119-hr3183

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3183 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 3183

To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Office of Falls 
 Prevention of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other 
 purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 May 5, 2025

 Ms. Budzinski (for herself, Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Mrs. Kiggans 
 of Virginia, Mr. Bergman, and Mr. Bilirakis) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in 
 addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to 
 be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
 committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Office of Falls 
 Prevention of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other 
 purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Access to Falls Education 
and prevention and Strengthening Training Efforts and Promoting Safety 
initiatives for Veterans Act of 2025'' or the ``SAFE STEPS for Veterans 
Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE OF FALLS PREVENTION OF DEPARTMENT OF 
 VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Establishment of Office.--

    (1) In general.--Subchapter I of chapter 73 of title 38, 
 United States Code, is amended by inserting after 

section 7310A 
 the following new section:
``

Sec. 7310B. Office of Falls Prevention
 ``

    (a) Office.--

    (1) The Under Secretary for Health shall establish 
and operate in the Veterans Health Administration the Office of Falls 
Prevention (in this section referred to as the `Office').
 ``

    (2) The Office shall be located at the Central Office of the 
Department.
 ``

    (3)
        (A) The head of the Office is the Chief Officer of Falls 
Prevention (in this section referred to as the `Chief Officer').
        (B) The Chief Officer shall report to the Under Secretary for Health.
 ``

    (4) The Under Secretary for Health shall provide the Office with 
such staff and other support as may be necessary for the Office to 
carry out effectively the functions of the Office under this section.
 ``

    (5) The Under Secretary for Health may reorganize existing 
offices within the Veterans Health Administration as of the date of the 
enactment of this section in order to avoid duplication with the 
functions of the Office.
 ``

    (b) Functions.--The functions of the Office include the 
following:
 ``

    (1) To provide a central office for monitoring and 
 encouraging the activities of the Veterans Health 
 Administration with respect to the provision, evaluation, and 
 improvement of health care services relating to falls 
 prevention provided to veterans by the Department, with the 
 goal of averting costly health care utilization while 
 decreasing the incidence of falls.
 ``

    (2) To develop and implement standards of care for the 
 provision by the Department of health care services relating to 
 falls prevention.
 ``

    (3) To monitor and identify deficiencies in standards of 
 care for the provision of health care services relating to 
 falls prevention, to provide technical assistance to medical 
 facilities of the Department, to provide technical assistance 
 to programs of the Department that support veterans in their 
 own homes, to address and remedy deficiencies of such 
 facilities and programs, and to perform oversight of 
 implementation of such standards of care.
 ``

    (4) To monitor and identify deficiencies in standards of 
 care for the provision of health care services relating to 
 falls prevention through the community pursuant to this title 
 and to provide recommendations to the appropriate office to 
 address and remedy any deficiencies.
 ``

    (5) To oversee distribution of resources and information 
 related to falls prevention for veterans under this title.
 ``

    (6) To promote the expansion and improvement of clinical, 
 research, and educational activities of the Veterans Health 
 Administration with respect to health care services relating to 
 falls prevention, including research activities on falls 
 prevention conducted between the Office of Research and 
 Development of the Department and the National Institute on 
 Aging.
 ``

    (7) To promote the development or expansion of rigorous 
 quality assessment or improvement processes designed to prevent 
 falls, including through coordination and collaboration with 
 offices within the Department determined appropriate by the 
 Secretary.
 ``

    (8) To coordinate home modification and adaptation 
 programs administered by the Under Secretary for Benefits under 
 chapter 21 of this title and the Under Secretary for Health 
 under 

section 1717

    (a)

    (2) of this title.
 ``

    (9) To carry out such other duties as the Under Secretary 
 for Health may require.
 ``
            (c) Public Education Campaign.--The Chief Officer shall--
 ``

    (1) oversee and support a national education campaign 
 that--
 ``
        (A) is directed principally to veterans 
 determined to be at risk for falls, their families, and 
 their health care providers; and
 ``
        (B) focuses on--
 ``
            (i) reducing falls, falls with major 
 injury, and repeat falls for veterans receiving 
 care under the laws administered by the 
 Secretary; and
 ``
            (ii) increasing awareness of available 
 benefits, grants, devices, or services provided 
 by the Department that would aid veterans in 
 reducing falls and preventing repeat falls; and
 ``

