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HOPE for Heroes Act of 2025

USA119th CongressS-1139| Senate 
| Updated: 7/30/2025
Jerry Moran

Jerry Moran

Republican Senator

Kansas

Veterans' Affairs Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
The "Helping Optimize Prevention and Engagement for Heroes Act of 2025" (HOPE for Heroes Act of 2025) seeks to enhance and reauthorize the Department of Veterans Affairs' Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program. This legislation extends the program until September 30, 2030 , ensuring continued support for community-based suicide prevention efforts for veterans. It also shifts internal VA coordination for the program to the Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Clinical Services. The bill significantly modifies grant funding by increasing the maximum award to $1,000,000 and allowing additional performance-based amounts up to $500,000 , linked to the number of individuals receiving services. It sets spending limits, capping administrative costs at 30 percent and food/beverage expenses at five percent of grant funds. Grant recipients are now required to coordinate with the Secretary and local suicide prevention coordinators to ensure continuity of care for veterans. To improve service delivery, the Act mandates training for grant recipients on the Columbia Protocol (C-SSRS) for suicide screening, which new grantees must utilize. It also requires the Secretary to provide training to Department employees on the program and ensures quarterly briefings for local VA medical centers to foster better coordination with grantees. Crucially, the bill clarifies that if the VA fails to provide mental or behavioral health services within 72 hours of a referral, the individual qualifies for emergent suicide care , and expands allowable grant uses to include transportation and rideshare services for appointments.
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Timeline
Mar 26, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Mar 26, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Jul 30, 2025
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
  • March 26, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • March 26, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.


  • July 30, 2025
    Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Armed Forces and National Security

Employment and training programsHealth programs administration and fundingHealth promotion and preventive careMental healthPerformance measurementTransportation costsVeterans' medical care

HOPE for Heroes Act of 2025

USA119th CongressS-1139| Senate 
| Updated: 7/30/2025
The "Helping Optimize Prevention and Engagement for Heroes Act of 2025" (HOPE for Heroes Act of 2025) seeks to enhance and reauthorize the Department of Veterans Affairs' Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program. This legislation extends the program until September 30, 2030 , ensuring continued support for community-based suicide prevention efforts for veterans. It also shifts internal VA coordination for the program to the Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Clinical Services. The bill significantly modifies grant funding by increasing the maximum award to $1,000,000 and allowing additional performance-based amounts up to $500,000 , linked to the number of individuals receiving services. It sets spending limits, capping administrative costs at 30 percent and food/beverage expenses at five percent of grant funds. Grant recipients are now required to coordinate with the Secretary and local suicide prevention coordinators to ensure continuity of care for veterans. To improve service delivery, the Act mandates training for grant recipients on the Columbia Protocol (C-SSRS) for suicide screening, which new grantees must utilize. It also requires the Secretary to provide training to Department employees on the program and ensures quarterly briefings for local VA medical centers to foster better coordination with grantees. Crucially, the bill clarifies that if the VA fails to provide mental or behavioral health services within 72 hours of a referral, the individual qualifies for emergent suicide care , and expands allowable grant uses to include transportation and rideshare services for appointments.
View Full Text

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Timeline
Mar 26, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Mar 26, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Jul 30, 2025
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
  • March 26, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • March 26, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.


  • July 30, 2025
    Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Jerry Moran

Jerry Moran

Republican Senator

Kansas

Veterans' Affairs Committee

Armed Forces and National Security

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Employment and training programsHealth programs administration and fundingHealth promotion and preventive careMental healthPerformance measurementTransportation costsVeterans' medical care