Bill > S2357

This bill, titled the Department of Defense Suicide Tracking Act of 2014, mandates the Secretary of Defense to establish a standardized policy for collecting, reporting, and assessing data related to suicides and suicide attempts among members of the Armed Forces, including reservists, and their dependents. This standardized approach aims to improve the consistency and completeness of existing suicide prevention policies and programs, specifically those established under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 and a program for the National Guard and Reserves. The Secretary must submit this policy to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees within 180 days of the bill's enactment and provide briefings upon request. For the National Guard and Reserves program, the policy development will involve consultation with the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, and state adjutants general will be responsible for its implementation within 180 days of the policy's submission. The bill also clarifies the definition of "dependent" for the purposes of this section, generally aligning it with existing U.S. Code definitions for military family members, but with an exception for parents or parents-in-law regarding income requirements.