H.R. 2283 — Recognizing Community Organizations for Veteran Engagement and Recovery Act

This section establishes a three-year pilot program under which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs awards grants to eligible nonprofit mental health care providers that have operated at least one U.S. outpatient facility for three continuous years to deliver culturally competent, evidence-based mental health care to veterans, including operating existing facilities or establishing new ones and encouraging veterans' enrollment in the VA patient enrollment system established under 38 U.S.C. §1705 (which prioritizes veterans for hospital care and medical services based on service-connected disability ratings and other factors). Grant recipients may not charge veterans fees or refuse care based on reimbursement eligibility but may seek reimbursements from health plans, the VA Community Care Program under 38 U.S.C. §1703, or other federal, state, or local programs. In selecting facilities, the Secretary must distribute grants evenly between rural and urban areas; may consider facilities' historical veteran service proportions; and may prioritize medically underserved areas, those with large veteran populations, proximity to military installations, or high numbers of veterans at suicide risk. Per-facility grants may not exceed $1.5 million annually, except that facilities receiving at least 50% of their prior fiscal year operating budget from federal grants are limited to the lesser of 50% of that budget or $1.5 million; recipients may apply for multiple facilities or repeat grants. The Secretary must establish clinician training requirements for culturally competent veteran care and prescribe regulations requiring grant recipients to demonstrate accountability, clinical outcomes, and effective use of funds via data collection and reporting. Not later than 180 days after program completion, the Secretary must report to Congress on veterans served (including demographics and subsequent enrollments under 38 U.S.C. §1705), care types and durations, outcomes, and obstacles encountered. The section authorizes $20 million annually for FY2025 through FY2027.