SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act of 2025
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This bill would establish a VA Office of Falls Prevention to improve safety, education, and mobility services for aging veterans.
What it does
This bill would establish an Office of Falls Prevention within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to oversee a national education campaign and improve health care services related to fall prevention for veterans. The proposal would require the VA to update safety policies regarding patient handling and ensure that certain veterans receive fall risk assessments from licensed physical or occupational therapists. Additionally, the bill would add the VA to the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Healthy Aging and Age-Friendly Communities and direct the department to study the feasibility of a pilot program for home modifications to prevent falls.
Who is affected
This bill primarily affects veterans, their families, and health care providers through a national falls prevention education campaign and expanded access to risk assessments conducted by licensed physical or occupational therapists. It also impacts the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by requiring the creation of an Office of Falls Prevention and the update of safe patient handling policies. Additionally, the bill involves the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Healthy Aging and Age-Friendly Communities by adding the VA as a member.
Key provisions
- Establishment of the Office of Falls Prevention. Creates a new office within the Veterans Health Administration to oversee, evaluate, and improve health care services and national education campaigns focused on reducing falls among veterans.
- Expansion of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Healthy Aging. Adds the Department of Veterans Affairs as a member of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Healthy Aging and Age-Friendly Communities.
- Updates to Safe Patient Handling and Mobility Policies. Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to issue or update clinical directives for facilities and providers regarding safe patient handling and mobility.
- Pilot Program for Home Improvements and Structural Alterations. Directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to study the feasibility of a pilot program that provides home modifications to prevent falls for eligible veterans.
- Mandatory Falls Risk Assessments. Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that certain veterans receive falls risk assessments conducted by licensed physical or occupational therapists.
Fiscal impact
Not applicable: No CBO cost estimate available
Effective dates
Not applicable: Official Summary does not address effective dates
Relationship to existing law
The bill expands the membership of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Healthy Aging and Age-Friendly Communities to include the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It also requires the VA to update Veterans Health Administration directives regarding safe patient handling and mobility policies and explores pilot programs for home improvements authorized under existing VA laws.
Stated purpose
The bill aims to improve Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care services related to mobility and aging by establishing a dedicated Office of Falls Prevention and expanding national education on fall reduction. It seeks to enhance safety through updated patient handling policies, increased interagency coordination on healthy aging, and the assessment of home modifications and clinical screenings to prevent falls among veterans.