY 
                              SEXUAL TRAUMA.

    (a) In General.--Section 1166 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``or air service'' both places it appears 
        and inserting ``air, or space service'';
            (2) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in the heading, by striking ``In General'' and 
                inserting ``Processing'';
                    (B) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``The Secretary''; 
                and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraphs:

    ``(2) A peer support specialist of the Department--
            ``(A) shall not be responsible for providing any assistance 
        to a veteran regarding a claim described in paragraph (1), other 
        than counseling services, guidance, and support, pursuant to 
        duties determined by the Under Secretary for Health; and
            ``(B) shall not participate in the adjudication of such a 
        claim.'';
            (3) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections 
        (c) and (d), respectively;
            (4) by inserting, after subsection (a), the following new 
        subsection (b):

    ``(b) Referrals to MST Coordinators.--The Secretary shall include, 
in forms for claims described in subsection (a), an option for a veteran 
to elect to be referred to a military sexual trauma coordinator of the 
Veterans Health Administration at the facility of the Department nearest 
to the residence of such veteran.''; and
            (5) in subsection (c), as redesignated--
                    (A) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``The Secretary''; 
                and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraphs:

    ``(2) The Secretary shall ensure that peer support specialists of 
the Department receive annual training on how to provide peer support 
regarding military sexual trauma.
    ``(3) The Secretary shall provide annual training, regarding the 
processing of claims described in subsection (a), to the following 
individuals:

[[Page 136 STAT. 4180]]

            ``(A) Military sexual trauma coordinators of the Veterans 
        Health Administration.
            ``(B) Peer support specialists of the Department.'';

    (b) Clerical Amendments.--
            (1) Section heading.--The heading of such section is amended 
        by striking ``Specialized teams to evaluate claims'' and 
        inserting ``Claims''.
            (2) Table of sections.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of chapter 11 of such title <<NOTE: 38 USC 1101 
        prec.>>  is amended by striking the item relating to section 
        1166 and inserting the following:

``1166. Claims involving military sexual trauma.''.

    Approved December 27, 2022.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 2724:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 168 (2022):
            May 18, considered and passed House.
            Dec. 15, considered and passed Senate.

                                  <all>
VA Peer Support Enhancement for MST Survivors Act
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide for peer support specialists for claimants who are survivors of military sexual trauma, and for other purposes.
VA Peer Support Enhancement for MST Survivors Act
Rep. Delgado, Antonio