H.R. 1290 — Veterans Mental Health Crisis Referral Enhancement Act of 2025

This section provides the short title of the Act as the “Veterans Mental Health Crisis Referral Enhancement Act of 2025.”

This section directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a 3-year pilot program, beginning not later than 180 days after enactment, under which Vet Centers and Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities refer veterans experiencing mental health crises to non-Department mental health care providers approved by the Secretary. The Secretary must select at least 3 geographic locations for the pilot and, as part of the program, develop and maintain a referral system that connects veterans to care within 1 week, establish provider-approval criteria, hire any additional employees needed to facilitate referrals, and train Vet Center and medical facility staff on the system. The section also requires annual reports to Congress, due not later than 6 months after the end of each program year, on the number of veterans referred, the average wait time for care after referral, and veteran satisfaction, as well as a final report due not later than 180 days after the pilot ends evaluating the program’s effectiveness and recommending whether to expand or modify the referral system. It authorizes $3 million for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2027, for a total of $9 million.