Sponsors (10)
The bill standardizes and expands fall-risk assessment, prevention services, training, research, and outreach likely to reduce veteran injuries and downstream costs, but it raises administrative and staffing costs and risks uneven implementation—especially in rural areas or if VA cannot recruit enough clinicians.
Veterans in VA nursing homes and extended care programs will receive required falls risk assessments and prevention services, reducing injuries and hospitalizations.
VA providers and long-term care staff (including licensed PTs/OTs) will be required to provide fall-prevention services and receive training, improving quality of care and functional outcomes for veterans.
Veterans and their families will gain from VA-funded local education campaigns and grants that increase awareness of fall-prevention resources and how to access them.
Taxpayers and veterans may face higher VA administrative and operational costs from creating a new central office, expanded reporting, pilot evaluations, and added staffing (e.g., PT/OT coverage), which could divert funds from other direct care if not separately funded.
If the VA cannot hire sufficient licensed PTs/OTs or otherwise staff required services, veterans may face delays or gaps in receiving mandated assessments and prevention services.
Smaller and rural VA facilities may struggle with the costs and logistics of mandated technology, biennial training, and implementation requirements, producing uneven service quality or access.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Establishes a VA Office of Falls Prevention, funds education/grants and requires PT/OT falls assessments and prevention services in VA nursing homes and extended care.
Official title: To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Office of Falls Prevention of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 5, 2025 by Nikki Budzinski · Last progress May 5, 2025
Creates a permanent Office of Falls Prevention inside the Veterans Health Administration to coordinate fall-prevention policy, research, education, and program support for veterans. It requires the VA to appoint a Chief Officer, run national education campaigns, award grants or contracts for local outreach, coordinate research with the VA Office of Research and Development and the National Institute on Aging, and align existing VHA resources to avoid duplication. Requires licensed physical or occupational therapists to perform falls risk assessments and provide fall-prevention services for veterans in VA nursing homes after a recent fall or risk of falling, and adds an annual falls risk assessment and fall-prevention service requirement for extended care beneficiaries. Also sets a termination date (Sept 30, 2028) for one existing subsection of a VA extended-care provision.