Bill > S1361

This bill, called the "Every State Counts for Veterans Mental Health Act," aims to improve the distribution of suicide prevention grants for veterans by requiring the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prioritize grant applications from states that have not yet received such funding. Specifically, the bill modifies an existing law (the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019) to mandate that when considering grant applications, the Secretary must give preferential treatment to eligible entities in states where no previous grants have been awarded. This means that if a state has not yet received a suicide prevention grant, all eligible entities from that state will receive a scoring preference during the grant review process. The goal is to ensure more equitable access to mental health resources and suicide prevention support across all states, potentially helping to address gaps in veteran mental health services in underserved areas.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1361/all-info