H.R. 3183

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

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 · Sponsor: Ms. Budzinski

Table of contents

• H.R. 3183
  • 7310B. Office of Falls Prevention.

7310B. Office of Falls Prevention.

• (a) Office
  • Office
    • 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 ).
    • The Office shall be located at the Central Office of the Department.
  • (3)
    • The head of the Office is the Chief Officer of Falls Prevention (in this section referred to as the ).
    • The Chief Officer shall report to the Under Secretary for Health.
    • 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.
    • 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:
    • 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.
    • To develop and implement standards of care for the provision by the Department of health care services relating to falls prevention.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • To oversee distribution of resources and information related to falls prevention for veterans under this title.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • To carry out such other duties as the Under Secretary for Health may require.
• (c) Public education campaign
  • The Chief Officer shall—
    • oversee and support a national education campaign that—
      • is directed principally to veterans determined to be at risk for falls, their families, and their health care providers; and
      • 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
    • 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
  • 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—
    • programs that overlap with the priorities of the Department;
    • programs that may focus on or be of particular benefit to veterans; and
    • programs that may include participants with multiple comorbidities.
  • The research required under paragraph (1) shall include the following:
    • Research in supporting veterans with and without service-connected disabilities receiving home modification grants under section 1717 or 2101 of this title.
    • Development of recommendations for falls prevention interventions for veterans with service-connected disabilities, including home modification interventions.
    • 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.
    • 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)
    • 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).
    • 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.