HR7049-119

What This Bill Does

The Improving Mental Health Care and Coordination for Homeless Veterans Act adds a new section 2070 to title 38. Once a Department of Veterans Affairs homeless program employee identifies a veteran as needing homeless program services, the employee must conduct an assessment within three days. The assessment must evaluate the veteran's physical and mental health needs, create a plan for immediate and long-term mental and physical support, and identify appropriate housing placement. The employee must make sure collected information is consistent with the veteran's electronic health record and that personally identifiable information is handled under VA policy, Veterans Health Administration policy, federal law, and ethical practices. The Director of the Homeless Program Office must ensure that appropriate staff monitor implementation of the care plans so homeless and at-risk veterans with mental health issues receive the level and scope of services needed.

Who Benefits and How

Homeless veterans, at-risk veterans, veterans with mental health issues, veterans with physical health needs, and veterans needing housing placement benefit because VA staff must move quickly from identification to assessment, care planning, EHR documentation, and housing coordination. VA clinicians and case managers benefit from more consistent intake information in the electronic health record. Families, shelters, and community partners may benefit when veterans receive coordinated services sooner.

Who Bears the Burden and How

VA homeless program employees must meet a three-day assessment deadline, evaluate physical and mental health needs, create immediate and long-term plans, identify housing, align information with the electronic health record, and protect personally identifiable information. The Director of the Homeless Program Office and VA supervisors must monitor plan implementation. Veterans Health Administration privacy, health records, homeless services, and housing coordination staff must support the documentation and service-tracking requirements.

Key Provisions

• Requires VA homeless program employees to assess identified veterans within three days.
• Requires assessments to cover physical health, mental health, care planning, and housing placement.
• Requires assessment information to be consistent with the veteran's electronic health record.
• Requires personally identifiable information to be collected and maintained under VA policy, Veterans Health Administration policy, federal law, and ethical practices.
• Requires the Homeless Program Office to monitor implementation of plans for homeless and at-risk veterans with mental health issues.