H.R. 9433: VA Coaching into Care Act

This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to create a three-year pilot program that runs a toll-free hotline for people connected to veterans, such as family members, people who live with a veteran, and friends.

What the hotline would do

The hotline would connect callers with licensed mental and behavioral health support providers who are VA employees, specifically psychologists and social workers hired for the program. These staff members would:

• give advice on how to talk with a veteran about mental or behavioral health concerns;
• help callers understand how to approach difficult conversations; and
• refer callers to VA services or to outside organizations that provide mental health help or related resources.

Who could use it

The bill defines eligible callers broadly. For a veteran, an eligible recipient would include:

• a family member, such as a spouse, parent, dependent, or sibling;
• someone who lives with the veteran; or
• a friend.

Outreach and promotion

After setting up the program, the VA would have to publicize it in several ways. Within 60 days, it would share information about the hotline with veterans service organizations and other groups that support veterans, family members, or caregivers. Within 90 days, it would also place flyers, brochures, and posters in Vet Centers and VA medical facilities, and promote the program on the VA’s public website and in other outreach efforts.

Reporting and review

After the pilot ends, the VA would have to send Congress a report describing how the program worked. The report would include:

• the number of hotline calls;
• how long callers waited on average before someone answered;
• how long calls lasted on average;
• the types and number of referrals made;
• what outreach steps the VA took; and
• whether the program should continue or expand, and what additional resources would be needed.

Duration

The pilot program would end three years after it is established. The VA would then have 180 days to submit its report to the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees.

Relevant Companies

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