§1783 — Title 38 Veterans' Benefits | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary may provide bereavement counseling to someone who was receiving services under section 1782 when a veteran died, if the death was unexpected or happened while the veteran was in a hospice or similar VA program. The Secretary may also offer this counseling to immediate family of a service member who dies on active duty in the line of duty and not because of the member’s own misconduct; immediate family includes parents. Counseling can be given through centers that provide readjustment and mental health services under section 1712A. Bereavement counseling means short-term help the Secretary decides is reasonable and needed to help a person cope with the emotional and mental stress after a death.

Title 38, §1783

Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In the case of an individual who was a recipient of services under section 1782 of this title at the time of the death of the veteran, the Secretary may provide bereavement counseling to that individual in the case of a death—

(1)that was unexpected; or

(2)that occurred while the veteran was participating in a hospice program (or a similar program) conducted by the Secretary.

(b)(1)The Secretary may provide bereavement counseling to an individual who is a member of the immediate family of a member of the Armed Forces who dies in the active military, naval, air, or space service in the line of duty and under circumstances not due to the person’s own misconduct.

(2)For purposes of this subsection, the members of the immediate family of a member of the Armed Forces described in paragraph (1) include the parents of such member.

(c)Bereavement counseling may be provided under this section through the facilities and personnel of centers for the provision of readjustment counseling and related mental health services under section 1712A of this title.

(d)For purposes of this section, the term “bereavement counseling” means such counseling services, for a limited period, as the Secretary determines to be reasonable and necessary to assist an individual with the emotional and psychological stress accompanying the death of another individual.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 1783 was renumbered section 3683 of this title.

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “air, or space service” for “or air service”. 2006—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–461, § 216(a), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2). Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 109–461, § 216(b), added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d).

§1783 Bereavement Counseling