I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6024 
To improve mental health services of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 12, 2025 
Mr. CROW (for himself and Mrs. KIGGANS of Virginia) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 
and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee con-
cerned 
A BILL 
To improve mental health services of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Building Resources and Access for Veterans’ Mental 
Health Engagement Act of 2025’’ or the ‘‘BRAVE Act 
of 2025’’. 
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(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—IMPROVEMENT OF WORKFORCE IN SUPPORT OF 
MENTAL HEALTH CARE 
Sec. 101. Report on market pay surveys for Readjustment Counseling Service 
positions. 
Sec. 102. Qualifications of appointees in occupations that support mental 
health programs. 
Sec. 103. Report on coordination of Veterans Health Administration with Read-
justment Counseling Service. 
TITLE II—IMPROVEMENT OF VET CENTER INFRASTRUCTURE 
AND TECHNOLOGY 
Sec. 201. Vet Center defined. 
Sec. 202. Comptroller General report on Readjustment Counseling Service 
model for expansion of Vet Center footprint. 
Sec. 203. Improvement of guidance and information to improve veteran out-
reach efforts by Vet Centers. 
Sec. 204. Report on information technology system of Readjustment Counseling 
Service. 
TITLE III—WOMEN VETERANS 
Sec. 301. Study on effectiveness of suicide prevention and mental health out-
reach programs of Department of Veterans Affairs for women 
veterans. 
Sec. 302. Requirement for Department of Veterans Affairs to modify the 
REACH VET program to incorporate risk factors weighted for 
women veterans. 
Sec. 303. Review of and report on reintegration and readjustment services for 
veterans and family members in group retreat settings. 
TITLE IV—OTHER MATTERS 
Sec. 401. Extension of Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention 
Grant Program. 
Sec. 402. Access to mental health residential rehabilitation treatment programs 
for veterans with spinal cord injury or disorder. 
Sec. 403. Mental health consultations and outreach on mental health services 
for veterans receiving compensation for disabilities relating to 
mental health diagnoses. 
Sec. 404. Joint report on effectiveness of programs of Department of Veterans 
Affairs and Department of Defense that promote access to 
mental health services for transitioning members of the Armed 
Forces. 
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TITLE 
I—IMPROVEMENT 
OF 
WORKFORCE IN SUPPORT OF 
MENTAL HEALTH CARE 
SEC. 101. REPORT ON MARKET PAY SURVEYS FOR READ-
JUSTMENT 
COUNSELING 
SERVICE 
POSI-
TIONS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, through the Chief Readjustment Coun-
seling Officer, reviews market pay surveys in each Read-
justment Counseling Service District to compare the sala-
ries of employees in the Readjustment Counseling Service 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs, including licensed 
professional mental health counselors, social workers, and 
marriage and family therapists, to the salaries of similarly 
situated employees within the Department and the private 
sector. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report on the findings specified in sub-
section (a), which shall— 
(1) include an assessment of pay disparities be-
tween employees of the Readjustment Counseling 
Service of the Department and similarly situated 
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employees within the Department and the private 
sector; and 
(2) identify if pay-related staffing challenges 
exist, and if so, determine if each Readjustment 
Counseling Service District has initiated a review of 
third-party survey data for the identified occupa-
tions. 
(c) DISTRICTS.—Each report submitted under sub-
section (b) shall include reports from all Readjustment 
Counseling Service Districts of the Department, includ-
ing— 
(1) areas that are geographically diverse; 
(2) rural areas; 
(3) highly rural areas; 
(4) urban areas; and 
(5) areas with health care shortages. 
(d) ASSESSMENT OF PAY.—Each report submitted 
under subsection (b) shall include an assessment of pay 
based on the following factors: 
(1) Third-party survey data. 
(2) Geographic location. 
(3) Equivalent qualifications (licensure, edu-
cation level, or experience). 
(4) Short-term incentives. 
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SEC. 102. QUALIFICATIONS OF APPOINTEES IN OCCUPA-
TIONS THAT SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH PRO-
GRAMS. 
