S. 701 — Helping Heroes Act

This section establishes the Veteran Family Resource Program to enhance veterans' resilience, health, and well-being by addressing social determinants of health challenges in their self-defined family units through person-centered clinical integrations, connections to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, and community resource engagement. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must carry out the program, not later than five years after enactment, by appointing at least one family coordinator in each Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN)—a regional network of VA medical facilities—to serve as point persons at medical centers for assisting veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors in accessing and navigating VA and community resources; assess needs using evidence-based strategies; build relationships; make referrals; and maintain lists of supportive services. The program sets goals of connecting veterans to family resources, developing internal partnerships to improve VA health care, capturing data for process improvements, and acting as a community liaison; requires the Secretary to establish metrics on VA and non-VA referrals, health factors, and veteran and staff satisfaction; and authorizes expansion to additional medical centers. Not later than two years after program commencement, the Secretary must report to the congressional Committees on Veterans' Affairs and subcommittees on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies of the Committees on Appropriations on the number of veterans and children served, participant demographics (including relationship to veteran, age, race, ethnicity, gender, disability, and English proficiency), services provided and costs, and participant survey outcomes on health, well-being, and treatment goals. The section defines supportive services as those addressing children's social, emotional, mental health, career-readiness, and other needs (e.g., wellness services, peer-support programs).

This section directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, not later than one year after enactment and not less frequently than every five years thereafter, to conduct a survey of disabled veterans and their families to identify their needs. The survey must include questions on (1) the types and quality of support such veterans receive for their children and (2) the unmet needs of such children.

This section applies specified federal nondiscrimination laws—including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (race, color, or national origin), Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (sex), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (disability), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (disability), and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (age)—to any program or activity receiving funds under this Act.