This legislation mandates the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to undertake a thorough review of all suicides among veterans who received VA hospital care or medical services within five years of their death. This comprehensive analysis must be completed within 18 months of the bill's enactment and will cover suicides occurring in the five-year period preceding the enactment date. The review will delve into various critical aspects, including the total number of suicides , demographic information such as age, gender, and race, and a detailed examination of medications prescribed by VA physicians . Specifically, it will identify drugs with black box warnings, off-label use, psychotropic properties, or those associated with suicidal ideation, alongside the diagnoses that led to their prescription. The analysis will also assess instances of concurrent multiple medications, the percentage of veterans not on VA-prescribed medication, and the prevalence of combat experience or trauma like military sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, and post-traumatic stress. Furthermore, the review will pinpoint Veteran Health Administration facilities with high prescription and suicide rates, describe VA prescribing policies, and identify any overarching patterns. Ultimately, the Secretary is required to develop recommendations for further action to enhance veteran safety and well-being. A report detailing the review's findings and recommendations must be submitted to Congress and made publicly available within 30 days of its completion.
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Armed Forces and National Security
Veteran Suicide Prevention Act
USA119th CongressHR-6858| House
| Updated: 1/22/2026
This legislation mandates the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to undertake a thorough review of all suicides among veterans who received VA hospital care or medical services within five years of their death. This comprehensive analysis must be completed within 18 months of the bill's enactment and will cover suicides occurring in the five-year period preceding the enactment date. The review will delve into various critical aspects, including the total number of suicides , demographic information such as age, gender, and race, and a detailed examination of medications prescribed by VA physicians . Specifically, it will identify drugs with black box warnings, off-label use, psychotropic properties, or those associated with suicidal ideation, alongside the diagnoses that led to their prescription. The analysis will also assess instances of concurrent multiple medications, the percentage of veterans not on VA-prescribed medication, and the prevalence of combat experience or trauma like military sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, and post-traumatic stress. Furthermore, the review will pinpoint Veteran Health Administration facilities with high prescription and suicide rates, describe VA prescribing policies, and identify any overarching patterns. Ultimately, the Secretary is required to develop recommendations for further action to enhance veteran safety and well-being. A report detailing the review's findings and recommendations must be submitted to Congress and made publicly available within 30 days of its completion.