HR3183-119

What This Bill Does

The SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act establishes a Central Office-based Office of Falls Prevention inside the Veterans Health Administration, led by a Chief Officer reporting to the Under Secretary for Health. The office must monitor, evaluate, improve, and standardize VA falls-prevention care, identify deficiencies in VA facilities, community care, and home-support programs, provide technical assistance, oversee information and resources, promote clinical, research, and educational activities, improve quality assessment, coordinate home modification and adaptation programs, and carry out other assigned duties. The Chief Officer must run a national education campaign for at-risk veterans, families, and providers and may award grants or contracts for local education campaigns. VA's Office of Research and Development and the National Institute on Aging must develop evidence-based falls-prevention research, including home modification, service-connected disability interventions, medication management and polypharmacy, electronic health record monitoring, and safe patient handling and mobility. VA and NIA must convene an eight-member expert panel within 180 days. The bill also updates the Older Americans Act advisory structure, requires VA safe patient handling and mobility directives within 180 days, requires biennial provider training and access to mobility technology in facilities and emergency settings, requires VA to evaluate a pilot for home improvements and structural alterations to prevent falls, and requires reports on the pilot and on VA falls-prevention initiatives.

Who Benefits and How

Veterans at risk of falls benefit from VA-wide standards, education, screening, interventions, and home-modification coordination. Older veterans benefit from research on medication management, polypharmacy, mobility, and fall-prevention interventions. Veterans with service-connected disabilities benefit from recommendations on home modification and safe mobility supports. VA medical facilities benefit from technical assistance and clearer safe patient handling requirements. Families and caregivers of veterans benefit from education about VA benefits, grants, devices, and services that reduce repeat falls.

Who Bears the Burden and How

VHA Office of Falls Prevention staff must monitor standards, provide technical assistance, run education, oversee resources, and report to Congress. VA providers must complete biennial safe patient handling and mobility training. VA medical centers must maintain access to safe patient handling and mobility technology. VA research staff and National Institute on Aging staff must coordinate studies and an expert panel. VA benefits and health offices must coordinate home modification and adaptation programs.

Key Provisions

• Establishes a VHA Office of Falls Prevention led by a Chief Officer.
• Requires VA standards, technical assistance, oversight, resources, research, education, quality assessment, and home-modification coordination.
• Creates national and local education campaigns for at-risk veterans, families, and providers.
• Requires VA-NIA research and an expert panel on falls prevention, home modification, medication management, and safe mobility.
• Requires safe patient handling directives, biennial training, mobility technology access, home-improvement pilot review, and congressional reports.