A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand access to the Veterans Community Care Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs to include certain veterans seeking mental health or substance-use services, and for other purposes.
Protecting Veteran Community Care Act
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish residential mental health or substance-use services to certain veterans through the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP). Specifically, the VA must furnish such care if a veteran (1) meets VA criteria for priority admission to a VA Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program and the VA is unable to accommodate priority admission, or (2) has contacted the VA to request such mental health services and the VA is not able to furnish such services in a manner that complies with VA access standards for specialty care provided under the VCCP.
The VA must ensure that a referral to an alternate Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program does not take precedence over timely access to mental health or substance-use services unless the referral is requested by the veteran.
The VA is prohibited from determining a veteran is ineligible for VCCP care solely because VCCP providers are unable to comply with wait times or access standards.
If multiple options for care or services are available, the VA must permit a veteran to elect the option the veteran prefers.
Additionally, the bill provides minimum standards for residential mental health or substance-use services provided under the VCCP (e.g., treatment programs or facilities must be licensed and accredited for the specified services).
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
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