What This Bill Does · Plain English
Summary · Congress.gov
VA Mental Health Outreach and Engagement Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to offer an annual mental health consultation to veterans who are receiving compensation for a service-connected disability relating to a mental health diagnosis. Additionally, the VA must conduct outreach regarding the availability of such consultations and other mental health services unless a veteran opts out of outreach. The bill requires the VA to utilize specified methods in its outreach efforts and to provide annual reports for the four years following the enactment of the bill regarding the outreach methods used to inform veterans about mental health consultations and services. The Government Accountability Office must report on the effect of this bill, including by reporting on the number of veterans who received mental health consultations and which outreach methods were most successful in reaching such veterans. The bill also extends certain higher loan fee rates through May 12, 2035, under the VA's home loan program. Such rates currently last through June 9, 2034.
Action Timeline
2025-07-23
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
2025-07-23
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
2025-06-10
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
2025-06-10
Introduced in House
2025-06-10
Introduced in House
Frequently Asked Questions
Did HR.3863 pass?
HR.3863 is still alive. Current stage: REPORTED. Pass likelihood: pending.
What does HR.3863 do?
VA Mental Health Outreach and Engagement Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to offer an annual mental health consultation to veterans who are receiving compensation for a service-connected disability relating to a mental health diagnosis. Additionally, the VA must conduct outreach regarding the availability of such consultations and other mental health services unless a veteran opts out of outreach. The bill requires the VA to utilize specified methods in its outreach efforts and to provide annual reports for the four years following the enactment of the bill regard…
Who sponsored HR.3863?
HR.3863 was sponsored by Nikki Budzinski (D-Illinois).
Full Bill Text
119 HR 3863 IH: VA Mental Health Outreach and Engagement Act U.S. House of Representatives 2025-06-10 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3863 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 10, 2025 Ms. Budzinski (for herself and Mr. Edwards ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish annual mental health consultations to certain veterans, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the VA Mental Health Outreach and Engagement Act . 2. Mental health consultations and outreach to a veteran receiving compensation for a service-connected disability relating to a mental health diagnosis (a) Annual consultation; outreach The section 1167 of title 38, United States Code, relating to mental health consultations is amended— (1) in subsection (a), in the subsection heading, by striking In general and inserting Initial consultation ; (2) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (c) and (d), respectively; (3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsection (b): (b) Annual consultation; outreach Not less frequently than once each year, the Secretary shall, with regards to a veteran who is receiving compensation under this chapter for a service-connected disability relating to a mental health diagnosis— (1) offer 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 regarding the availability of— (A) consultations under paragraph (1); and (B) other mental health services furnished by the Secretary. ; (4) in subsection (c), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by inserting or (b) after under subsection (a) both places it appears; and (5) in subsection (d), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by inserting , or to require the reevaluation of any entitlement of the veteran to compensation under this chapter before the period at the end. (b) Technical corrections (1) Redesignation Such section, as amended, is redesignated as section 1169 of such title. (2) Clerical amendments The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 11 of such title is amended— (A) by striking the item relating to the section 1167 that relates to mental health consultations; and (B) by inserting after the item relating to section 1168 the following new item: 1169. Mental health consultations. . (c) GAO review Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this section, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the effect of the amendments made by this section. Elements of such report shall include— (1) the number of veterans who received— (A) mental health consultations under paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of section 1169 of such title; and (B) outreach under paragraph (2) of such subsection; (2) whether veterans reported barriers to seeking such consultations; and (3) such barriers, if any.
Loading intelligence layer…