Department of Veterans Affairs Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Processing Claims Improvement Act of 2021

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to take certain actions to improve the processing by the Department of Veterans Affairs of claims for disability compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Department of Veterans Affairs Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Processing Claims Improvement Act of 2021 2. Improving processing by Department of Veterans Affairs of disability claims for post-traumatic stress disorder (a) Training for claims processors who handle claims relating to post-Traumatic stress disorder (1) Update training programs Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, acting through the Under Secretary for Benefits, update an ongoing, national training program for claims processors who review claims for compensation for service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder. (2) Participation required Beginning on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall require that each claims processor described in paragraph (1) participates in the training established under paragraph (1) at least once each year beginning in the second year in which the claims processor carries out the duties of the claims processor for the Department. (3) Required elements The training established under paragraph (1) shall include instruction on stressor development and verification. (b) Standardization of training at regional offices Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, shall standardize the training provided at regional offices of the Veterans Benefits Administration to the employees of such regional offices. (c) Formal process for conduct of annual analysis of trends Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, shall establish a formal process to analyze, on an annual basis, training needs based on identified processing error trends. (d) Formal process for conduct of annual studies (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, shall establish a formal process to conduct, on an annual basis, studies to help guide the national training program established under subsection (a)(1). (2) Elements Each study conducted under paragraph (1) shall cover the following: (A) Military post-traumatic stress disorder stressors. (B) Decision-making claims for claims processors. (e) Annual updates to post-Traumatic stress disorder procedural guidance Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and not less frequently than once each year thereafter, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, shall evaluate the guidance relating to post-traumatic stress disorder to determine if updates are warranted to provide claims processors of the Department with better resources regarding best practices for claims processing, including specific guidance regarding development of claims involving compensation for service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder.

Summary: Department of Veterans Affairs Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Processing Claims Improvement Act of 2021 This bill requires the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to update an ongoing national training program for claims processors who review compensation claims for service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Such claims processors will be required to participate in the training at least once a year starting in their second year of being a VA claims processor. The training program must be standardized at regional offices of the VBA and include instruction on stressor development and verification. The VBA must establish a formal process to annually analyze training needs based on identified processing error trends. Additionally, the VBA must establish a formal process to conduct annual studies to help guide the national training program for claims processors. Finally, the VBA must evaluate the guidance relating to PTSD to determine if updates are warranted to provide claims processors with better resources regarding best practices for claims processing, including specific guidance regarding development of claims involving compensation for service-connected PTSD.