VA Zero Suicide Demonstration Project Act of 2025

Key Points

• The bill creates a five-year pilot program at five VA medical centers to test a new approach to preventing veteran suicides, using the curriculum of the Zero Suicide Institute. One site must primarily serve veterans in rural and remote areas.
• VA staff at selected sites will go through at least ten weeks of specialized training covering suicide screening, assessment, risk formulation, treatment, and care transitions. Five to ten staff leaders will be chosen at each site to lead the effort.
• The first year is dedicated to planning and site selection, with 15 candidate sites identified within 180 days and final five sites chosen within 270 days of enactment.
• The VA must report to Congress annually comparing suicide-related outcomes at pilot sites against other VA hospitals, including suicide attempts, deaths, screening rates, and safety planning completion.
• After the five-year pilot ends, the Secretary must recommend whether to expand, extend, or make the program permanent. The Secretary also has authority to extend it for up to two additional years.