H.R. 6993 — BEACON Act of 2026

This section establishes the TBI Innovation Grant Program within the Department of Veterans Affairs to award grants to eligible entities—nonprofit organizations, academic institutions engaged in TBI research, non-Department health care providers with neurorehabilitative expertise, or other entities deemed appropriate—for developing, implementing, and evaluating prospective randomized controlled trials of neurorehabilitation treatments for chronic mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in veterans. Grant funds support (1) designing and testing novel or integrative non-pharmacological, patient-centered treatments; (2) clinical studies measuring improvements in veteran mental health outcomes, reductions in suicidality and related risk factors (e.g., depression, substance use disorders), and mitigation of long-term mTBI effects; (3) clinician training and outreach to veterans and families; and (4) partnerships with community organizations, academic institutions, and VA facilities. Individual grants are limited to $5 million per fiscal year, with priority for entities demonstrating mTBI treatment experience; grantees must submit detailed applications and annual reports, and the Secretary must provide oversight, annual program evaluations, and coordination with the Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program. The program authorizes $30 million for FY2026 through FY2028 (available until expended, using funds for general VA mental health care), requires regulations within 180 days of enactment, and terminates after three years, subject to annual reviews of effectiveness for potential continuation or expansion.

This section establishes a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) research grant program to award grants to eligible entities—such as academic institutions conducting significant traumatic brain injury (TBI) research, nonprofits with expertise in TBI research and neurorehabilitation, or other entities or partnerships deemed appropriate by the VA Secretary—for studies and applied programs on TBI treatment approaches and methodologies for veterans. Each fiscal year, the program awards (1) four grants of not more than $625,000 for exploratory or pilot research and treatment projects, with not fewer than three to nonprofits; and (2) five grants of not more than $1,500,000 for collaborative or multidisciplinary research and treatment initiatives. The VA Secretary must enter an agreement with an independent third-party organization (comparable to the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) to administer the program and conduct related studies, including data analysis on mental health outcomes and long-term recovery among veterans, identification of evidence-based best practices, and randomized controlled clinical trials to validate treatments, establish standards of care, and improve veteran access; this organization must report findings and recommendations to Congress and the Secretary. The section authorizes $10 million for each of FY2026 through FY2028 and requires the Secretary to submit reports to Congress beginning two years after program commencement (and annually thereafter) on study findings and policy recommendations for VA TBI services. The program terminates three years after enactment.

This section defines, for purposes of this Act, the terms “TBI” (traumatic brain injury), “treatment” (clinical interventions, therapeutic devices, or rehabilitation care provided directly to a veteran with TBI), and “veteran” (as defined in 38 U.S.C. §101).