Federal

BRAVE Act

Source: Congress.gov · 472 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to create a system that reaches out to veterans who have experienced traumatic or highly stressful events. The system will provide these veterans with information about mental health services available to them through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Who It Affects

Veterans enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs annual patient enrollment system who have experienced a traumatic or other highly stressful event.

Key Provisions

• The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must establish a patient outreach system that allows eligible veterans to choose to receive information about mental health and mental health care services available to them (Sec. 2(a)) • The Secretary must try to coordinate this new outreach system with the Transition Assistance Program of the Department of Defense (Sec. 2(b)) • The Secretary must establish this patient outreach system no later than two years after the bill becomes law (Sec. 2(c))

What Changes

A new section will be added to federal law creating the mental health patient outreach system. Veterans enrolled in the VA's annual patient enrollment who have experienced traumatic or highly stressful events will be able to elect to receive mental health information and resources from the VA.

Important Definitions

None defined.

Effective Date

The Secretary must establish the system by not later than two years after the date of enactment.

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 492 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 24, 2023 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 Sec- retary 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 Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Be Ready to Assist 4 Veterans in Extremis Act’’ or the ‘‘BRAVE Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:48 Feb 04, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H492.IH H492 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 492 IH SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 1 AFFAIRS SYSTEM FOR PATIENT OUTREACH 2 RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE. 3 (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF SYSTEM.—Chapter 17 of 4 title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after 5 section 1720J the following new section (and conforming 6 the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter ac- 7 cordingly): 8 ‘‘§ 1720K. Mental health care: patient outreach sys- 9 tem 10 ‘‘The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a 11 patient outreach system under which the Secretary shall 12 ensure that veterans who are enrolled in the system of an- 13 nual patient enrollment established and operated under 14 section 1705 of this title and have experienced a traumatic 15 or other highly stressful event, may elect to receive from 16 the Secretary information relating to mental health and 17 resources relating to the mental health care services avail- 18 able to the veteran.’’. 19 (b) ADMINISTRATION OF SYSTEM.—In administering 20 the patient outreach system established under section 21 1720K of title 38, United States Code (as added by sub- 22 section (a)), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall seek 23 to coordinate such system with the Transition Assistance 24 Program of the Department of Defense. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:48 Feb 04, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H492.IH H492 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 492 IH (c) DEADLINE FOR ESTABLISHMENT.—The Sec- 1 retary shall establish the patient outreach system under 2 such section 1720K by not later than two years after the 3 date of the enactment of this Act. 4 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:48 Feb 04, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H492.IH H492 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS

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