BRAVE Act of 2025

Summary#

This bill, called the Building Resources and Access for Veterans' Mental Health Engagement (BRAVE) Act of 2025, would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to take many steps to improve mental health services for veterans. Key parts include reports on pay for Readjustment Counseling Service staff and how those staff work with VA medical facilities; reviews and possible expansion of Vet Center locations and technology; studies and changes focused on women veterans and suicide prevention; extension and increase of a community suicide prevention grant program; steps to expand access to residential mental health care for veterans with spinal cord injuries; annual mental health consultation offers for veterans receiving disability compensation for mental health conditions; and a joint VA–DoD report on mental health support for service members transitioning to civilian life.

What it means for you#

  • Veterans who use Vet Centers may see more outreach, new guidance for local centers, and possible expansion of Vet Center locations or mobile services.
  • Women veterans could see studies and program adjustments aimed at better addressing their risk factors, including changes to the REACH VET program and surveys/listening sessions to shape outreach and suicide-prevention messaging.
  • Veterans receiving disability compensation for mental health diagnoses would be offered mental health consultations at least once a year and receive outreach about those services.
  • Veterans with spinal cord injuries might gain access to residential mental health treatment through a pilot program at least three VA medical facilities.
  • Readjustment Counseling Service staff and leaders would face new reporting and coordination requirements with VA medical facilities and reviews of pay and information technology systems.

Expenses#

  • The bill increases the annual amount available under the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program from $750,000 to $1,000,000 and extends the program from three years to six years.
  • The bill requires the Secretary and the Comptroller General to report on potential IT replacement costs for the Readjustment Counseling Service system (RCSNet) and on other program implementation plans, but it does not set overall program funding levels or provide a full cost estimate in the text.
  • No publicly available information on total or federal budgetary costs beyond the grant amount change is included in the bill text provided.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.