Bill > HR6411

This bill, the Support The Resiliency of Our Nation's Great Veterans Act of 2022 or the STRONG Veterans Act of 2022, aims to make improvements to the mental health care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Key provisions of the bill include: Expanding training and resources for mental health providers at the VA, such as increasing the number of paid trainee slots in mental health disciplines, expanding scholarship and loan repayment programs to recruit more mental health professionals, and improving training and oversight for the Veterans Crisis Line staff. The bill also establishes pilot programs and directs research on the effectiveness and areas for improvement of the Veterans Crisis Line. Enhancing outreach and support services for veterans, such as making the VA's Solid Start program permanent to proactively reach out to newly separated veterans, designating a "Buddy Check Week" to promote peer wellness checks, and improving the VA's Veterans Justice Outreach Program to better support justice-involved veterans. Expanding access to mental health care, including increasing the number of peer specialists at VA medical centers, expanding Vet Center services to cover veterans using educational assistance benefits, and offering mental health consultations for veterans filing disability claims or entering VA homeless programs. The bill also directs various research studies on topics like moral injury, co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, the workload of VA suicide prevention teams, and the efficacy of clinical and at-home resources for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Health and Social Services, Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/6411/all-info