What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 2942
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-05-12: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-12T09:07:33Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The "What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act" (H.R. 2942) aims to improve the effectiveness and accountability of grant and pilot programs focused on suicide prevention and mental health for veterans. It does this by requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish uniform standards for designing, evaluating, and sharing results from these programs administered through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
Key Provisions
- Amendment to Existing Law: The bill modifies Section 527 of Title 38, United States Code, by restructuring subsections and adding a new subsection (b). This new subsection mandates the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to create regulations outlining standard practices for any VA grant or pilot program related to suicide prevention or mental health via the VHA.
- Required Standard Practices:
- Set clear and measurable objectives for the program.
- Develop a detailed evaluation plan, including what data is needed, how and when to collect it, how to analyze it for performance and lessons learned, and criteria for deciding if the program should continue or expand.
- Communicate the program's goals, evaluation methods, and plan to relevant parties (as determined by the Secretary) during development, at least 30 days before launch, and ongoing throughout the program.
- Conduct a final evaluation at the program's end to confirm lessons learned and assess if the results can apply more broadly (generalizability).
- Share results and best practices with relevant parties after the program concludes.
- Implementation Timeline: The Secretary must issue these regulations within 180 days of the bill's enactment.
- Scope of Application: These standards apply to all relevant grant or pilot programs, regardless of when they were started.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Prior to this bill, Section 527 of Title 38 focused on general evaluation requirements for VA programs but lacked specific, mandatory standards for suicide prevention and mental health initiatives through the VHA.
- The amendment introduces binding regulations tailored to these programs, emphasizing structured evaluation, communication, and knowledge-sharing—elements not previously required in such detail. It restructures the section for clarity without altering its core evaluation authority.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The VA, particularly the VHA and Secretary of Veterans Affairs, will face increased administrative requirements for program design and reporting, potentially leading to more rigorous oversight and resource allocation for evaluations. This could streamline future program decisions but may initially require additional staff training or funding.
- On Citizens: Veterans benefit from potentially more effective, evidence-based suicide prevention and mental health programs, as standardized evaluations could identify and scale what works best, reducing suicide risks and improving access to quality care.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill is focused on domestic VA operations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Veterans and Their Families: Primary beneficiaries, gaining from improved mental health and suicide prevention services.
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): Including the Secretary, VHA staff, and program administrators who must comply with new standards.
- Relevant Entities: Organizations, researchers, or other government bodies involved in or informed about VA programs (e.g., mental health nonprofits, congressional oversight committees), who will receive communications and shared results.
- Congress: Gains better tools for monitoring VA program effectiveness through required evaluations and reporting.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens accountability under Title 38 by mandating regulations that promote evidence-based policymaking, without overriding existing laws. The retroactive applicability to ongoing programs could require immediate adjustments but includes flexibility ("unless otherwise prohibited by law").
- Constitutional: No apparent conflicts; it aligns with Congress's authority to regulate federal agencies and support veterans' welfare under Article I.
- Political: Encourages bipartisan focus on veteran suicide (introduced by members from both parties), potentially influencing future VA funding debates by emphasizing measurable outcomes. It promotes transparency, which could reduce waste in federal spending but might face pushback if seen as adding bureaucratic hurdles.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (5)
Rep. Luttrell, Morgan [R-TX-8], Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17], Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Sorensen, Eric [D-IL-17]
Recent Actions
- 2025-05-12: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
- 2025-04-17: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- 2025-04-17: Introduced in House
- 2025-04-17: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act — issued 2025-04-17 — PDF (4 pages)