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Modification of Precision Medicine for Veterans Initiative; reporting on suicide by veterans and members of the Armed Forces

Title III: Health Care

Plain-language summaryAI

The bill expands a veterans' health research program to focus on brain injuries from repeated low-level blast exposure, requiring collaboration between the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense to share relevant data. It mandates ongoing research, assessments, and regular reports on this issue, including suicide risk reduction strategies, and authorizes funding for these efforts. Additionally, it requires suicide prevention reports to include information on the military occupations of veterans and service members who attempt or die by suicide, as well as the results of suicide prevention efforts.

AI-generated from this section’s text — a quick orientation, not a substitute for the full text below. Not legal advice.

Section Text · Sec. 310.
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(a) Modification of Precision Medicine for Veterans Initiative

Section 305 of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 ( Public Law 116–171 ; 38 U.S.C. 1712A note) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a), by striking and such other mental health conditions and inserting repetitive low-level blast exposure, dementia, and such other brain and mental health conditions ;

(2)

in subsection (d)(4), by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(E) Data-sharing partnership

(i) In general

The Secretary shall work with the Secretary of Defense to establish a data-sharing partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense.

(ii) Storage

The partnership established under clause (i) shall be stored in the open platform made available under this paragraph.

(iii) Data

The data supplied by the Secretary of Defense under the partnership established under clause (i) shall include relevant data throughout the Department of Defense relating to low-level repetitive blast exposure and traumatic brain injury collected by the Armed Forces and other appropriate entities, as determined jointly by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

(3)

by adding at the end the following new subsections:

(f) Repetitive low-level blast exposure research

In carrying out the initiative under subsection (a), the Secretary shall prioritize research—

(1)

to identify and validate biomarkers associated with repetitive low-level blast exposure and traumatic brain injury;

(2)

to evaluate clinical and non-clinical interventions that improve cognitive function, quality of life, and mental health outcomes among veterans with symptoms associated with repetitive low-level blast exposure;

(3)

to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and care coordination for veterans with a history of low-level repetitive blast exposure or traumatic brain injury, including veterans who performed duties or tasks associated with increased risk of low-level repetitive blast exposure; and

(4)

to develop evidence-based strategies to reduce suicide risk among veterans with a history of low-level repetitive blast exposure or traumatic brain injury.

(g) Assistance and report by national academies of sciences, engineering, and medicine

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act , the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall seek to enter into a contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under which the National Academies shall—

(1)

work in tandem with the initiative under subsection (a) on validation of brain and mental health biomarkers among veterans; and

(2)

not less frequently than once every two years, submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the work completed under paragraph (1).

(h) Assessment

(1) In general

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct an assessment of all translational research studies in progress and planned under the initiative under subsection (a), including research under subsection (f).

(2) Report

Not later than 60 days after completion of the assessment conducted under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the assessment.

(i) Reports

(1) In general

Not less frequently than once every two years, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the initiative under subsection (a).

(2) Recommendations

Each report required by paragraph (1) may include recommendations for immediate administrative and legislative action to improve the initiative under subsection (a).

(j) Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $5,000,000 to carry out the initiative under subsection (a) for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2032.

(b) Inclusion of information in reports on suicide prevention among veterans and members of the Armed Forces

(1) Inclusion of information in national veteran suicide prevention annual report

Section 149(a)(4)(B) of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act ( Public Law 118–210 ; 38 U.S.C. 1709B note) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(iv)

Military occupation data of veterans who attempt or commit suicide.

(2) Inclusion of information in Department of Defense annual report

The Secretary of Defense shall include in the annual report of the Defense Suicide Prevention Office, or successor office, information on—

(A)

occupational data of members of the Armed Forces who attempt suicide; and

(B)

outcomes of suicide prevention interventions among members of the Armed Forces.