The Helping Heroes Act of 2023 expands support services for veterans and their families through the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill requires the VA to appoint at least one family coordinator to each VA medical center, with these coordinators tasked with assessing family needs and connecting veterans with supportive services. The bill also establishes a new Family Support Program that provides services such as mental health counseling, job training, childcare assistance, and college preparation support to eligible veterans with service-connected disabilities rated at 70 percent or higher, their children under 18, and other family members.
The bill authorizes the VA to contract with outside public and nonprofit organizations to deliver these services and requires annual reporting to Congress on program participation and outcomes. The VA must appoint family coordinators and have the Family Support Program fully operational within one year of the bill's enactment. While the bill authorizes necessary appropriations without specifying a dollar amount, it also directs the VA to conduct annual surveys of disabled veterans and their families over five years to identify unmet needs and requires the Department of Defense to include information about VA family support services in its Transition Assistance Program for service members leaving active duty.
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