What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act

This legislation mandates the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to implement standard practices for all grant and pilot programs administered by the Veterans Health Administration that address veteran suicide prevention or mental health. These practices aim to ensure consistency and effectiveness across such critical initiatives. The mandated standards include establishing clear and measurable objectives for each program, alongside a detailed methodology and plan for its evaluation. This plan must outline how information will be collected, analyzed, and used to determine whether a program should be expanded, extended, or made permanent. Furthermore, the bill emphasizes transparent communication of program objectives and evaluation plans with relevant entities throughout the program's lifecycle. Upon conclusion, a comprehensive evaluation must be performed to validate lessons learned and assess the program's generalizability, with results and best practices shared broadly. The Secretary is directed to prescribe regulations detailing these standard practices within 180 days of the Act's enactment. These regulations will apply to all relevant grant and pilot programs, regardless of their establishment date, ensuring a consistent approach to evaluating and improving veteran mental health services.