The Veterans' Mental Health Access Act directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a three-year pilot program providing grants to nonprofit mental health facilities to deliver culturally competent, evidence-based mental health care to veterans. Eligible providers must be nonprofit organizations that have operated outpatient facilities for at least three years and must train clinicians in veteran-specific mental health care. Grants can be used to operate or establish outpatient mental health facilities, provide free care to veterans, and encourage enrollment in VA health systems, with individual grants capped at $1.5 million per facility per year. The Secretary will prioritize facilities in rural and urban areas, medically underserved regions, areas with large veteran populations, and locations with high suicide risk among veterans. The program is authorized to receive $20 million annually for fiscal years 2025 through 2027, and the VA must submit a report to Congress within 180 days of the program's completion detailing how many veterans were served, outcomes achieved, and any obstacles encountered.
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