H.R. 4635, a bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the number of peer-to-peer counselors providing counseling for women veterans, and for other purposes

H.R. 4635 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to attempt to recruit women as peer counselors. Under current law, VA operates the Peer Support Counseling Program where veterans voluntarily provide support to fellow veterans on issues related to mental health care and readjustment. The bill would direct VA to place an emphasis on appointing and training volunteer peer counselors for women veterans and to submit a report to the Congress providing an assessment of the program. On the basis of information from VA, CBO estimates that this bill would cost less than $500,000 over the 2019-2023 period to expand the training curriculum and prepare a report on the program; that spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.