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119-hr-8044119th CongressWALLET

Get Justice-Involved Veterans BACK HOME Act

Sponsored By: Representative Conaway, Herbert C. [D-NJ-3]

In Committee

Summary

Expand VA mental health services for incarcerated veterans. This bill would create a VA-run pilot delivering no-copay mental health care in at least five diverse correctional facilities, expand veteran-dedicated housing inside the correctional system, ensure VA compensation automatically resumes after release, and strengthen data collection and reporting on incarcerated veterans.

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  • Incarcerated veterans: Direct VA clinicians would provide prioritized mental health care for those with service-connected PTSD, traumatic brain injury, or military sexual trauma. Care can be delivered by telehealth or mobile units and providers in the pilot may not perform disability claim evaluations.
  • Families and reentry: The bill would require automatic resumption of VA compensation when incarceration ends and increase veteran-specific housing within facilities to support stability at release.
  • VA and correctional partners: It would create a separate VA clinical hub that operates apart from VA medical centers and Veterans Integrated Service Networks, coordinate with state and federal incarceration agencies, and run the pilot in facilities of different sizes and urban and rural settings while improving congressional reporting on incarcerated veterans.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Automatic VA payments on release

If enacted, VA compensation and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation that stopped because of incarceration would restart automatically on the day the person is released. The change would apply to payments interrupted under the cited incarceration rule. This rule would take effect 180 days after the Act is enacted.

VA mental health pilot for incarcerated veterans

If enacted, VA would run a mental health pilot for incarcerated veterans at at least five facilities that reflect large/small and urban/rural settings. The pilot would serve facilities that already have separate veteran housing and would prioritize veterans with service-connected PTSD, TBI, or military sexual trauma. VA would provide care using VA staff only, create a separate hub of providers for incarcerated veterans, and would not charge copays. VA would use telehealth if the facility has the needed infrastructure or mobile Vet Center units or other VA methods if not, and pilot clinicians would not perform disability claims exams.

Prison veteran housing and programs

If enacted, the Bureau of Prisons would be required, wherever feasible, to set up dedicated wards or housing units for incarcerated veterans. Institutions with such units would need to work with local VA facilities for training, resources, and tailored rehabilitation programming. If a facility cannot create a housing unit because of capacity or resources, it would have to run structured veteran-focused programs with VA oversight. These changes would take effect upon enactment.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Conaway, Herbert C. [D-NJ-3]

NJ • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 10/22/2026

  • Rep. Luttrell, Morgan [R-TX-8]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 3/24/2026

  • Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 6/25/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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