(a) PSYCHOLOGISTS.—Section 7402(b)(8)(C) of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘for a pe-
riod not to exceed’’ and all that follows through the period 
at the end and inserting ‘‘for a reasonable period of time 
recommended by the Under Secretary for Health.’’. 
(b) LICENSED PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH 
COUNSELORS.—Section 7402(b)(11)(B) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘, except that the Secretary may 
waive the requirement of licensure or certification for an 
individual licensed professional mental health counselor 
for a reasonable period of time recommended by the Under 
Secretary for Health.’’. 
SEC. 103. REPORT ON COORDINATION OF VETERANS 
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION WITH READJUST-
MENT COUNSELING SERVICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives a report regarding 
coordination between the clinical care system of the Vet-
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erans Health Administration and the Readjustment Coun-
seling Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(b) ASSESSMENT.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall include an assessment of the adherence by each 
Director of a Veterans Integrated Service Network to poli-
cies of the Veterans Health Administration, which require 
each such Director to ensure that a support facility of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs is aligned laterally with 
each Vet Center to provide supportive administrative and 
clinical collaboration to better serve veterans eligible for 
services from Vet Centers, particularly those at high risk 
for suicide. 
(c) ANALYSIS.—The report required by subsection (a) 
shall include an analysis of— 
(1) whether staff at Vet Centers in the local 
area of a medical facility of the Department have 
the updated contact information for appropriate 
staff at the medical facility to ensure proper coordi-
nation of care; 
(2) whether the external clinical consultant and 
suicide prevention coordinator of a medical facility of 
the Department are providing counseling staff of 
each Vet Center in the local area of the medical fa-
cility professional consultation not less frequently 
than monthly through regularly scheduled peer case 
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presentations onsite at the Vet Center or via virtual 
or telephone consultation as necessary to fully sup-
port the coordination of care of patients, particularly 
those at high risk for suicide; 
(3) whether the external clinical consultant and 
suicide prevention coordinator are documenting any 
consultation conducted under paragraph (2); and 
(4) whether the Under Secretary for Health is 
coordinating with the Outreach Specialist at each 
Vet Center to ensure active duty members of the 
Armed Forces who are participating in the Transi-
tion Assistance Program of the Department of De-
fense are provided information regarding Vet Cen-
ters and the services provided at Vet Centers. 
(d) VET CENTER DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘Vet Center’’ has the meaning given that term in 
section 1712A(h) of title 38, United States Code. 
TITLE 
II—IMPROVEMENT 
OF 
VET 
CENTER 
INFRASTRUC-
TURE AND TECHNOLOGY 
SEC. 201. VET CENTER DEFINED. 
In this title, the term ‘‘Vet Center’’ has the meaning 
given that term in section 1712A(h) of title 38, United 
States Code. 
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SEC. 202. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT ON READJUST-
MENT COUNSELING SERVICE MODEL FOR EX-
PANSION OF VET CENTER FOOTPRINT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
of the United States shall submit to the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 
assessing the model used by the Readjustment Counseling 
Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs to guide 
the expansion of the real property footprint of Vet Cen-
ters. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall assess— 
(1) whether the model described in such sub-
section adequately accounts for the demand for Vet 
Center services in rural areas; 
(2) whether the frequency with which the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs is reassessing areas for 
potential expansion of Vet Center services is often 
enough to address any population shifts; 
(3) whether such model adequately considers 
the needs of veterans in areas with high rates of 
calls to the Veterans Crisis Line or high rates of sui-
cide by veterans or members of the Armed Forces; 
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(4) whether such model adequately accounts for 
trends in usage of mobile Vet Centers in a given 
area; and 
(5) whether such model takes into account the 
unique needs of veterans and members of the Armed 
Forces in areas being assessed. 
(c) VETERANS CRISIS LINE.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘Veterans Crisis Line’’ means the toll-free hotline 
for veterans established under section 1720F(h) of title 
38, United States Code. 
