S3130-119

2. Department of Veterans Affairs grant program for supplemental neurorehabilitation approaches to chronic mild TBI treatment The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a grant program (to be known as the TBI Innovation Grant Program) to award grants to eligible entities for the development, implementation, and evaluation of approaches and methodologies for prospective randomized control trials for neurorehabilitation treatments for the treatment of chronic mild TBI (in this section referred to mTBI) in veterans. The authority of the Secretary to carry out the grant program under this section shall terminate at the end of the three-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act. An eligible entity in receipt of a grant under this section shall use amounts awarded under such grant to support activities that include— designing and testing novel or integrative treatments for mTBI that prioritize patient-centered care, including non-pharmacological therapies; conducting clinical studies and assessments to measure the effectiveness of funded approaches— to improve mental health outcomes among veterans; to reduce suicidality and common risk factors for completing suicide, including depression and substance use disorders among veterans; and to mitigate long-term effects of mTBI; providing training for clinicians and outreach to veterans and their families to improve awareness and accessibility of innovative mTBI treatments; and establishing partnerships with community organizations, academic institutions, and health care facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to implement and evaluate best practices. The Secretary may not award an eligible entity a grant under this section in an amount that exceeds $5,000,000 per fiscal year. In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that the Secretary determines have demonstrated experience in delivering or researching effective treatments for mTBI. An eligible entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form, at such time, and containing such information and assurances as the Secretary determines appropriate, including a detailed description of— proposed activities; expected outcomes; and plans for evaluating effectiveness. An eligible entity in receipt of a grant under this section shall, not less frequently than annually, submit to the Secretary a report that includes, with respect to the period covered by the report— a description of how the eligible entity used such grant; a summary of the progress of activities funded with amounts from such grant; and measured outcomes relating to such activities. The Secretary shall— ensure rigorous oversight with respect to the grant program under this section; and on an annual basis during the period in which the authority to carry out the grant program is effective, evaluate the efficacy of activities funded with a grant awarded under such program. The Secretary shall ensure that the grant program under this section aligns with the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program of the Department under section 201 of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 (Public Law 116–171; 38 U.S.C. 1720F note)— to provide for cohesive and comprehensive support for veterans with mTBI and associated mental health conditions; and to increase research and development on integrated mTBI and mental health interventions outside of the scope of traditional pathways, interventions, programs, procedures, and pharmaceuticals of the Department. Not less frequently than annually during the duration of the grant program under this section, the Secretary shall review the effectiveness of such program to determine the potential of such program for continuation or expansion. Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that includes— the findings of the activities reported under subsection (f)(2); and the recommendations of the Secretary with respect to policy and programmatic improvements to services of the Department of Veterans Affairs to treat TBI among veterans. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section. The Secretary may carry out the grant program under this section using amounts available to the Secretary for general mental health care programs. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $30,000,000 for fiscal years 2026 through 2028 to carry out the grant program under this section, which shall remain available until expended. In this section: The term eligible entity means any of the following: A nonprofit organization. An academic institution engaged in research with respect to TBI. A non-Department of Veterans Affairs health care provider with expertise in neurorehabilitative therapies. An entity the Secretary determines appropriate for an award of a grant under this section. The term TBI means traumatic brain injury. The term treatment, with respect to TBI, means clinical interventions, therapeutic devices, or rehabilitation care provided directly to a veteran with TBI. The term veteran has the meaning given that term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.