Finkenauer’s Bipartisan Veteran Caregiver Peer Support Bill Passes House

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer’s bipartisan Peer Support for Veterans Families Act passed the U.S. House on Wednesday as part of the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment Act of 2020.

The Peer Support for Veterans Families Act was introduced last month by Finkenauer and Congressman John Curtis (R-UT) to create a pilot program providing education and peer support for the families and caregivers of veterans who have received a mental health diagnosis. Congressman David McKinley (R-WV) was an original co-sponsor of the bill.

"Veterans facing a mental health diagnosis deserve the best care and all the necessary support — and so do their families and caregivers,” Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer said. “I am proud to see this bipartisan legislation pass the House, and want to thank Congressmen Curtis and McKinley for working with me to provide these important services to veterans’ families and caregivers."

"I urge our colleagues in the Senate to quickly consider this legislation and advance it to the White House for the president’s signature,” Finkenauer said.

The Peer Support for Veterans Families Act directs the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to set up a pilot program in 10 medical facilities to offer education and peer support programs to veterans’ caregivers and families. With the permission of the veteran, caregivers will receive training in understanding mental illness, coping with stress, and de-escalating crisis situations. The new initiative will allow caregivers to learn from and support each other as well as provide them the opportunity to lead trainings and peer support meetings.

The bill directs the VA to choose sites that lack other resources nearby and to contract with training organizations with expertise in evidence-based approaches and military/veteran cultural competence, and that can offer services online whenever possible.

The Peer Support for Veterans Families Act is endorsed by: the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs (NOVA), the American Mental Health Counselors Association, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, the American Association of Suicidology, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and The American Legion.