Bill Overview
Title: Helping Heroes Act of 2022
Description: This bill implements programs and procedures related to the provision of support services for veterans and their families. First, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must place at least one Family Coordinator at each of its medical centers and ensure adequate staffing and resources at each such medical center so the coordinators are able to carry out their duties. Family Coordinators must, among other duties, assess the needs of the families of veterans using evidence-based strategies and refer veterans to support resources. The VA must also establish the Family Support Program to provide and coordinate the provision of supportive services to veterans who have a service-connected disability rated at 70% or more and eligible children (i.e., individuals who are under 18 years of age and are wards, children, stepchildren, grandchildren, or siblings of the eligible veteran). Next, the VA must coordinate with the Department of Education to award competitive grants to local educational agencies to better meet academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs of students whose parent or guardian previously served in the Armed Forces (including reserve components) or the National Guard. The VA must include information regarding supportive services available in the transition assistance curriculum for members of the Armed Forces who are being separated from active duty (and their families). Finally, the VA must conduct an annual survey of disabled veterans and their families to identify and better understand the needs of such persons.
Sponsors: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Target Audience
Population: Veterans and their families
Estimated Size: 12000000
- The primary population impacted by this bill are veterans who have a service-connected disability rated at 70% or more.
- Family members of these veterans, especially children under 18, are also impacted as they receive support through new VA programs.
- The bill includes family coordinators who assess the needs and refer veterans to support resources, affecting not just veterans but also their family members.
- Students whose parents or guardians previously served in the military are part of the population impacted, especially through educational grants and programs.
- The bill involves the Department of Education in providing support in educational settings, which impacts a subset of children of veterans.
Reasoning
- The budget constraints must ensure sufficient staffing at VA medical centers and quality of services without overreach.
- Given the population's size, it's crucial the resources are effectively targeted towards high-impact areas, primarily veterans with significant disabilities.
- Family coordinators play a pivotal role, so ensuring they are well-distributed and equipped is vital.
- The children's programs must efficiently address educational and emotional needs but will require careful planning with schools.
Simulated Interviews
Stay-at-home parent (Tampa, FL)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am grateful for more organized support, especially as juggling children's needs and helping my spouse can be overwhelming.
- The educational grants for children should really ease some burden on our expenses.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Retired (Austin, TX)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having a dedicated coordinator might streamline my care, I'm hopeful it reduces the stress of managing my appointments.
- However, I hope there's no added bureaucracy that makes things more complicated.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Teacher (Raleigh, NC)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Federal educational grants might really help, our students face unique challenges.
- I'm curious how the program will be practically implemented in our schools.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Health services administrator (San Diego, CA)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hoping the addition of Family Coordinators helps to reduce our workload and improves care delivery.
- Funding is always tight, so sustainably maintaining these improvements could be a challenge.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
High school student (Norfolk, VA)
Age: 18 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Scholarships or financial support would really help my college pursuit and ease my family's financial strain.
- I hope the programs are easy to access and aren't overly complex.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Veteran outreach volunteer (Columbus, OH)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy may make partnerships more feasible and provide veterans with tools to connect to necessary resources.
- Documentation and clarity of services will be critical to success.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
College student (Fayetteville, NC)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Knowing that there is some support through the veteran's sibling assistance is really uplifting.
- I hope eligibility is clear and fair so that this opportunity can benefit everyone who needs it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Retired veteran (Biloxi, MS)
Age: 63 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am cautious about new programs until I see if they actually help, many promises have been made before.
- Better assistance and communication could help decrease my loneliness and worry.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Social worker (Seattle, WA)
Age: 27 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Federal funding is crucial for fleshing out programs that support kids.
- Our hope is that resources are directed correctly without getting lost in administration.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
HR manager (Chicago, IL)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Even though my spouse's condition is not severe, knowing there's a guideline and support system helps.
- Many families don't know where to turn, any policy like this is beneficial in raising awareness.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000000 (Low: $450000000, High: $600000000)
Year 2: $515000000 (Low: $460000000, High: $620000000)
Year 3: $530450000 (Low: $476000000, High: $638600000)
Year 5: $561183200 (Low: $504960000, High: $676916000)
Year 10: $630030949 (Low: $566395200, High: $759438640)
Year 100: $1709715821 (Low: $1532549760, High: $2052395536)
Key Considerations
- The bill targets veterans with significant service-connected disabilities, a key consideration given their unique needs.
- The establishment of a Family Support Program requires significant upfront investment and ongoing operational costs.
- Coordinating with the Department of Education to meet the needs of students with military parents is both a cost and an investment for future outcomes.
- Long-term savings may materialize if veteran families experience improved well-being and reduced reliance on crisis interventions.