    (2) award grants or contracts to qualified organizations 
 for the purpose of supporting local education campaigns 
 focusing on reducing falls, falls with major injury, and repeat 
 falls for veterans receiving care under the laws administered 
 by the Secretary.
 ``
            (d) Research on Falls Prevention Programs for Veteran 
Populations.--

    (1) The Chief Officer shall work with the Office of 
Research and Development of the Department and the National Institute 
on Aging to develop research for evidence-based falls prevention 
programs that will benefit veterans, including--
 ``
        (A) programs that overlap with the priorities of the 
 Department;
 ``
        (B) programs that may focus on or be of particular 
 benefit to veterans; and
 ``
            (C) programs that may include participants with multiple 
 comorbidities.
 ``

    (2) The research required under paragraph

    (1) shall include the 
following:
 ``
        (A) Research in supporting veterans with and without 
 service-connected disabilities receiving home modification 
 grants under 

section 1717 or 2101 of this title.
 ``
        (B) Development of recommendations for falls prevention 
 interventions for veterans with service-connected disabilities, 
 including home modification interventions.
 ``
            (C) Research addressing medication management and 
 polypharmacy as risk factors for falls prevention and 
 developing recommendations for providers and electronic health 
 records systems of the Department to monitor for veterans at 
 risk of falls based on use of certain medications.
 ``
            (D) Research on improvements for safe patient handling 
 and mobility among veterans, particularly in facilities (both 
 medical and non-medical) that are not spinal cord injury 
 centers.
 ``

    (3)
        (A) The Secretary and the Director of the National Institute 
on Aging shall establish a joint subject matter expert panel to develop 
recommendations as required under paragraph

    (2)
        (B) .
 ``
        (B) The subject matter expert panel required under subparagraph
        (A) shall be comprised of eight members, of which--
 ``
            (i) four shall be appointed by the Secretary; and
 ``
            (ii) four shall be appointed by the Director of the 
 National Institute on Aging.''.

    (2) Establishment of joint subject matter expert panel.--
 Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
 Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Director of the 
 National Institute on Aging shall establish the joint subject 
 matter expert panel required under 

section 7310B
            (d) (3) of title 
 38, United States Code, as added by paragraph

    (1) .

    (3) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
 beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
 item relating to 

section 7310A the following new item:

``7310B. Office of Falls Prevention.''.

    (b) Expansion of Interagency Coordinating Committee on Healthy 
Aging and Age-Friendly Communities.--

Section 203
            (c) of the Older 
Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3013
            (c) ) is amended--

    (1) in paragraph

    (2) , by inserting ``the Secretary of 
 Veterans Affairs,'' after ``the Commissioner of Social 
 Security,''; and

    (2) in paragraph

    (7) , in the matter preceding subparagraph
        (A) --
        (A) by inserting ``the Committee on Veterans' 
 Affairs of the House of Representatives,'' after ``the 
 Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
 Representatives,''; and
        (B) by inserting ``the Committee on Veterans' 
 Affairs of the Senate,'' after ``the Committee on 
 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
 Senate,''.
            (c) Safe Handling Transfer Techniques.--Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall issue or update directives of the Veterans Health 
Administration for facilities and providers relating to safe patient 
handling and mobility policies at the national, Veterans Integrated 
Service Network, and health-care system levels, which shall include the 
following:

    (1) Requiring biennial training for providers, including 
 that all providers be trained in safe patient handling and use 
 of mobility aids and mobility techniques.

    (2) Requiring that any medical facility where patients may 
 need assistance with transfer or mobility have access to safe 
 patient handling and mobility technology appropriate for the 
 setting to enable safe transfer and mobilization for access to 
 care and activities of daily living for veterans who are 
 paralyzed or who need assistance with mobility.

    (3) Requiring that all emergency settings have immediate 
 access to safe patient handling and mobility technology to 
 enable safe transfer, fall recovery, and repositioning.
            (d) Pilot Program on Falls Prevention Interventions Tied to 
Residential Adaptations and Alterations.--

    (1) Determination.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
 determine the feasibility and advisability of carrying out a 
 pilot program to provide home improvements and structural 
 alterations to prevent falls for all veterans eligible for 
 those services under the laws administered by the Secretary.

