Jack Bergman

WASHINGTON — Representative Jack Bergman (MI-01), Jared Golden (ME-02), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), and Don Bacon (NE-02) have introduced the bipartisan Improving Mental Health Support for Servicemembers and Veterans Act, according to a press release on Monday.

The release stated that the act would launch a formal review into the effectiveness of the federal government’s mental health programs for Veterans and transition servicemembers in an effort to “address longstanding accessibility issues.”

“I’ve seen firsthand how the transition from active duty to civilian life can be one of the most vulnerable periods in a servicemember’s career. We owe our men and women in uniform more than gratitude – we owe them accountability and results,” Bergman said in the release. “The Improving Mental Health Support for Servicemembers and Veterans Act ensures the Department of War and VA are working together effectively, eliminating gaps and duplication, and delivering real access to mental health care when it matters most. By requiring measurable standards, regular review, and transparency to Congress, this bill strengthens the transition process and helps ensure no Veteran falls through the cracks.”

“When I came home from the Marines, I saw how important it is to have a strong support system in your corner. The VA is full of skilled public servants who do that work, but there’s only so much an individual employee can do about the fundamental gaps in service created by an imperfect system,” Golden said in the release. “I’m grateful for the partnership of Congressmen Bergman, Bacon and Suozzi in the effort to show VA leaders just how lacking the agency’s outreach, rural logistics, and staffing efforts have been.”

“Too many veterans and service members fall through the cracks when transitioning from active duty to civilian life. We have to do better,” Suozzi said in the release. “It’s our responsibility as lawmakers and Americans to make sure that everyone who serves our country receives the healthcare, including mental healthcare, they deserve,” said Suozzi. “It’s common sense to assess and improve veterans’ health services of all kinds as time goes on. This bipartisan bill does just that, and I’m glad to join my colleagues, Congressmen Golden, Bergman, and Bacon, who I also thank for their service. Never forget the vet!”

“The transition to civilian life is one of the most vulnerable periods in a servicemember’s career. We must ensure our mental health screening tools are validated, effective, and connecting people to care,” Bacon said in the release. “The Improving Mental Health Support for Servicemembers and Veterans Act strengthens oversight, improves coordination between the Department of Defense and the VA, and helps ensure no servicemember falls through the cracks. I’m pleased to co-lead this bipartisan legislation with Rep. Golden on this important effort to better support our servicemembers and veterans.”

According to Bergman’s office, the Improving Mental Health Support for Servicemembers and Veterans Act would require the Department of Defense-Veterans Affairs Joint Executive Committee (JEC) to assess the effectiveness of their programs and processes in facilitating access to mental health services for veterans returning to civilian life.

Included in JEC’s review would be a complete inventory of the government’s mental health programs, along with metrics, milestones, and plans of actions to identify inefficiencies and gaps in programming, the release stated. There would be a 180-day deadline to present the report to the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees.

According to the release, the legislation would also require the JEC to update its existing Joint Separation Health Assessment (SHA) every two years. The release also stated that the SHA “currently uses an outdated process to infrequently catalog veterans’ generalized health needs — an issue that forces policymakers to contend with data that isn’t specific nor timely enough.”

“The American Legion is proud to support the Improving Mental Health Support for Servicemembers and Veterans Act,” Matthew Jabaut, chairman of the American Legion’s National Legislative Commission, said in the release. “On behalf of our nearly 1.5 million members, we commend Representative Golden for advancing oversight-driven reforms that reinforce mental health support and help ensure no servicemember or veteran falls through the cracks.”

“We are happy that Congressman Jared Golden continues to focus on mental health for our Service Members and Veterans,” Steve SanPedro, national legislative committee member and chief of staff for the Department of Maine Veterans of Foreign Wars, said in the release. “These invisible injuries need to be addressed so these men and women can live a healthy life after service to their country.”