119 HR 1969 IH: No Wrong Door for Veterans Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2025-03-10
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I
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1969
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 10, 2025
Mrs. Miller-Meeks introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
A BILL
To amend and reauthorize the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “No Wrong Door for Veterans Act”.
2.

Amendments to and reauthorization of the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs
(a)

Reorganization
Subsection (b) of 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) is amended, in the second sentence, by striking “Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention” and inserting “the Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Clinical Services”.
(b)

Grant money: amount; use
Such section is further amended, in subsection (c)(2)(A), by striking “$750,000 per grantee per fiscal year” and inserting “$500,000 per fiscal year (not more than 5 percent of which may be spent on food and non-alcoholic beverages), plus $10,000 per eligible individual who receives suicide prevention services provided or coordinated by such grantee”.
(c)

Preference in distribution of grants
Such section is further amended, in subsection (d)(2), by adding at the end the following: “The Secretary shall not give preference to an eligible entity solely because the eligible entity previously received, or applied for, a grant under this section”.
(d)

Reapplication by a previous grantee
Such section is further amended, in subsection (f), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(3)

Reapplication by previous grantee
An application submitted by an eligible entity that previously received grant funds under this section shall include in such application evidence that the eligible entity used such grant funds to serve a significant number of veterans.”.
(e)

Briefing for local VAMCs
Such section is further amended, in subsection (h), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(5)

Briefing for local VAMCs
Not less than once per calendar quarter, the Secretary shall provide, to the appropriate personnel of each medical center of the Department located not more than 100 miles from the primary location of a grantee, a briefing about the grant program under this section in order to improve coordination between a grantee and such personnel. The Secretary may permit a representative of a grantee to attend such a briefing.”.
(f)

Duration
Such section is further amended, in subsection (j), by striking “the date that is three years after the date on which the first grant is awarded under this section” and inserting “September 30, 2028”.
(g)

Emergent suicide care
Such section is further amended, in subsection (n)—
(1)
by inserting “(1)” before “When”; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(2)
A grantee shall notify—
(A)
an eligible individual receiving suicide prevention services provided or coordinated by such grantee that such eligible individual may receive emergent suicide care under section 1720J of title 38, United States Code; and
(B)
the Secretary if such eligible individual requests such emergent suicide care.”.
(h)

Reauthorization
Such section is further amended, in subsection (p)—
(1)
by striking “a total of $174,000,000 for fiscal years 2021 through 2025” and inserting an em dash; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
“(1)
for fiscal years 2021 through 2025, a total of $174,000,000; and
(2)
for fiscal years 2026 through 2028, a total of $157,500,000.”.
(i)

Clarification of eligible entities
Such section is further amended, in subsection (q)(3)—
(1)
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting “an entity that has continuously provided mental health care or support services in the United States during the two-year period before the date on which the entity applies for a grant under this section, and that is” after “means”; and
(2)
in subparagraph (A), by inserting “, or a health care provider” after “foundation”.
(j)

Technical correction to definitions
Such section is further amended, in subsection (q)(5), by striking “Medical services” and inserting “The term “emergency treatment” means medical services”.
(k)

Required use of screening protocol selected by the Secretary
(1)

In general
Such section is further amended, in subsection (q)(11)(A)(ii), by striking “screening for risk” and inserting “screening for risk, using a protocol selected by the Secretary”.
(2)

Rules of construction
In addition to the protocol selected pursuant to the amendment made by paragraph (1)—
(A)
the Secretary may furnish another protocol to a grantee; and
(B)
a grantee may use another protocol to screen for risk.