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VA » Health Care » Mental Health » Priorities & Policies | VA Mental Health

Mental Health

Priorities & Policies | VA Mental Health

male veteran talking to female clinician

About VA Mental Health

Priorities and Policies

Priorities

In September 2022, the VA Under Secretary for Health announced VA’s latest health care priorities for the next few years. All of VA’s priorities are focused on providing Veterans with the latest, highest-quality care — the care they earned and deserve.

Understand VA’s plans for addressing these priorities.

Policies

As legislative landscapes change, so do public policies that affect VA and Veterans’ health care. In recent years, Veterans’ care has received significant enhancements due to legislative acts like these:

Support the Resiliency of Our Nation’s Great (STRONG) Veterans Act of 2022
Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care and Treatment (COMPACT) Act
- Section 201 - Emergent Care
- Section 204 - Comprehensive Assessment

Executive Order 13822 – Supporting Our Veterans During Their Transition From Uniformed Service to Civilian Life
Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 (Hannon Act)
- Title 3 - Mental Health Programs, Studies and Guidelines
- Title 7 - Other Matters
Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018 (MISSION Act)
Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) for Veterans Therapy Act

Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 (Hannon Act)
- Title 1 - Transition to VA Services
- Title 2 - Suicide Prevention
- Title 6 - Women Veterans
Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care and Treatment (COMPACT) Act
William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Reserve Component: Title V, Subtitle B)

Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 (Hannon Act)
- Title 4 - Oversight of Mental Health Care
- Title 5 - Mental Health Workforce
Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act
Joseph Maxwell Cleland and Robert Joseph Dole Memorial Veterans Benefits and Health Care Improvement Act of 2022

Care and Readiness Enhancement (CARE) for Reservists Act of 2019
Protecting Moms Who Served Act of 2021

Looking Ahead

In 2023, the White House is seeking to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in VA research programs, clinical trials and epidemiological studies on suicide risk and prevention. It also proposes to direct $16 billion toward improving access to quality mental health care and lowering the cost of mental health services for Veterans.

The administration’s proposed budget would also provide significant funds to support VA’s National Suicide Prevention Strategy and to continue expanding the Veterans Crisis Line’s nationwide 988 number for 24/7 mental health support.