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Congress·In Committee·S. 3245

Sen. Ricketts Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Require Better Mental Health Screening for Departing Troops

MIND Our Veterans Act of 2025

1 day ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

Senate
House
President
Law

Key Points

  • This bipartisan bill, introduced by Sen. Ricketts and Sen. Slotkin, requires the VA-DoD Joint Executive Committee to improve mental health screenings that service members receive before leaving the military. The goal is to catch mental health issues early so veterans can get help sooner.

    From policy text

    “To require the Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense Joint Executive Committee to improve mental health screening conducted under separation health assessments for members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.”
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  • The bill mandates that screening tools for PTSD, alcohol use, and violence risk must all be scientifically "validated" — meaning proven to accurately identify people who need help, rather than relying on unproven questionnaires.

    From policy text

    “The Joint Executive Committee shall ensure the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) mental health screen, the alcohol use mental health screen, and the violence risk mental health screen under the separation health assessment are each modified to be a validated tool”
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  • Substance use screening would be incorporated as a required part of mental health checks. Within 120 days of enactment, the Joint Executive Committee must report to Congress on whether and how substance use screening will be included in the separation health assessment.

    From policy text

    “The Joint Executive Committee shall incorporate screening for substance use as a mental health screen and shall assess whether to include such screening in the separation health assessment”
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  • The Secretary of Defense must fully implement the updated separation health assessment within 120 days of the bill becoming law, ensuring every departing service member goes through the improved process.

    From policy text

    “Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, under the guidance of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, shall fully implement the separation health assessment.”
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VeteransHealthcare

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones3 actions
Mar 19, 2026Senate

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Hearings held.

Nov 20, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Nov 20, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

120 days after enactment

Updated separation health assessment must be fully implemented by the Secretary of Defense

Every service member leaving the military would go through the new, improved mental health screening process with validated tools for PTSD, alcohol use, and violence risk.

120 days after enactment

Joint Executive Committee must report to Congress on substance use screening decision

Congress will learn whether substance use screening will be formally added to the separation health assessment and the rationale behind the decision.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

MIND Our Veterans Act of 2025

Bill NumberS 3245
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionCommittee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Hearings held.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)
D: 1

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.