Austin News

U.S. Senators John Cornyn, Maggie Hassan, Thom Tillis, and Michael Bennet have introduced the Veterans Mental Health and Addiction Therapy Quality of Care Act. This bill aims to ensure that veterans have access to high-quality mental and addiction health care. It would require an independent organization outside of the government to conduct a study assessing the quality of care veterans receive for mental and addiction health treatment.

Sen. Cornyn emphasized the importance of providing high-quality care to veterans, stating, "The brave men and women who served our nation should never be denied access to the high-quality care they deserve." He recognized the unique mental health challenges that veterans face and highlighted the need for improvement in the VA system.

Sen. Hassan echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that veterans with mental health challenges deserve easy access to trained healthcare providers. She stated, "This bipartisan legislation will help veterans make informed choices about whether to seek mental health care through the VA or community providers, and provide guidance on how to improve outcomes for veterans who receive mental health care."

Sen. Tillis stressed the critical nature of providing the highest quality mental health services to veterans. He explained that the legislation would enable the VA to improve its mental health services by studying best practices administered by non-VA providers. Sen. Tillis expressed his pride in cosponsoring the bill on behalf of the more than 600,000 veterans in North Carolina.

Sen. Bennet emphasized the debt of gratitude owed to veterans and the importance of ensuring they receive the care and support they deserve. He stated, "This bill is an important step toward understanding the barriers they face and improving access to high-quality substance abuse and mental health services for veterans across the country."

The bill has also been introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Pat Fallon and Sanford Bishop.

The Department of Veterans Affairs provides comprehensive health services to U.S. military veterans who are enrolled. However, recent estimates indicate that as many as 70% of VA-eligible veterans receive their care from external providers. Given the high rate of veteran suicide due to mental and addiction health conditions, a study is needed to assess if current practices provide the best quality of care for veterans.

The Veterans Mental Health and Addiction Therapy Quality of Care Act would require an independent organization outside of the VA to conduct a study. This study would analyze the results of comparable instances of addiction and mental health care between inside and outside providers. It would also evaluate the use of evidence-based practices and identify potential gaps in coordination between internal and external providers. Additionally, the study would assess the availability of coordinated care for veterans with separate or related conditions impacting their mental health. It would also evaluate providers' military cultural competency, the ease of sharing medical records, and patient satisfaction.

The Disabled American Veterans Association, the American Psychological Association, and the Veteran Health Care Policy Initiative support this legislation.

This bill represents a bipartisan effort to improve the quality of mental and addiction health care for veterans. It recognizes the unique challenges that veterans face and aims to provide them with the best care possible.

For additional details, please follow this link: https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/news/cornyn-hassan-tillis-bennet-introduce-bill-to-ensure-veterans-access-to-quality-mental-health-care/