This bill amends title 38 to create the Office of Falls Prevention within the Veterans Health Administration, led by a Chief Officer who reports to the Under Secretary for Health. The Office will monitor, set standards of care, identify deficiencies, coordinate resources, and promote clinical, research, and educational activities related to falls prevention for veterans.
It also expands interagency coordination on aging through the Older Americans Act and launches a pilot program to assess home modifications and structural alterations to prevent falls. A national public education campaign and grants to support local education efforts are authorized as part of the initiative.
In addition, the bill requires falls risk assessments and prevention services for nursing home care and adds annual assessments for extended care, along with directives on safe patient handling and mobility technology across VA facilities.
At a Glance
What It Does
Establishes the Office of Falls Prevention within the Veterans Health Administration, defines leadership, staffing, and core functions, and authorizes education and research activities.
Who It Affects
Directly affects VA healthcare facilities, clinicians, and veterans enrolled in VA care; also implicates home modification providers and aging services programs.
Why It Matters
Falls are a leading source of injury and healthcare cost among older veterans; centralizing prevention efforts can raise care standards, improve patient safety, and generate data to guide policy.
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What This Bill Actually Does
The SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act creates a new Office of Falls Prevention within the VA’s Veterans Health Administration. The Office will be located at VA’s Central Office and led by a Chief Officer who reports to the Under Secretary for Health.
It can reorganize existing VA offices as needed to avoid duplication and will receive staff and support to fulfill its duties. The core mission is to monitor how VA delivers falls-related care, develop and enforce standards of care, identify and address deficiencies, and oversee how resources and information about falls prevention are distributed across VA programs.
The Office is also tasked with promoting innovation by supporting clinical, research, and educational activities in falls prevention and coordinating with the Department’s Office of Research and Development and the National Institute on Aging. In addition, the bill directs the Office to advance a public education campaign aimed at veterans at risk for falls and to fund local education campaigns through grants or contracts.
A joint advisory panel on falls prevention research will be created to guide evidence-based programs that target veterans, with specific emphasis on home modification and medication management as risk factors. The bill also expands interagency collaboration under the Older Americans Act to include the VA Secretary and relevant House and Senate committees, and requires the VA to issue directives on safe patient handling and mobility technology, including biennial training and provision of mobility aids across care settings.
A pilot program is authorized to test home improvements and structural changes to prevent falls, with Congress receiving a plan within a year and a lessons-learned report if the pilot proceeds. Finally, the bill expands Falls prevention requirements in nursing home and extended care services, mandating falls risk assessments by licensed therapists and ongoing prevention services.Overall, the bill positions falls prevention as a VA-wide priority with standardized care protocols, data collection, and a path toward broader home-based interventions.
The Five Things You Need to Know
The Office of Falls Prevention is established within the VA’s Veterans Health Administration and led by a Chief Officer.
The Office will monitor care, set standards, identify deficiencies, and oversee resource distribution for falls prevention.
A national public education campaign and local education grants are authorized to raise awareness and drive prevention.
A joint expert panel will guide research on falls prevention, including home modifications and medication risk factors.
Nursing home and extended care services must implement falls risk assessments and prevention services by licensed therapists.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
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Establishment of the Office of Falls Prevention
The Under Secretary for Health will establish the Office of Falls Prevention within the Veterans Health Administration. The Office will be located at VA’s Central Office and led by a Chief Officer who reports to the Under Secretary for Health. The Secretary may reorganize existing VA offices as needed to avoid duplication of functions, and the Office will receive staff and support to carry out its mission.
Office Functions
The Office’s functions include monitoring VA’s falls prevention activities, developing standards of care, identifying deficiencies, providing technical assistance to facilities and programs, coordinating home modification information and resources, promoting research and education, and overseeing quality improvement processes to prevent falls. It also coordinates with other VA offices and relevant external partners to implement prevention measures across care settings.
Public Education Campaign
The Chief Officer will lead a national education campaign focused on reducing falls among at-risk veterans and increasing awareness of VA benefits and services that support falls prevention. The Office may award grants or contracts to qualified organizations to support local campaigns tailored to community needs.
Research on Falls Prevention Programs
The Office will work with VA’s Office of Research and Development and the National Institute on Aging to develop evidence-based falls prevention programs. This includes research on home modifications, medication management, and safe patient handling, with a joint subject matter expert panel to translate findings into practice.
Expansion of Interagency Coordinating Committee on Healthy Aging
The Older Americans Act is amended to add the VA Secretary to the interagency coordinating committee on healthy aging and age-friendly communities, and to include VA committees in the Act’s governance. This expands cross-agency collaboration on aging initiatives to encompass veterans’ needs.
Safe Handling Transfer Techniques Directive
Not later than 180 days after enactment, VA must issue or update directives on safe patient handling and mobility technology. Requirements include biennial training for providers, access to mobility aids, and ensuring emergency settings have the necessary equipment to enable safe transfer and fall recovery.
Pilot Program for Falls Prevention through Residential Adaptations
The Secretary will determine the feasibility of a pilot program to provide home improvements and structural alterations to prevent falls for eligible veterans. Within a year, the Secretary must submit a plan to Congress showing whether and how to implement the pilot, and, if conducted, a lessons-learned report to Congress after completion.
Report on Falls Prevention Initiatives
Not later than two years after enactment (or one year after a Chief Officer is appointed), whichever is first, the Secretary or the Under Secretary for Health must report on falls prevention initiatives. The report will evaluate screening procedures, EHR documentation, home modification grants, program uptake, provider types, evaluation processes, falls data capture, and collaboration with federal partners.
Falls Assessment and Prevention Service Requirements for Veterans
Section 1710A is amended to require falls risk assessment and prevention services for nursing home stays, conducted by licensed physical or occupational therapists. The extended care provisions are expanded to require annual falls risk assessments and prevention services as part of non-nursing-home extended care settings.
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Explore Healthcare in Codify Search →Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost
Every bill creates winners and losers. Here's who stands to gain and who bears the cost.
Who Benefits
- Veterans at risk of falls who will receive standardized assessments and prevention services, potentially reducing injuries and hospitalizations.
- Families and caregivers who rely on VA care for at-home safety and mobility improvements.
- VA clinicians and facilities that gain standardized protocols and better risk management.
- Researchers and aging institutes that gain clearer data and collaboration opportunities.
- Providers of home modification services who will participate in the pilot and education campaigns.
Who Bears the Cost
- VA budget increases to fund the Office, staffing, training, and ongoing operations.
- Costs associated with implementing safe patient handling directives and mobility technology across facilities.
- Pilot program expenses for home modifications and structural alterations.
- Administrative costs to expand interagency coordination and reporting requirements.
- IT and data management investments to capture falls data and support monitoring and evaluation.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
Balancing centralized, proactive falls prevention with the practical realities of funding, staffing, and uniform adoption across diverse VA facilities.
The bill creates a centralized governance structure for falls prevention across VA that will require significant coordination across VA components, new training mandates, and substantial data collection. While the changes promise standardized care and potential cost savings from reduced falls, they also introduce implementation complexity, resource needs, and potential scope creep as multiple offices align their procedures.
The pilot program’s feasibility and the speed with which home modifications can be scaled are open questions, as are the long-term maintenance costs of expanded mobility technologies in varied care settings.
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