Bill Details
View committees (1)
AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to create a patient outreach system to help veterans get mental health information and support after a traumatic or highly stressful event. Veterans who are enrolled in VA health care could choose to receive information about mental health care and available resources. The bill also directs the VA to work with the Department of Defense’s transition help program and sets a deadline of two years after the bill becomes law to put the system in place.
- Veterans in VA’s annual enrollment system could opt in to receive mental health information and resource referrals after a traumatic or highly stressful event.
- The VA would have to build and run this outreach system.
- The system should be coordinated with the Department of Defense’s Transition Assistance Program.
- The VA would have up to two years after enactment to set up the system.
Official Summaries
Be Ready to Assist Veterans in Extremis Act or the BRAVE Act
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a patient outreach system under which it must ensure that veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system and have experienced a traumatic or highly stressful event may elect to receive information and resources relating to mental health and available mental health care services.
The VA must coordinate the system with the Transition Assistance Program of the Department of Defense.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 553 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 553
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to establish a patient outreach system relating to
mental health care, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 16, 2025
Mr. Wittman (for himself and Mr. Case) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to establish a patient outreach system relating to
mental health care, 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 ``Be Ready to Assist Veterans in
Extremis Act'' or the ``BRAVE Act''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS SYSTEM FOR
PATIENT OUTREACH RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE.
(a) Establishment of System.--Chapter 17 of title 38, United States
Code, is amended by inserting after section 1720J the following new
section (and conforming the table of sections at the beginning of such
chapter accordingly):
``Sec. 1720K. Mental health care: patient outreach system
``The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a patient
outreach system under which the Secretary shall ensure that veterans
who are enrolled in the system of annual patient enrollment established
and operated under section 1705 of this title and have experienced a
traumatic or other highly stressful event, may elect to receive from
the Secretary information relating to mental health and resources
relating to the mental health care services available to the
veteran.''.
(b) Administration of System.--In administering the patient
outreach system established under section 1720K of title 38, United
States Code (as added by subsection (a)), the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall seek to coordinate such system with the Transition
Assistance Program of the Department of Defense.
(c) Deadline for Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish the
patient outreach system under such section 1720K by not later than two
years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
<all>