Senator Sheehy's bill would establish a dedicated Office of Novel Therapeutics within the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure the VA is fully prepared to responsibly evaluate, research, and implement emerging mental health therapies for Veterans suffering from PTSD, depression, and other conditions.

What the Bill Does

The bill establishes centralized governance, workforce readiness planning, and clinical implementation infrastructure within the Veterans Health Administration — ensuring emerging therapies, including psychedelic-assisted treatments currently under FDA review, can be responsibly integrated into VA care.

Provision 01

Office of Novel Therapeutics

Establishes a dedicated office within the VHA to coordinate research, clinical standards, and implementation planning for emerging therapeutic interventions.

Provision 02

National Clinical Standards

Develops care models covering patient eligibility guidance, safety protocols, interdisciplinary team models, and integration with VA mental health and suicide prevention programs.

Provision 03

Workforce Readiness

Assesses workforce readiness and establishes national training standards for clinicians and peer support specialists involved in emerging therapeutic interventions.

Provision 04

Clinical Implementation Program

Creates a program to evaluate the safety, effectiveness, and feasibility of emerging therapies in real-world VA clinical settings to inform potential system-wide adoption.

Provision 05

Centers of Excellence

Authorizes VA to designate Centers of Excellence to lead research, training, and implementation of emerging therapies and share best practices across VA medical centers.

Provision 06

Veteran Advisory Committee

Establishes a committee of Veterans, caregivers, academic affiliates, and subject matter experts to provide input on patient safety, access, and patient-centered care.

Provision 07

Federal Coordination

Requires coordination with FDA, HHS, CMS, DoD, and DEA to support regulatory readiness and reimbursement pathways at a federal level.

Provision 08

Congressional Accountability

Requires annual reporting to Congress on research progress, clinical outcomes, workforce readiness, and implementation barriers.

“These therapies often require intensive clinical oversight, interdisciplinary care teams, and structured preparation and integration that differ from traditional outpatient care.”

Why It Matters

Veterans can't wait for the VA to scramble after treatments are approved. The infrastructure must be built now.

Prepared, not reactive. Ensures the VA is ready to safely implement emerging mental health treatments as they become available — not scrambling to catch up after approval.

Unified coordination. Strengthens coordination between research, clinical operations, and workforce training within VA — ending siloed, fragmented efforts.

Veteran-centered innovation. Positions VA to lead the responsible evaluation of innovative therapies for Veterans with complex mental health and brain health conditions.

Access within the system. Ensures Veterans can access emerging treatments within VA's integrated healthcare system — rather than paying out-of-pocket for fragmented care outside the Department.

Co-Lead & Cosponsors

This legislation has broad bipartisan and bicameral support, reflecting a shared commitment to Veterans' mental health across party lines.

Endorsed By

Leading Veteran service organizations, mental health advocates, and research institutions have endorsed this bill.

Help Move This Forward

Veterans can't wait. Here's how you can make a difference today.

1

Endorse the Bill

Add your name or organization to the growing list of supporters.

2

Contact Congress

Call or email your Senators. Ask them to cosponsor this legislation.

3

Support VMHLC

Join our 501(c)(19) coalition fighting for Veteran access to emerging therapies.

We're Stronger Together

Whether you're a Veteran, clinician, policymaker, or ally — there's a role for you here.

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