Last week, Congressman Rudy Yakym (IN-02) reintroduced the Sergeant Ted Grubbs Mental Healthcare for Disabled Veterans Act, legislation he also introduced in the 118th Congress. This legislation requires the VA to lower their Designated Access Standards to five days for veterans seeking mental healthcare for a service-connected mental disorder, for which they have a disability rating above fifty percent.
Rep. Yakym’s bill is named after retired Sergeant Ted Grubbs, a veteran and Second District constituent who was diagnosed with service-connected complex post-traumatic stress disorder and complex traumatic brain injury after returning from duty. In the wake of a mental health crisis Sergeant Grubbs experienced in 2023 that required prompt, in-person follow-up appointments, Sergeant Grubbs was told by the VA that the soonest in-person appointment they could offer was more than two months away.
"America is the land of the free only because of brave veterans like Ted, and we owe it to them to make sure they get the help they need in a timely manner, especially when it comes to veterans experiencing a sudden mental health crisis, said Rep. Yakym. "I am grateful that Ted spoke up, and I am proud to lead this initiative to help ensure more veterans dealing with mental health challenges have access to the timely care they need and deserve."
A one-pager of Rep. Yakym's legislation can be viewed here, and the full bill can be accessed here. Click here to read an op-ed Rep. Yakym wrote in support of his legislation last year.
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