Bill Overview
Title: Protecting Veteran Community Care Act
Description: This bill modifies the community care program for veterans, including to expand access to community mental health care providers.
Sponsors: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]
Target Audience
Population: Veterans needing community mental health services
Estimated Size: 3800000
- The bill modifies the community care program specifically targeting veterans.
- Veterans are the primary beneficiaries of community care programs under the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- The focus on expanding access to mental health care providers indicates that veterans requiring mental health services are particularly targeted.
- Global estimates of veteran populations can provide context as the bill impacts veterans worldwide, especially those in U.S.-allied countries with similar community support frameworks.
Reasoning
- Veterans form a substantial part of the US population, with approximately 19 million veterans nationwide. Of those, a significant number deal with mental health issues that may require community support.
- The budget limit suggests that not all veterans can receive enhanced care immediately, so the potential target within this group is those most in need of mental health services, such as those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression, which is roughly 20% of all veterans.
- Taking into account the budget constraints, the focus will be on veterans already participating in VA programs, as they will be most accessible for immediate improvements.
- The Cantril Self-Anchoring Scale is a useful measure of perceived wellbeing, allowing us to see improvements or declines as a result of policy changes, making it a fitting tool to assess the effectiveness of the policy.
Simulated Interviews
Retired Army Officer (Ohio)
Age: 58 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Expanded access to mental health care is critical, as current wait times are too long.
- I hope this means more mental health professionals are available at local clinics.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Veteran Advocate (California)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is a step forward, but I'm worried about its reach given the number of veterans needing help.
- We need to ensure the support is also culturally competent.
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 | 5 | 5 |
Security Consultant (Texas)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I struggle to get timely support, so this might improve my regular care.
- Counseling should become more consistent with this improvement.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Student (Florida)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Telehealth is great, and I hope this policy means more mental health professionals will offer it.
- There should be a focus on specialized care for female veterans.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Retired Postal Worker (New York)
Age: 68 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Veterans my age often avoid mental health care due to stigma; expanding access is good, but acceptance is needed.
- Policy might help younger veterans more who are open to using these services.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 3 |
Software Developer (Colorado)
Age: 38 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- LGBTQ+ veterans need inclusive mental health resources, something this policy could enhance.
- Broader access to therapy is encouraging, but specialized programs are essential.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Auto Mechanic (Illinois)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More mental health practitioners could mean faster support and less waiting time.
- My peer group can benefit through more group therapy options.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Research Assistant (Washington)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 1/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The transition out of active duty is hard, so improved family counseling access would be beneficial.
- Young veterans need support for career and mental health concurrently.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Veteran Service Officer (Georgia)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The change should integrate care better across all health dimensions, physical and mental.
- Good step towards bridging service gaps in veteran healthcare.
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 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Small Business Owner (Nevada)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 12.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy can help reduce mental health stigma by increasing resources.
- I'm concerned about accessibility in rural areas.
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 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000000 (Low: $400000000, High: $700000000)
Year 2: $510000000 (Low: $410000000, High: $720000000)
Year 3: $520200000 (Low: $420200000, High: $740200000)
Year 5: $540808000 (Low: $440808000, High: $760808000)
Year 10: $582891360 (Low: $482891360, High: $802891360)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The expansion mainly affects veterans' access to mental health care, a critical issue with potentially high demand.
- Costs may fluctuate based on the actual number of veterans taking advantage of these benefits.
- The bill aligns with public health priority addressing PTSD and other mental health issues prevalent among veterans.