    (2) Plan.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
 enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
 report--
        (A) indicating the plans of the Secretary to carry 
 out a pilot program to provide home improvements and 
 structural alterations to prevent falls for all 
 veterans eligible for those services under the laws 
 administered by the Secretary; or
        (B) specifying why the Secretary determined under 
 paragraph

    (1) that it is not feasible or advisable to 
 carry out such a pilot program.

    (3) Report on lessons learned.--If the Secretary carries 
 out the pilot program described in paragraph

    (1) , not later 
 than 180 days after the termination of the pilot program, the 
 Chief Officer of Falls Prevention of the Department of Veterans 
 Affairs established under 

section 7310B

    (a)

    (3)
        (A) of title 38, 
 United States Code, as added by subsection

    (a)

    (1) , shall submit 
 to Congress a report on lessons learned from the pilot program 
 and any recommendations on extending or expanding the pilot 
 program.

    (e) Report on Falls Prevention Initiatives.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than two years after the date of 
 the enactment of this Act, or one year after the appointment of 
 the Chief Officer of Falls Prevention of the Department of 
 Veterans Affairs established under 

section 7310B

    (a)

    (3)
        (A) of 
 title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection

    (a)

    (1) , 
 whichever occurs first, the Chief Officer, or the Under 
 Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs if a 
 Chief Officer has not yet been appointed, shall submit to 
 Congress a report on falls prevention initiatives within the 
 Department.

    (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph

    (1) shall 
 evaluate, for the three-year period preceding the date of the 
 enactment of this Act--
        (A) screening procedures at facilities of the 
 Veterans Health Administration for risk of falls and 
 the prevalence of resulting falls prevention 
 interventions;
        (B) the use by the Department of electronic health 
 record documentation for risk of falls among veterans;
            (C) the number of home modification grants provided 
 under either the Home Improvements and Structural 
 Alterations Program of the Department under 

section 1717 of title 38, United States Code, or the Specially 
 Adapted Housing Program of the Department under 

section 2101 of such title;
            (D) the extent to which grants provided under the 
 programs specified under subparagraph
            (C) prevent falls 
 among veterans and any recommendations with respect to 
 such programs in the case of falls among veterans that 
 were not prevented;
        (E) for veterans eligible for the Home Improvements 
 and Structural Alterations Program of the Department 
 under 

section 1717 of title 38, United States Code, 
 pursuant to subsection

    (a)

    (2)
        (B) of such section, the 
 number of home modification grants provided to each 
 veteran in receipt of such a grant;
        (F) the types of providers that have conducted 
 medical assessments leading to a recommendation for a 
 home modification tied to medical necessity, and any 
 recommendations for legislative or administrative 
 action to expand the list of providers eligible to 
 conduct medical assessments leading to a recommendation 
 for a home modification;
        (G) home evaluation processes that are conducted in 
 connection with awards made under the programs 
 specified under subparagraph
            (C) and any 
 recommendations for improving the evaluation and review 
 process;
        (H) reporting programs and software of the 
 Department used to capture incidences of falls in care 
 sites of the Veterans Health Administration and other 
 veterans' settings;
            (I) limitations on uptake and use of current 
 prevention, screening, and intervention programs 
 designed to address falls prevention; and
        (J) recommendations for the Secretary of Veterans 
 Affairs to work with the Centers for Disease Control 
 and Prevention, or other entities determined 
 appropriate by the Secretary, to better capture data on 
 falls by a veteran occurring in the home or in the 
 community.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF FALLS ASSESSMENT AND FALL PREVENTION SERVICE 
 REQUIREMENTS FOR VETERANS.

    (a) Required Nursing Home Care.--

Section 1710A of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by striking subsection
            (d) and inserting the 
following:
 ``
            (d) In the case of an individual determined by a physician to 
have fallen or to have been at risk of falling during the previous one-
year period, the Secretary shall ensure that a licensed physical 
therapist or a licensed occupational therapist conducts a falls risk 
assessment for the individual and provides fall prevention services 
during the stay of the individual in the nursing home.
 ``

    (e) The provisions of subsection

    (a) shall terminate on September 
30, 2028.''.

    (b) Extended Care Services.--

Section 1710B

    (a) of such title is 
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
 ``

    (7) The conduct of an annual falls risk assessment and 
 the provision of fall prevention services by a licensed 
 physical therapist or licensed occupational therapist.''.
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