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Speak Up! Your Voice is Needed

The Veterans ACCESS Act of 2025 is a bipartisan bill designed to expand and improve access to mental health and substance abuse care for veterans. We'd like your input on this proposed legislation.

Let's Inform and Educate Our Nation's Leaders

The legislation proposes a new pilot program that would allow eligible veterans to receive outpatient mental health or substance use disorder treatment from non-VA community providers—without needing prior authorization or a referral from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This aims to reduce delays and ease the burden for veterans seeking timely behavioral health support.
Learn more about the ACCESS Act

Veteran Voices Survey

Veteran Voices Survey 05.25 - ACCESS Act
What is your military affiliation?
What age group do you fall into?
The ACCESS Act proposes a pilot program allowing veterans to receive outpatient mental health or substance use care in the community without a VA referral.
Do you believe this would improve access to care for veterans, their family members, or caregivers?
Some experts say expanding community care could lead to fewer resources for VA facilities.
Do you have concerns that expanding community care might negatively affect staffing or services at VA hospitals or clinics?
One goal of The Act is to help rural veterans access care more easily.
If you live in a rural area, do you believe this would improve timely access to care for veterans, family members, or caregivers in your community?
The Act requires VA to clearly explain eligibility for community care and reasons for denial.
Do you believe the current process for determining eligibility for community care is clear and easy to understand for veterans, family members, or caregivers?
The Act calls for an online portal to let users self-schedule and track care.
Would you or someone in your household be likely to use an online portal to manage VA or community care appointments if one were available?
The Act encourages greater use of non-VA providers for mental health treatment.
How comfortable would you or someone you support feel receiving mental health care from a community provider rather than a VA provider?
Some individuals value continuity of care within the VA system.
Do you believe community care providers can offer the same level of continuity as VA providers for veterans and their families?
The Act limits the use of telehealth in place of in-person care when access standards aren't met.
Do you think telehealth appointments should count toward meeting access-to-care standards (like wait times and travel distances)?
The Act requires more transparency in the appeals process for denied care.
Have you or someone you support ever appealed a healthcare decision through the VA, and how would you rate that process?
The Act aims to expand community care options for veterans and their families.
Do you believe this expansion will lead to better healthcare outcomes overall?
The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act (known as the Dole Act) was signed into law in January 2025. One of its goals is to expand support for caregivers of veterans.
How important do you think it is to prioritize implementation of these caregiver programs?
Some experts recommend making mental health screenings a routine part of every VA primary care visit to catch struggles early.
Would you support mandatory mental health check-ins during all VA primary care appointments?

More on the ACCESS Act

The Act also requires the VA to clearly explain how community care eligibility decisions are made, and to provide transparency around any denials. It mandates improvements in communication about appeals and creates an online portal for veterans to self-schedule appointments and track care across the VA and community networks.

Additionally, the ACCESS Act limits the use of telehealth as a replacement for in-person care in cases where access standards (such as wait times and travel distance) are not being met. Supporters say the bill empowers veterans to take control of their mental health and expands options, especially in underserved areas. Critics caution that it could divert resources away from VA infrastructure and lead to fragmented care.

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