The "Helping Heroes Act" mandates the establishment of the Veteran Family Resource Program (VFRP) within the Department of Veterans Affairs. This program, overseen by the Under Secretary for Health and the Office of Patient Care Services, aims to enhance the resilience, health, and well-being of veterans and their families. It achieves this by addressing social determinants of health challenges through person-centered clinical integrations, connections to VA benefits, and community resource engagement, ensuring access to a continuum of services for family wellness. To implement the VFRP, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs must appoint at least one family coordinator in each Veterans Integrated Service Network within five years, ensuring adequate staffing and resources. These coordinators will serve as key contacts at VA medical centers, possessing knowledge of both VA and community resources available to veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. Their duties include assessing needs, building relationships, referring individuals to appropriate local, State, Federal, and non-Department resources, and maintaining comprehensive lists of supportive services. The program's goals include connecting veterans to family resources, developing internal partnerships to improve healthcare, and capturing data for process improvement. The Secretary must establish metrics to assess the program's effectiveness, covering referrals, health factors, and veteran and staff satisfaction. The Secretary may also expand the program as deemed appropriate, and a report detailing the program's progress, participant demographics, services, costs, and outcomes is required to Congress within two years of its commencement. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary to conduct a survey of disabled veterans and their families within one year of enactment, and periodically thereafter, to identify and understand their needs, particularly regarding support for children and unmet needs. The Act also includes a nondiscrimination clause, applying various federal civil rights and disability laws to any program or activity receiving funds under this legislation.
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Helping Heroes Act
USA119th CongressHR-2077| House
| Updated: 3/31/2025
The "Helping Heroes Act" mandates the establishment of the Veteran Family Resource Program (VFRP) within the Department of Veterans Affairs. This program, overseen by the Under Secretary for Health and the Office of Patient Care Services, aims to enhance the resilience, health, and well-being of veterans and their families. It achieves this by addressing social determinants of health challenges through person-centered clinical integrations, connections to VA benefits, and community resource engagement, ensuring access to a continuum of services for family wellness. To implement the VFRP, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs must appoint at least one family coordinator in each Veterans Integrated Service Network within five years, ensuring adequate staffing and resources. These coordinators will serve as key contacts at VA medical centers, possessing knowledge of both VA and community resources available to veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. Their duties include assessing needs, building relationships, referring individuals to appropriate local, State, Federal, and non-Department resources, and maintaining comprehensive lists of supportive services. The program's goals include connecting veterans to family resources, developing internal partnerships to improve healthcare, and capturing data for process improvement. The Secretary must establish metrics to assess the program's effectiveness, covering referrals, health factors, and veteran and staff satisfaction. The Secretary may also expand the program as deemed appropriate, and a report detailing the program's progress, participant demographics, services, costs, and outcomes is required to Congress within two years of its commencement. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary to conduct a survey of disabled veterans and their families within one year of enactment, and periodically thereafter, to identify and understand their needs, particularly regarding support for children and unmet needs. The Act also includes a nondiscrimination clause, applying various federal civil rights and disability laws to any program or activity receiving funds under this legislation.