Miller-Meeks Veterans Justice Outreach Act Passes House

Statement

Today, June 23rd, 2022, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks' (IA-02) Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Improvement Act passed the House as a part of H.R. 6411, the bipartisan STRONG Veterans Act. The VJO Improvement Act would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to expand outreach about the VJO program to ensure that every veteran who could be eligible for VJO is aware of the program.

"I am thrilled to see my Veterans Justice Outreach Improvement Act pass the House today as a part of the STRONG Veterans Act. As a 24-year Army veteran, I know that the VJO program is incredibly important to supporting our veterans and we need to be working to make sure it reaches every veteran it can help," said Miller-Meeks. "I will always fight to ensure that our veterans have access to the benefits they have earned and the services they need. I look forward to working with all of my colleagues to support our heroes."

To read the full text of the STRONG Veterans Act, click HERE.

To read the full text of the VJO Improvement Act, click HERE.

Background:

Justice-involved veterans who have been arrested and/or incarcerated are at an increased risk for homelessness, substance abuse, mental illness, and suicide. In 2009, the VA established the VJO program to help support justice-involved veterans. Through VJO, specialists at each VA medical center work with local courts, jails, and law enforcement offices -- including those in veteran-specific treatment courts - to identify justice-involved veterans, assess their needs, and connect them with VA benefits and services. In 2020, 36,365 veterans were served through VJO.

In 2021, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report entitled, "Further Actions to Identify and Address Barriers to Participation Would Promote Access to Services," which found that VJO had certain deficiencies, including with regard to the identification of and outreach to justice-involved veterans and the training of VJO specialists. As a result, not all veterans who could benefit from VJO seek it.

In addition to requiring improved outreach, the VJO Improvement Act would require the VA to increase the number of VJO specialists in rural, remote, and underserved areas and to improve training and establish performance goals, measures, and timelines for VJO specialists. The VA would further be required to report to Congress on the availability and efficacy of veteran treatment courts

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