H.R. 3863

119 HR 3863 IH: VA Mental Health Outreach and Engagement Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2025-06-10
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 I  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  H. R. 3863  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   June 10, 2025   Ms. Budzinski  (for herself and  Mr. Edwards ) 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 furnish annual mental health consultations to certain veterans, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   VA Mental Health Outreach and Engagement Act  .
2.
Mental health consultations and outreach to a veteran receiving compensation for a service-connected disability relating to a mental health diagnosis
(a)
Annual consultation; outreach
The section 1167 of title 38, United States Code, relating to mental health consultations is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a), in the subsection heading, by striking
In general   and inserting
Initial consultation  ;
(2)
by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (c) and (d), respectively;
(3)
by inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsection (b):
(b)
Annual consultation; outreach
Not less frequently than once each year, the Secretary shall, with regards to a veteran who is receiving compensation under this chapter for a service-connected disability relating to a mental health diagnosis—
(1)
offer a mental health consultation to assess the mental health needs of, and discuss other mental health care options for, the veteran; and
(2)
conduct outreach regarding the availability of—
(A)
consultations under paragraph (1); and
(B)
other mental health services furnished by the Secretary.
  ;
(4)
in subsection (c), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by inserting  or (b)  after  under subsection (a)  both places it appears; and
(5)
in subsection (d), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by inserting  , or to require the reevaluation of any entitlement of the veteran to compensation under this chapter  before the period at the end.
(b)
Technical corrections
(1)
Redesignation
Such section, as amended, is redesignated as section 1169 of such title.
(2)
Clerical amendments
The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 11 of such title is amended—
(A)
by striking the item relating to the section 1167 that relates to mental health consultations; and
(B)
by inserting after the item relating to section 1168 the following new item:
1169. Mental health consultations.
    .
(c)
GAO review
Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this section, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the effect of the amendments made by this section. Elements of such report shall include—
(1)
the number of veterans who received—
(A)
mental health consultations under paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of section 1169 of such title; and
(B)
outreach under paragraph (2) of such subsection;
(2)
whether veterans reported barriers to seeking such consultations; and
(3)
such barriers, if any.