[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5943 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5943
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a Task Force
on Complementary and Integrative Health/Whole Health, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 7, 2025
Ms. Elfreth (for herself and Mr. Van Orden) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a Task Force
on Complementary and Integrative Health/Whole Health, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Transforming Healing, Resilience,
and Integrative Veteran Engagement Act of 2025'' or the ``THRIVE Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE HEALTH.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
establish a task force, to be known as the ``Task Force on
Complementary and Integrative Health/Whole Health''.
(b) Members.--The task force shall be composed of the following
individuals or their designees:
(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, who shall serve as
the Chair.
(2) The Executive Director of the Office of Mental Health
and Suicide Prevention of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(3) The Director of the Research and Development Office of
the Department.
(4) The Executive Director of the Office of Patient-
Centered Care and Cultural Transformation of the Department.
(5) At least one representative from an academic
institution who specializes in complementary and integrative
health research.
(6) At least one clinician of the Department who has
experience treating veterans with one or more of the following
conditions:
(A) Post-traumatic stress disorder.
(B) Traumatic brain injury.
(C) Depression.
(D) Anxiety.
(7) At least one representative from a veterans service
organization focused on--
(A) treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder,
depression, and anxiety; or
(B) suicide prevention.
(8) At least one representative from another relevant
organization involved in researching, diagnosing, or treating
post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury,
depression, anxiety, or suicide prevention that the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs determines is necessary.
(9) At least one representative from a community-based
program with demonstrated success in improving veterans' mental
health and well-being through complementary, integrative, or
peer-led approaches.
(c) Responsibilities.--The task force shall carry out the following
responsibilities:
(1) Assessing the current access of veterans who receive
medical care at Department of Veterans Affairs medical
facilities to complementary and integrative health/whole health
therapies and program for veterans and how to make such
therapies and programs more accessible to such veterans at such
facilities.
(2) Developing a framework to determine--
(A) the effectiveness of complementary and
integrative health therapies, including acupuncture,
biofeedback, clinical hypnosis, guided imagery, massage
therapy, meditation, tai chi, qigong, and yoga, peer-
supported programs, and health and wellness coaching
programs as treatments for post-traumatic stress
disorder, traumatic brain injury, depression, and
anxiety, and for suicide prevention; and
(B) whether and how the Department of Veterans
Affairs should expand or modify access to such
therapies and programs.
(3) Identifying gaps in research and implementation of
complementary and integrative health/whole health therapies at
Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, including
gaps in knowledge of effectiveness or safety, provider
training, and availability of services.
(4) Determining how to integrate emerging complementary and
integrative health/whole health therapies, including peer-led
models and health and wellness coaching models, into the
continuum of care of the Department.
(5) Analyzing any factors contributing to treatment
dropout, low retention, or relapse among veterans and how the
Department can improve outcomes for such veterans.
(6) Identifying any additional resources or authorities the
Department needs from Congress to improve accessibility of
complementary and integrative health/whole health therapies.
(d) Recommendations.--Not later than one year after the date of the
establishment of the task force, the task force shall submit to the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs the recommendations of the task force
with respect to the responsibilities under subsection (c).
(e) Reporting.--
(1) Initial report.--Not later than 90 days after the date
on which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs receives the
recommendations of the task force under subsection (d), the
Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs
of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on such
recommendations.
(2) Final report.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of submission of the report under paragraph (1), the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans'
Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report
containing a plan to address such recommendations.
(f) Termination.--The task force shall terminate on the date on
which the task force submits the recommendations to the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs under subsection (d).
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The terms ``peer-led model'' and ``peer-supported
program'' mean a program or approach in which veterans with
lived experience are trained and engaged to provide counseling,
mentoring, training, or support services to other veterans, as
a complement or alternative to services provided by clinical
professionals.
(2) The term ``community-based program''--
(A) means a program providing health or wellness
services that is operated by a non-governmental or
nonprofit entity in a local community setting, rather
than directly by a Federal agency; and
(B) includes programs that receive funding from the
Department of Veterans Affairs through grant programs
or partnerships to enhance veterans' mental health,
suicide prevention, or overall well-being.
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