Bill > HR602

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure that every VA hospital and urgent care facility has at least one Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) on staff, or a qualified healthcare provider who can conduct sexual assault forensic examinations if a SANE is not available. After conducting a sexual assault examination, the healthcare provider must verbally refer the patient to mental health care services, either within a VA hospital or through a Veterans Care Agreement if the wait time for VA hospital services exceeds 30 days. The bill specifically stipulates that implementing these requirements should not reduce or negatively impact existing patient care responsibilities. The definitions of "sexual assault nurse examiner" and "sexual assault forensic examination" are drawn from the DNA Sexual Justice Act of 2004, which helps standardize the terminology. The overall goal of the bill is to improve care and support for sexual assault survivors within the VA healthcare system by ensuring specialized, compassionate, and comprehensive medical and mental health services are readily available.