SEC. 203. IMPROVEMENT OF GUIDANCE AND INFORMATION 
TO IMPROVE VETERAN OUTREACH EFFORTS 
BY VET CENTERS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall— 
(1) ensure each Vet Center has demographic 
data, such as age, gender, race, and ethnicity, for in-
dividuals eligible for Vet Center services in the serv-
ice area of such Vet Center to be used to tailor out-
reach activities, including data on veterans who have 
recently transitioned from service in the Armed 
Forces; 
(2) provide Vet Centers with guidance for as-
sessing the effectiveness of outreach activities, in-
cluding guidance on metrics for those activities and 
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targets against which to assess those metrics to de-
termine effectiveness; 
(3) develop and implement a process to periodi-
cally assess the extent to which veterans and mem-
bers of the Armed Forces who are eligible for serv-
ices from Vet Centers experience barriers to obtain-
ing such services, including a lack of awareness 
about Vet Centers and challenges accessing Vet Cen-
ter services; and 
(4) develop and implement a process to periodi-
cally assess the extent to which staff of Vet Centers 
may encounter barriers to providing services. 
SEC. 204. REPORT ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM 
OF READJUSTMENT COUNSELING SERVICE. 
Not later than 60 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
through the Chief Readjustment Counseling Officer of the 
Veterans Health Administration, shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representa-
tives a report identifying— 
(1) whether the Department of Veterans Affairs 
is retaining or replacing the current information 
technology platform of the Department, commonly 
referred to as ‘‘RCSNet’’, which is currently used to 
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manage certain parts of the daily work of employees 
of the Readjustment Counseling Service and oper-
ational data and management functions of the Read-
justment Counseling Service; 
(2) if the Department intends to keep RCSNet, 
the rationale for that decision and an identification 
of the steps the Department is taking to maintain 
or improve the functionality of RCSNet and the 
timeline for those steps; and 
(3) if the Department intends to replace 
RCSNet, the rationale for that decision and an iden-
tification of the steps the Department is taking to 
implement that replacement, including a timeline 
and the estimated cost for that replacement. 
TITLE III—WOMEN VETERANS 
SEC. 301. STUDY ON EFFECTIVENESS OF SUICIDE PREVEN-
TION AND MENTAL HEALTH OUTREACH PRO-
GRAMS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS FOR WOMEN VETERANS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 240 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall conduct surveys and host listening ses-
sions with women veterans to determine the extent to 
which— 
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(1) suicide prevention, lethal-means safety, and 
mental health resources and messaging campaigns of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs are perceived 
and accepted by women veterans; 
(2) women veterans find those resources and 
messaging campaigns effective and sufficiently tai-
lored to women veterans; 
(3) the integration into those resources and 
messaging campaigns of information pertaining to 
military sexual trauma, intimate partner violence, 
and trauma-informed health care would make those 
resources and messaging campaigns more effective 
for women veterans; 
(4) the Department could make additional im-
provements to those resources and messaging cam-
paigns, including the Women’s Health Transition 
Training Program, to make those resources and 
messaging campaigns more effective for women vet-
erans; and 
(5) programs and services of the Department 
are targeted at women veterans of different ages and 
eras of services, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and 
geographical areas. 
(b) POPULATION STUDIED.—The Secretary shall 
conduct the surveys and listening sessions required under 
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subsection (a) in urban and rural areas and shall ensure 
such surveys and listening sessions are targeted at dif-
ferent demographics. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the sur-
veys and listening sessions required under subsection (a) 
are complete, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 
on the findings of such surveys and listening sessions, 
which shall document the steps the Secretary intends to 
take to refine the suicide prevention, lethal-means safety, 
and mental health resources and messaging campaigns of 
the Department based on the feedback from such surveys 
and listening sessions to ensure the Secretary is utilizing 
the most effective strategies. 
SEC. 302. REQUIREMENT FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS TO MODIFY THE REACH VET PRO-
GRAM 
TO 
INCORPORATE 
RISK 
FACTORS 
WEIGHTED FOR WOMEN VETERANS. 
