STUDY ON INPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE CARE FROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

SEC. 503. STUDY ON INPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE CARE FROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.(a) In General.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall complete the conduct of a study on access of veterans to care under the residential rehabilitation treatment programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs to determine—(1) if there are sufficient geographic offerings of inpatient mental health care, especially for veterans in rural and remote communities; (2) if there are sufficient bed spaces at each location, based on demand and drive time from the homes of veterans; (3) if there are any workforce-related capacity limitations at each location, including if beds are unable to be used because there are not enough providers to care for additional patients; (4) if there are diagnosis-specific or sex-specific barriers to accessing care under such programs; and (5) the average wait time for a bed in such a program, broken out by—(A) Veterans Integrated Service Network; (B) rural or urban area; (C) sex; and (D) specialty (general program, substance use disorder program, military sexual trauma program, etc.). (b) Recommendations for Modifications to Treatment Programs.—Using the results from the study conducted under subsection (a), the Secretary shall make recommendations for—(1) new locations for opening facilities to participate in the residential rehabilitation treatment programs of the Department; (2) facilities under such programs at which new beds can be added; and (3) any additional specialty tracks to be added to such programs, such as substance use disorder or military sexual trauma, in order to meet veteran need and demand. (c) Report.—Not later than 180 days after completion of the study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the findings of the study conducted under subsection (a) and the recommendations made by the Secretary under subsection (b).