H.R. 9237

Take Care of America’s Veterans Act

Sponsor: Mike Bost

30 cosponsors
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Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

Take Care of America's Veterans Act

This bill addresses veterans’ benefits, health care, counseling, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) personnel, VA infrastructure, and the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP).

The bill modifies various compensation programs for veterans, including by (1) allowing concurrent receipt of disability compensation and military retired pay for certain retirees with a combat-related disability, (2) extending entitlement for various benefits and services to remarried surviving spouses, (3) increasing the rate of dependency and indemnity compensation, and (4) establishing a supplemental monthly allowance for certain disabled veterans.

The bill also addresses VA education and training benefits, including by (1) modifying which independent study programs are covered under veterans’ educational assistance benefits, (2) requiring Transition Assistance Program counseling to include a presentation about VA benefits, and (3) increasing the housing allowance rate for individuals pursuing apprenticeships.

The bill revises health care provisions, including by (1) expanding support and assistance provided to family caregivers, (2) extending the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, and (3) expanding the scope of VA mental health research.

Among other elements, the bill

  • revises VA disability ratings for sleep apnea and tinnitus;
  • expands eligibility for a memorial headstone or marker for the spouse, surviving spouse, child, or dependent of a veteran or member of the Armed Forces;
  • addresses the administration of the VCCP and codifies the eligibility standards;
  • establishes a standardized screening process for priority or routine admission to certain mental health care programs; and
  • addresses VA personnel, hiring, and infrastructure matters.

Text of the bill

Expand all

I Compensation

II Education and Economic Opportunity

III Health Care

Sec. 306. Modifications to and reauthorization of Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program of Department of Veterans Affairs

(a) Coordination by Secretary. Subsection (b) of section 201 of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 (Public Law 116–171; 38 U.S.C. 1720F note) is amended by striking the second sentence.

(b) Use of grant funds. Subsection (c) of such section is amended—

(1) in the subsection heading, by inserting ; Use of Grant Funds after Grants; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:

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(3) Renewal of grant amounts

(A) In general. In determining whether to renew a grant awarded under this section to an eligible entity, the Secretary shall consider, among such other factors as the Secretary may consider appropriate—

(i) the compliance by the eligible entity in administering pre- and post-intervention assessments required under subsection (e)(6); and

(ii) any demonstrated improvements in participant outcomes.

(B) Additional amounts. Based on a consideration of the factors described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary may award amounts, not to exceed $250,000 per grantee per fiscal year, to a grantee in addition to the maximum amount under paragraph (2)(A) based on a performance-based metric established by the Secretary.

(c) Priority for new recipients. Subsection (d) of such section is amended—

(1) in the subsection heading, by striking and Preference and inserting , Preference, and Priority;

(2) in paragraph (1)(A)—

(A) in clause (iv), by striking the semi-colon at the end and inserting ; and;

(B) by striking clause (v); and

(C) by redesignating clause (vi) as clause (v); and

(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

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(3) Priority for new recipients. To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall prioritize grants for eligible entities that have satisfied the requirements provided under subsection (f) and are located in States in which a grant has not been awarded under this section.

(d) Requirements for receipt of grants. Subsection (e) of such section is amended—

(1) in paragraph (3)—

(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively; and

(B) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph (B):

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(B) coordinate with the Secretary to develop a plan for communication between the entity and local mental health providers of the Department regarding whether veterans receiving assistance under this section from the entity are attending appointments to ensure continuity of care;

; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

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(6) Assessments. An eligible entity receiving a grant under this section shall conduct a pre- and post-intervention assessment with respect to each eligible individual who receives suicide prevention services pursuant to such grant across all relevant metrics, as determined by the Secretary.

(7) Metrics and outcomes. An eligible entity receiving a grant under this section shall collect and submit to the Secretary such metrics and outcome data as the Secretary may require, including—

(A) throughput measures, including the number of veterans screened, referred, connected to care, and retained in services under the grant program;

(B) reductions in severity scale measurements, including reductions in suicidality identified through applicable inventories or assessments; and

(C) such other quantifiable metrics as the Secretary determines appropriate.