Not later than 60 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
initiate efforts to modify the Recovery Engagement and 
Coordination for Health–Veterans Enhanced Treatment 
program (‘‘REACH VET’’) to incorporate into such pro-
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gram risk factors weighted for women, such as military 
sexual trauma and intimate partner violence. 
SEC. 303. REVIEW OF AND REPORT ON REINTEGRATION 
AND READJUSTMENT SERVICES FOR VET-
ERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS IN GROUP RE-
TREAT SETTINGS. 
(a) REVIEW.—Not later than 60 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall review all requests for reintegration and read-
justment services for veterans and family members of vet-
erans in group retreat program settings under section 
1712A(a)(1)(B)(ii) of title 38, United States Code, to de-
termine if current retreat programming meets demand, 
specifically requests for— 
(1) women only retreats; 
(2) disabled access retreats, particularly wheel-
chair accessible retreats; and 
(3) retreats for veterans with specific medical 
needs. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 120 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report on whether the provision by the Sec-
retary of reintegration and readjustment services for vet-
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erans and family members of veterans in group retreat 
program settings should be increased and made perma-
nent, including— 
(1) women only retreats; 
(2) disabled access retreats, particularly wheel-
chair accessible retreats; and 
(3) retreats for veterans with specific medical 
needs. 
TITLE IV—OTHER MATTERS 
SEC. 401. EXTENSION OF STAFF SERGEANT PARKER GOR-
DON FOX SUICIDE PREVENTION GRANT PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 201 of the Commander John Scott Hannon 
Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 
(Public Law 116–171; 38 U.S.C. 1720F note) is amend-
ed— 
(1) 
in 
subsection 
(c)(2)(A), 
by 
striking 
‘‘$750,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$1,000,000’’; and 
(2) in subsection (j), by striking ‘‘three years’’ 
and inserting ‘‘six years’’. 
SEC. 402. ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH RESIDENTIAL REHA-
BILITATION 
TREATMENT 
PROGRAMS 
FOR 
VETERANS WITH SPINAL CORD INJURY OR 
DISORDER. 
(a) PLAN.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee 
on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives a plan to ensure access to mental health 
residential treatment programs of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs for veterans with a spinal cord in-
jury or disorder. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The plan required under 
paragraph (1) shall include— 
(A) a staffing plan, which shall include a 
plan for how the Department will— 
(i) incorporate staff from other facili-
ties to support the pilot program required 
under subsection (b); and 
(ii) ensure adequate staffing to sup-
port the needs of veterans with a spinal 
cord injury or disorder; 
(B) an assessment of medical equipment 
needs; and 
(C) an assessment of the best location to 
deliver treatment and health care under the 
mental health residential treatment programs of 
the Department, including through the use of 
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spinal cord injury or disorder centers and spinal 
cord injury or disorder spokes. 
(b) PILOT PROGRAM.—Commencing not later than 
120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall carry out a pilot program to provide access 
to mental health residential treatment programs of the 
Department for veterans with a spinal cord injury or dis-
order at not fewer than three medical facilities of the De-
partment. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report on— 
(1) the implementation of the plan required 
under subsection (a); 
(2) the initial results from the pilot program 
under subsection (b); and 
(3) plans to expand the mental health residen-
tial treatment programs of the Department to addi-
tional medical facilities of the Department to ad-
dress demand for the highly specialized treatment 
provided under such programs for veterans with a 
spinal cord injury or disorder. 
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SEC. 403. MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTATIONS AND OUT-
REACH ON MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR 
VETERANS RECEIVING COMPENSATION FOR 
DISABILITIES RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH 
DIAGNOSES. 
(a) TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The section 1167 of title 38, 
United States Code, relating to mental health con-
sultations, is redesignated as section 1169. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 11 is amended— 
(A) by striking the item relating to the sec-
tion 1167 relating to mental health consulta-
tions; and 
(B) adding after the item relating to sec-
tion 1168 the following new item: 
‘‘1169. Mental health consultations.’’. 
