Bill Details
HR.1290 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-03-14 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Introduced Date
2025-02-13
Policy Area
Armed Forces and National Security
Committees
View committees (1)
Sponsors
Cosponsors
View cosponsors (1)
8
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AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would create a three-year pilot program in the Department of Veterans Affairs to help veterans who are having a mental health crisis get care faster from approved outside providers. The program would start within 180 days after the bill becomes law and would be run through Vet Centers and VA medical facilities. The goal is to make sure veterans can be referred quickly to non-VA mental health providers when needed, while the VA tracks how well the system works and whether it should be expanded or changed.
- The VA would run the pilot in at least three geographic areas.
- The VA would need to build and maintain a referral system that connects veterans to approved non-VA mental health providers within one week.
- The VA would set rules for which outside providers can be approved, add staff if needed, and train employees at Vet Centers and VA medical facilities on how the referral system works.
- The VA would send Congress yearly reports on how many veterans were referred, how long they waited for care, and how satisfied they were, followed by a final report with advice on whether the program should be expanded or changed.
The bill would also authorize $3 million each year from fiscal years 2025 through 2027 to pay for the pilot program.
Official Summaries
Veterans Mental Health Crisis Referral Enhancement Act of 2025
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a three-year pilot program under which Vet Centers and VA medical facilities provide veterans who are experiencing mental health crises with referrals to approved non-VA mental health care providers.
The VA must report on the implementation, outcomes, and effectiveness of the pilot program.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1290 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1290
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot
program under which the Department of Veterans Affairs refers veterans
experiencing mental health crises to approved non-Department mental
health care providers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 13, 2025
Mr. Buchanan (for himself and Mr. Murphy) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot
program under which the Department of Veterans Affairs refers veterans
experiencing mental health crises to approved non-Department mental
health care providers, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Mental Health Crisis
Referral Enhancement Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT PROGRAM ON MENTAL HEALTH
REFERRALS.
(a) Pilot Program.--Beginning not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall carry out a three-year pilot program under which Vet Centers and
medical facilities of the Department provide veterans experiencing
mental health crises with referrals to non-Department mental health
care providers approved by the Secretary.
(b) Locations.--The Secretary shall select at least three
geographic locations at which to carry out the pilot program required
under subsection (a).
(c) Requirements.--In carrying out the pilot program under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
(1) develop and maintain a referral system to connect
veterans experiencing mental health crises with non-Department
mental health care providers within one week;
(2) develop criteria for the approval of non-Department
mental health care providers for purposes of referrals under
the program;
(3) hire any additional employees required to facilitate
referrals under the system; and
(4) provide appropriate training to employees of Vet
Centers and medical facilities of the Department on the
referral system.
(d) Reports.--
(1) Annual reports.--Not later than six months after the
last day of each year during which the Secretary carries out
the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall
submit to Congress a report on the implementation and outcomes
of the pilot program. Each such report shall include the
following for the year covered by the report:
(A) The number of veterans referred to non-
Department mental health care providers under the pilot
program.
(B) The average wait time for a veteran to receive
mental health care after receiving a referral under the
pilot program.
(C) An evaluation of veteran satisfaction with the
mental health care received through the referral
system.
(2) Final report.--Not later than 180 days after the
conclusion of the pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to
Congress a final report containing an evaluation of the
effectiveness of the program and the recommendations of the
Secretary with respect to expanding or modifying the referral
system developed under the program.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out the pilot program required under subsection
(a) $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2027.
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