Yakym Reintroduces the Sergeant Ted Grubbs Mental Healthcare for Disabled Veterans Act

<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Washington, D.C. – </strong>Today, Congressman Rudy Yakym (IN-02) reintroduced the <a href="http://engagement.mail8.housecommunications.gov/f/a/WOoadEqW1oTArP0F8y7W0g~~/AAS2ygA~/RgRpYoeoP0RhaHR0cHM6Ly9kMTJ0NHQ1eDN2eWl6dS5jbG91ZGZyb250Lm5ldC95YWt5bS5ob3VzZS5nb3YvdXBsb2Fkcy8yMDI1LzAxL1NlcmdlYW50LVRlZC1HcnViYnMtQWN0LnBkZlcDc3BjQgpnf6kCgGfkuxSZUhtpbjAyYWxsc3RhZmZAbWFpbC5ob3VzZS5nb3ZYBAAAAns~" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"><em>Sergeant Ted Grubbs Mental Healthcare for Disabled Veterans Act</em></a>, 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. &nbsp; <br /><br />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. &nbsp; <br /><br />&#8220;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, <strong>said Rep. Yakym</strong>. &#8220;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.&#8221; &nbsp; <br /><br />A one-pager of Rep. Yakym&#8217;s legislation can be viewed <a href="http://engagement.mail8.housecommunications.gov/f/a/fhZMp8xRiez5zkllyG6ZrA~~/AAS2ygA~/RgRpYoeoP0STaHR0cHM6Ly9kMTJ0NHQ1eDN2eWl6dS5jbG91ZGZyb250Lm5ldC95YWt5bS5ob3VzZS5nb3YvdXBsb2Fkcy8yMDI1LzAxL1NlcmdlYW50LVRlZC1HcnViYnMtTWVudGFsLUhlYWx0aGNhcmUtZm9yLURpc2FibGVkLVZldGVyYW5zLUFjdC1PbmUtUGFnZXIucGRmVwNzcGNCCmd_qQKAZ-S7FJlSG2luMDJhbGxzdGFmZkBtYWlsLmhvdXNlLmdvdlgEAAACew~~" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">here</a>, and the full bill can be accessed <a href="http://engagement.mail8.housecommunications.gov/f/a/WOoadEqW1oTArP0F8y7W0g~~/AAS2ygA~/RgRpYoeoP0RhaHR0cHM6Ly9kMTJ0NHQ1eDN2eWl6dS5jbG91ZGZyb250Lm5ldC95YWt5bS5ob3VzZS5nb3YvdXBsb2Fkcy8yMDI1LzAxL1NlcmdlYW50LVRlZC1HcnViYnMtQWN0LnBkZlcDc3BjQgpnf6kCgGfkuxSZUhtpbjAyYWxsc3RhZmZAbWFpbC5ob3VzZS5nb3ZYBAAAAns~" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">here</a>. Click <a href="http://engagement.mail8.housecommunications.gov/f/a/aDmr16m-X--Tp7zpUWdDXw~~/AAS2ygA~/RgRpYoeoP0SMaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc291dGhiZW5kdHJpYnVuZS5jb20vc3Rvcnkvb3Bpbmlvbi9jb2x1bW5zLzIwMjQvMDIvMjMvcmVwLXJ1ZHkteWFreW0tb24tYmlsbC10by1pbXByb3ZlLW1lbnRhbC1oZWFsdGgtY2FyZS1mb3ItdmV0cy83MjY5OTU1MTAwNy9XA3NwY0IKZ3-pAoBn5LsUmVIbaW4wMmFsbHN0YWZmQG1haWwuaG91c2UuZ292WAQAAAJ7" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">here to read</a> an op-ed Rep. Yakym wrote in support of his legislation last year. &nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>
<p>The post <a href="https://yakym.house.gov/posts/yakym-reintroduces-the-sergeant-ted-grubbs-mental-healthcare-for-disabled-veterans-act">Yakym Reintroduces the Sergeant Ted Grubbs Mental Healthcare for Disabled Veterans Act</a> appeared first on <a href="https://yakym.house.gov">Rudy Yakym</a>.</p>