(b) IMPROVEMENTS.—Section 1169 of such title, as 
redesignated by subsection (a), is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), in the subsection heading, 
by striking ‘‘IN GENERAL’’ and inserting ‘‘INITIAL 
MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTATIONS’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsection (b) and (c) as 
subsections (c) and (d), respectively; 
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol-
lowing new subsection (b): 
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‘‘(b) ANNUAL MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTATIONS 
AND OUTREACH.—Not less frequently than once each 
year, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) offer to each veteran who is receiving com-
pensation under this chapter for a service-connected 
disability relating to a mental health diagnosis a 
mental health consultation to assess the mental 
health needs of, and discuss other mental health 
care options for, the veteran; and 
‘‘(2) conduct outreach to each veteran described 
in paragraph (1) regarding the availability of con-
sultations described in such paragraph and other 
mental health services from the Department.’’; 
(4) in subsection (c), as redesignated by para-
graph (2), by inserting ‘‘or (b)’’ after ‘‘under sub-
section (a)’’ both places it appears; and 
(5) in subsection (d), as redesignated by para-
graph (2), by inserting ‘‘or as requiring reevaluation 
of any entitlement of the veteran to compensation 
under this chapter’’ before the period at the end. 
(c) BIENNIAL REPORTS.—Such section, as amended 
by subsection (b), is further amended by adding at the 
end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(e) BIENNIAL REVIEWS AND REPORTS.—(1) Not 
later than one year after the date of the enactment of the 
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BRAVE Act of 2025, and not less frequently than once 
every two years thereafter, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) review the efficacy of the outreach of the 
Department with respect to consultations offered 
under this section; and 
‘‘(B) submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 
on— 
‘‘(i) the findings of the Secretary with re-
spect to the most recent review conducted pur-
suant to subparagraph (A); and 
‘‘(ii) the plans of the Secretary to address 
the findings described in clause (i). 
‘‘(2) In order to facilitate reviews conducted under 
paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) ensure veterans can provide feedback to 
the Secretary on outreach described in paragraph 
(1) and the consultations offered under this section; 
and 
‘‘(B) analyze the feedback described in subpara-
graph (A) that is provided to the Secretary. 
‘‘(3) Each review conducted pursuant to paragraph 
(1)(A) shall cover the following: 
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‘‘(A) The feedback collected under paragraph 
(2). 
‘‘(B) Consultations sought pursuant to offers 
under this section. 
‘‘(C) Matters that deter veterans from seeking 
consultations offered under this section.’’. 
SEC. 404. JOINT REPORT ON EFFECTIVENESS OF PRO-
GRAMS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE THAT 
PROMOTE 
ACCESS 
TO 
MENTAL 
HEALTH 
SERVICES FOR TRANSITIONING MEMBERS OF 
THE ARMED FORCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly 
submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Sen-
ate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House 
of Representatives a report on the actions taken or that 
will be taken by each such Secretary, either independently 
or jointly, to improve the effectiveness of programs of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of 
Defense that promote access to mental health services for 
members of the Armed Forces transitioning from service 
in the Armed Forces to civilian life. 
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(b) STATUS OF RESPONSE TO COMPTROLLER GEN-
ERAL RECOMMENDATIONS.—The report required under 
subsection (a) shall include an assessment of the status 
of the response by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and 
the Secretary of Defense to the recommendations of the 
Comptroller General of the United States set forth in the 
July 2024 report entitled ‘‘DOD AND VA HEALTH 
CARE: Actions Needed to Better Facilitate Access to 
Mental Health Services During Military to Civilian Tran-
sitions’’ (GAO–24–106189). 
(c) IDENTIFICATION OF DUPLICATIVE EFFORTS.— 
The report required under subsection (a) shall identify any 
duplicative efforts or gaps in services and recommend 
changes to programs of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs or the Department of Defense to address such dupli-
cative efforts or gaps, including recommendations for leg-
islative action. 
Æ 
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