RESPECT Act of 2023

The RESPECT Act of 2023 modifies the Department of Veterans Affairs' family caregiver program to better support veterans with mental health conditions and neurological disorders. It expands eligibility to include veterans whose need for personal care services is based on mental illness, suicidal ideation, or neurological disorders, and requires clinicians to document mental health crises and suicide risk. The bill creates a new grant program ($50 million annually for 2023-2025) to improve mental health support services for family caregivers participating in the VA's program, with specific requirements for grant recipients to address underserved veteran communities. It also mandates a Comptroller General report on mental health support needs for caregivers within one year of enactment, directly affecting veterans with mental health or neurological conditions and their family caregivers.