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119-hr-8737119th CongressWALLET

Never Fight Alone Act

Sponsored By: Representative Patronis, Jimmy [R-FL-1]

In Committee

Summary

Expands access to residential mental health and substance‑use care for veterans through the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP). It would add a new priority admission pathway when VA cannot provide timely residential care, set minimum licensing and accreditation standards for residential programs, strengthen veteran choice, add detailed reporting, and require Congressional approval for major future changes.

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  • Veterans: Would let veterans qualify for priority admission to VA residential mental health or substance‑use programs and get community care if the VA cannot meet access standards in a timely way. Referrals to another VA program would not delay community care unless the veteran requests that referral.
  • Families and caregivers: Would preserve veteran choice among available care options and require VA reporting on emergency care data, including whether transportation or hospitalization was needed, so families can see how care was used.
  • VA operations and providers: Would require community residential programs to be state licensed and accredited by the Joint Commission or by CARF, allow case‑by‑case waivers if needed, force VA to update access standards within 90 days, and add annual metrics like numbers of requests, approvals, denials, and appeals. Changes to who must receive care would need a joint resolution of Congress.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

More timely mental health care for veterans

If enacted, the bill would let you get community residential mental health or substance-use care when VA cannot provide timely VA residential care. You would qualify if you meet VA priority-admission rules and VA cannot accommodate you, or if you asked for a VA residential program and VA cannot provide it consistent with VA access standards. VA would not be allowed to find you ineligible only because VA providers miss wait-time or access rules. You would be able to choose among available community or VA care options, and VA may not force a referral to another VA residential program unless you ask for it.

New VA access rules and oversight

If enacted, the bill would require the VA Secretary to make mental health access rules no stricter than specialty care rules within 90 days of enactment. Most other changes to the conditions for providing community care made on or after enactment would not take effect until Congress approves them in a joint resolution. The 90-day alignment is an explicit short-term exception to that congressional-approval rule.

Stronger quality rules for residential care

If enacted, the bill would require community residential programs used by VA to have state licensure and accreditation from the Joint Commission or CARF (or successor standards). If a referred program lacks these credentials, VA would have to try to find an alternate program. VA could waive the standards for an individual veteran only if no alternate exists or a waiver is in the veteran’s best interest.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Patronis, Jimmy [R-FL-1]

FL • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Donalds, Byron [R-FL-19]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 9/24/2026

  • Rep. Luna, Anna Paulina [R-FL-13]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

  • Rep. Webster, Daniel [R-FL-11]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

  • Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

  • Rep. Ciscomani, Juan [R-AZ-6]

    AZ • R

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

  • Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

  • Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

  • Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6]

    WI • R

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

  • Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1]

    KS • R

    Sponsored 5/13/2026

  • Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4]

    IN • R

    Sponsored 5/13/2026

  • Rep. Mills, Cory [R-FL-7]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 5/14/2026

  • Rep. Fuller, Clay [R-GA-14]

    GA • R

    Sponsored 5/26/2026

  • Rep. Guest, Michael [R-MS-3]

    MS • R

    Sponsored 5/29/2026

  • Rep. James, John [R-MI-10]

    MI • R

    Sponsored 7/20/2026

  • Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2]

    KS • R

    Sponsored 8/31/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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