In a reversal of current policy, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) would be required to provide mental health care and assessments to United States military veterans who receive “other-than honorable” discharges under legislation recently introduced by U.S. Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV).
“The men and women who fight to defend this country and protect our freedoms deserve the support that they need when they return home,” Sen. Heller said. “Our legislation would help ensure that veterans who are struggling and in need of mental health care services have access to the treatment that they require.”
Sen. Heller on March 14 introduced the Veteran Urgent Access to Mental Healthcare Act, S. 2548, with U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) signing on as original cosponsors. S. 2548 is a bipartisan companion bill to the same-named H.R. 918, which the U.S. House of Representatives passed by voice vote on Nov. 7, 2017. H.R. 918 was introduced last February by U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO) and has 40 cosponsors, including original cosponsors U.S. Reps. Ryan Costello (R-PA), Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) and Derek Kilmer (D-WA).
The proposed legislation resulted after lawmakers learned from National Public Radio and Colorado Public Radio news reports that since 2009 an estimated 22,000 combat veterans suffering mental health disabilities or traumatic brain injuries had been “separated” from the U.S. Army for “misconduct.” Such other-than-honorable discharges could be cause for denial of health and retirement benefits by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), according to information provided by Heller’s office.
If enacted, S. 2548 would allow such discharged members of the U.S. Armed Forces to seek mental health treatment outside of the VA if the secretary of the VA deemed such treatment “clinically advisable” or if treatment was found to be located too far from a veteran’s residence, according to a summary provided by Heller’s staff. The bill also would direct the VA to establish a “character of service” process that would permit the secretary to review a veteran’s discharge or release from service, according to the summary.
“I’m proud to work with Sen. Cornyn on this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to join us in recognizing the importance of taking care of our combat veterans, particularly those who are most in need,” Sen. Heller said.
Sen. Cornyn said all veterans must be given “every opportunity to get the care they need” upon being discharged. “Veterans who are struggling deserve to be carefully evaluated at the onset of mental illness and supported with the VA medical treatment necessary for their recovery,” he said.
“We should be taking care of veterans who need mental health treatment, regardless of their discharge status,” said Sen. Rubio.
S. 2548 has been referred to the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, which is also considering H.R. 918.