House Unanimously Passes Bill to Increase Mental Health Resources for Veterans’ Caregivers

WASHINGTON — The House on Monday unanimously passed the Caregiver Outreach and Program Enhancement Act, which would increase mental health resources available to caregivers of America’s veteran population.

Alternately known as the COPE Act, the bipartisan legislation sponsored by Reps. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and Jen Kiggans, R-Va., would accomplish this goal by establishing Department of Veterans Affairs grant programs for entities that support caregiver mental health and well-being.

“We are lucky to have the Coatesville VA Medical Center in my community and other VA health systems nearby in Lebanon and Philadelphia,” Houlahan said in a written statement.

“Sadly, many veterans across the country don’t have a VA health system nearby, meaning those veterans’ family members have to step in and help provide care,” she continued. “These family caregivers often require support of their own to perform what can be a physically, emotionally and mentally taxing job of veteran caregiving. 

“I am proud to see our bipartisan bill establishing a grant program to expand access to and availability of mental health resources for caregivers passed by the House. The program will provide counseling, treatment and other support to benefit veterans and their families in Pennsylvania and beyond,” she said.

Kiggans said with the passage of the COPE Act in the House, the chamber took several important steps “to ensure our veterans are receiving the quality health care they have earned and deserve in a safe environment.”

“As the granddaughter of a veteran, the daughter of a veteran, the wife of a veteran, the mother of future veterans, and having served 10 years in the Navy as a helicopter pilot, I will always fight to provide our former service members with a VA care system they can depend on,” she said.

The bill, which has been endorsed by AARP, is now before the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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