(e) Training and technical assistance. Subsection (g) of such section is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1)—

(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting , or interested in receiving such grants, after this section; and

(B) in subparagraph (A), by inserting , including training on how to properly use the Columbia Protocol (also known as the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C–SSRS)) and other screening tools selected by the Secretary after management; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:

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(3) Training for department employees. The Secretary shall provide training to employees of the Department as the Secretary considers appropriate on the grant program under this section.

(f) Briefing for local VAMCS. Subsection (h) of such section is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

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(5) Briefing for local VAMCS. Not less frequently than once per year, unless the Secretary determines that such frequency is not advisable, the Secretary shall provide, to the appropriate personnel of each medical center of the Department identified on the grantee’s application under this section, a briefing about the grant program under this section in order to improve coordination between such recipient and personnel.

(g) Duration. Subsection (j) of such section is amended by striking September 30, 2026 and inserting September 30, 2029.

(h) Reports. Subsection (k)(2) is amended—

(1) in the paragraph heading, by striking Final report and inserting Annual reports; and

(2) in subparagraph (B)—

(A) by redesignating clauses (iii) and (iv) as (v) and (vi), respectively; and

(B) by adding the following new clauses (iii) and (iv):

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(iii) A description of the Secretary’s compliance with the requirement to train employees of the Department under subsection (g)(3).

(iv) An optional description and inclusion of subjective or narrative stories of community or individual impact to allow grant recipients to share meaningful accomplishments.

(i) Referral for care. Subsection (m) of such section is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

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(4) Required response or action

(A) If the Secretary receives a referral under paragraph (1) for additional care, the Secretary shall review such referral and contact the veteran not later than 72-hours following the referral.

(B) If the Secretary receives a referral under paragraph (2) for emergent suicide care, the Secretary shall review such referral and contact the veteran not later than 24 hours following the referral by such entity under subsection (m)(1).

(j) Reauthorization. Subsection (p) of such section is amended—

(1) by striking section a total and inserting

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section—

(1) a total

(2) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

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(2) a total of $200,000,000 for fiscal years 2027 through 2029.

(k) Technical correction to definitions. Subsection (q)(5) of such section is amended, in the first sentence—

(1) by striking Medical services and inserting The term emergency treatment means medical services; and

(2) by striking was rendered and inserting rendered.

(l) Identification of demand for other services and support. Subsection (e) of such section, as amended, is further amended—

(1) by redesignating paragraphs (5) and (6) as (6) and (7), respectively; and

(2) by adding after paragraph (4) the following new paragraph:

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(5) Demand for other services and support. An entity receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary information concerning—

(A) the number of individuals seeking services from the entity who are not eligible individuals and the most common reason such individuals are not eligible individuals;

(B) a description of the types of services that eligible individuals or individuals described in subparagraph (A) require based on any screening conducted by the entity; and

(C) any actions taken by the entity to provide the services described in subparagraph (B) or to refer the individual or eligible individual to another entity for the receipt of such services.

(m) Suicide prevention services

(1) Required use of certain screening protocol. Subsection (q)(11)(A)(ii) of such section is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: In the case of a recipient of a grant awarded under this section on or after the date of the enactment of the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, such screening shall be Columbia Protocol (also known as the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C–SSRS)) or the Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ9), or a successor screening tool selected by the Secretary.;

(2) Transportation. Subsection (q)(11)(A) of such section is amended—

(A) by redesignating clause (xi) as clause (xii); and

(B) by inserting after clause (x) the following new clause:

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(xi) Transportation and rideshare services for eligible individuals to use for appointments.

(n) Eligible individuals. Subsection (q)(4)(C) of such section is amended by striking clauses (i) through (iv) and inserting clauses (i) through (vi).

(o) Effective date. The amendments made by this section shall take effect on—

(1) the effective date of award following the date the Secretary publishes a notice of funding opportunity for the program required by section 201(a) of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 (Public Law 116–171; (38 U.S.C. 1720F)), if the Secretary determines such amendments do not require rulemaking; or

(2) the effective date of award following the date the Secretary publishes a notice of funding opportunity following the effective date of subsequent rulemaking, if the Secretary determines such amendments do require rulemaking.

IV Organization

V Memorial Affairs

VI Veterans’ Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers

A Improvement of Veterans Community Care Program

B Mental Health Treatment Programs

C Staffing Matters

D Optimization of Workforce

E Veterans Infrastructure and Transformation

F Other Health Care Matters