Veterans Mental and Behavioral Health Quality of Care Act

Bill 118 hr 3811, also known as the Veterans Mental and Behavioral Health Quality of Care Act, aims to improve the quality of mental and behavioral health care services provided to veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on September 9, 2021, by Representative Mike Levin of California.

The main provisions of the bill include requiring the VA to establish and implement a comprehensive mental and behavioral health care quality improvement program for veterans. This program would focus on improving access to care, increasing the availability of evidence-based treatments, and enhancing coordination of care between VA providers and community-based providers.

Additionally, the bill would require the VA to conduct regular assessments of the quality of mental and behavioral health care services provided to veterans, and to report the results of these assessments to Congress. The VA would also be required to develop and implement a plan to address any deficiencies identified in these assessments. Furthermore, the bill includes provisions to improve the training and education of VA providers in the delivery of mental and behavioral health care services, as well as measures to increase the availability of telehealth services for veterans seeking mental health care. Overall, the Veterans Mental and Behavioral Health Quality of Care Act seeks to ensure that veterans receive high-quality mental and behavioral health care services from the VA, and to improve outcomes for veterans struggling with mental health issues. The bill has garnered bipartisan support in Congress and is currently under consideration in the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.