H.R. 4684 · 114th Congress
Veteran Urgent Access to Mental Healthcare Act
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 114th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
R
CoffmanSponsor10 cosponsors · 6 D, 4 R
D
Kilmer
KR
D
Rice
RC
R
Costello
WJ
R
Jones
BO
D
O’Rourke
PK
R
King
TG
D
Gabbard
BA
D
Ashford
ES
D
Swalwell
DH
R
Hunter2 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a program to provide former members of the Armed Forces with: (1) an initial mental health assessment; and (2) health care services required to treat the former member's urgent mental health care needs, including risk of suicide or harming others.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Mar 3, 2016
Veteran Urgent Access to Mental Healthcare Act
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a program to provide former members of the Armed Forces with: (1) an initial mental health assessment; and (2) health care services required to treat the former member's urgent mental health care needs, including risk of suicide or harming others.
A former member of the Armed Forces is an individual who meets either of the following criteria:
- the individual is a former member of the Armed Forces, including the reserve components, who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and was discharged or released under a condition less than honorable (except a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge by reason of a general court martial), has applied for a character of service determination that has not yet been made, and is not otherwise eligible to enroll in the VA health care system by reason of such discharge or release; or
- the individual is a veteran not otherwise eligible for VA health care.
The VA may provide such mental health care services pursuant to a contract with a qualified mental health professional if: (1) the receipt of mental health care services by an individual in VA facilities would be clinically inadvisable, or (2) VA facilities are not capable of furnishing such mental health care services to that individual economically because of geographical inaccessibility.
The VA shall seek to enter into a contract with an independent nongovernmental entity to study the effect combat service has had on suicide rates and serious mental health issues among veterans.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Veteran Urgent Access to Mental Healthcare Act
Latest action (Mar 3, 2016): Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security · Origin: House · Introduced: Mar 3, 2016
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.