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S. 1583: Mental Health Support for Veteran Families and Caregivers Act of 2013

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S. 1583: Mental Health Support for Veteran Families and Caregivers Act of 2013

113th Congress · introduced 2013-10-28 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-280.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2013-10-28 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-280. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Mental Health Support for Veteran Families and Caregivers Act of 2013

Plain summary

Mental Health Support for Veteran Families and Caregivers Act of 2013 - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) enter into contracts to conduct a 4-year program (with authorization for a 4-year extension) to provide a course of education to family members and caregivers of veterans on matters relating to coping with veterans' mental health disorders; (2) carry out such program in at least 10 VA medical centers, 10 VA clinics, and 10 centers for readjustment counseling and related mental health services for veterans (vet centers); (3) expand such program (within 2 years) to include at least 10 additional medical centers, clinics, and vet centers; and (4) select VA mental health care providers to monitor the progress of the instruction provided under such education program. Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish a program to provide peer support to family members and caregivers of veterans on matters relating to coping with veterans mental health disorders; (2) provide such peer support, through group meetings conducted at least twice each calendar quarter, at each facility in which the education program is provided; (3) select an individual who has completed the education program to serve as a peer support coordinator for each facility; and (4) select a VA mental health care provider to serve as a mentor to each coordinator. Directs the Secretary to conduct a survey of the satisfaction of program participants.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Mental Health Support for Veteran Families and Caregivers Act of 2013

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] reported raising $26.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Authorization
A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong113-s1583 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113