North Charlotte Today

Senator Thom Tillis and his colleagues have introduced the Veterans Mental Health and Addiction Therapy Quality of Care Act, a bill aimed at ensuring that veterans have access to high-quality mental health care. The bill would require an independent organization outside of the government to conduct a study to assess the quality of care veterans receive for mental and addiction health treatment from providers within and outside the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

According to Senator Tillis, "It is critical the VA provides the highest quality mental health services to our veterans through implementing the best treatment practices available. This legislation enables the VA to improve its mental health services by studying best practices administered by non-VA providers. Veterans deserve the best care possible, and I am proud to cosponsor this legislation on behalf of the more than 600,000 veterans who call North Carolina home."

The Department of Veterans Affairs is responsible for providing comprehensive health services to U.S. military veterans. However, recent estimates indicate that as many as 70% of VA-eligible veterans received their care from external providers. Given the high rate of veteran suicide due to mental and addiction health conditions, there is a need to better understand if current practices provide veterans with the best mental and addiction quality of care.

The Veterans Mental Health and Addiction Therapy Quality of Care Act would require an independent and objective organization outside of the VA to conduct a study that analyzes the results of comparable instances of addiction and mental health care between inside and outside providers. The study would use objective criteria such as symptom scores and suicide risk to assess the quality of care. The study would also determine the extent to which outside providers are using evidence-based practices in the treatment of addiction and mental health issues.

Additionally, the study would identify potential gaps in coordination between internal and external providers in responding to individuals seeking addiction or mental health care. It would evaluate the availability of coordinated care for veterans who have separate or related conditions that may be impacting their mental health. The study would also assess providers' military cultural competency and gauge the ease and flexibility of sharing medical records with a veteran's health care team. Furthermore, the study would consider the extent to which providers are conducting outcome monitoring throughout a veteran's treatment to track progress or lack thereof.

The legislation has garnered support from various organizations, including the Disabled American Veterans Association, the American Psychological Association, and the Veteran Health Care Policy Initiative.

This bill aims to ensure that veterans receive the best possible mental health care by conducting a comprehensive study of the quality of care provided by both VA and non-VA providers. By identifying gaps in coordination and assessing the use of evidence-based practices, this legislation aims to improve the mental health services available to veterans. With the support of key organizations, this bill has the potential to make a significant impact on the well-being of our nation's veterans.

To learn more, click on this link: https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2023/12/tillis-colleagues-introduce-bill-to-ensure-veterans-access-to-quality-mental-health-care