S. 1361: Every State Counts for Veterans Mental Health Act

The Every State Counts for Veterans Mental Health Act aims to enhance support for mental health services for veterans by modifying the process for awarding suicide prevention grants. Here are the key points of the bill:

Grant Priority Enhancements

The bill requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prioritize applicants for suicide prevention grants from entities located in states that have not yet received such a grant. This aims to ensure that resources are distributed more evenly across the country.

Eligibility and Scoring Preferences

• Grant Application Consideration: Entities that apply for grants in states without any awarded grants will have a priority scoring advantage.
• Aim for Equal Distribution: The goal is to motivate applications in areas that might be underserved, thereby improving access to mental health services for veterans nationwide.

Context and Goals

The changes outlined in the bill are part of ongoing efforts to combat veteran suicide by improving mental health care accessibility. By encouraging more applications for grants in states that haven't received funding, the bill seeks to reduce disparities in mental health service availability for veterans across different states.

Implementation

If enacted, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs will implement these priorities in the grant awarding process, effectively reshaping how funds are allocated to support veterans' mental health initiatives.

Relevant Companies

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