Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado has introduced the Veterans’ Mental Health Access Act aimed at improving access to inpatient mental health treatment for veterans.
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The legislation mandates that Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals provide inpatient care for conditions such as PTSD, depression, and substance abuse within 24 hours of a request or a doctor's order. If no bed is available in a VA facility, veterans can obtain care through the Veterans Community Care Program.
Boebert emphasized the urgency of the bill, stating, "Veterans shouldn’t wait weeks for inpatient mental health care. That is unacceptable. When a veteran asks for help, America should answer immediately.”
Currently, access to inpatient treatment is primarily restricted to acute crises, and residents often face weeks-long wait times for placement. Her bill would also require the VA to publish facility wait times every six months, a measure that has not been implemented previously.
Boebert concluded, stating, "This bill gets them inpatient care for PTSD, depression, and substance abuse faster and creates a transparent process, so treatment actually improves."