Elfreth Introduces Bipartisan Veterans Health Care Legislation

ANNAPOLIS, MD - Today, on Veterans Day, Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03), a member of the House Armed Services Committee and bipartisan Psychedelics Advancing Therapies (PATH) Caucus, introduced the bipartisan Transforming Healing, Resilience, and Integrative Veteran Engagement (THRIVE) Act alongside Representative Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-03).

The Transforming Healing, Resilience, and Integrative Veteran Engagement (THRIVE) Act creates a task force to help evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of complementary and integrative health (CIH) therapies for veterans. CIH therapies include, but are not limited to, acupuncture, yoga, Tai Chi, meditation, and relaxation techniques.

"As the daughter and granddaughter of veterans, I've seen firsthand the effects of PTSD and traumatic brain injury on veterans and our military families. Our veterans have selflessly sacrificed for our country and deserve not just our recognition and appreciation, but the highest possible quality of care. The bipartisan THRIVE Act will improve our understanding of the Whole Health model as policymakers and pave the way for emerging, non-traditional therapies so we can best serve our veterans," said Congresswoman Elfreth.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the average number of U.S. Veterans who died by suicide in 2022 was 17.6 per day. The risk for suicide is amplified for those suffering from a variety of often interrelated mental and physical health conditions - such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, depression, insomnia, and sleep disturbance - particularly for veterans who do not find adequate relief from available treatments.

The task force created in this legislation will develop a framework to determine the effectiveness of the CIH therapies, the gaps in research and implementation, and how to integrate these emerging therapies at the VA. Veterans need treatment that goes beyond the conventional. It is essential to offer Veterans non-invasive and non-pharmacological therapy options that address the whole person, not only the disease.

The bill works off of the Whole Health Initiative, created in the VA in 2011 to provide personalized, proactive, and patient-driven care, incorporating CIH therapies alongside conventional methods. The legislation will help the VA address access barriers to these existing therapies and improve implementation.

"I'm proud to support the THRIVE Act because it takes meaningful action to improve care for our nation's veterans. This bill brings together federal agencies to study and expand effective, evidence-based treatments for PTSD, TBI, depression, and anxiety. Our veterans deserve every possible resource to heal and thrive after service, and this legislation moves us closer to that goal," said Representative Van Orden.

The THRIVE Act is supported by numerous veterans organizations, including Reason for Hope, Veteran Mental Health Leadership Coalition, VoteVets, and the American Legion.

"Veterans often struggle with a complex mix of interrelated mental and physical health challenges that severely impact quality of life and increase the risk of suicide. Too often, the medications prescribed for these conditions fail to provide meaningful relief-or even exacerbate the problem through serious side effects and rampant polypharmacy. The Veteran community has been clear: we need more effective, holistic treatments that address the whole person and reduce overreliance on medication. We applaud Representatives Elfreth and Van Orden for introducing the THRIVE Act, which will expand access to complementary and integrative health therapies within the VA and ensure care focuses on overall wellness of our Veterans-not just treating disease or masking symptoms," said Lieutenant General Martin R. Steele, USMC (Ret.), CEO, Reason for Hope and President, Veteran Mental Health Leadership Coalition.

Elfreth has led on the issue of alternative therapies for veterans' PTSD since her time in the Maryland State Senate, including working to pass SB 709. In Congress, she is also a co-sponsor of the bipartisan Innovative Therapies Centers of Excellence Act of 2025 to increase federally funded research on alternative therapies to treat veterans experiencing conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use disorder, and depression.

Maryland's Third District is home to more than 50,000 military veterans. A Member of the House Armed Services Committee, Elfreth is the only member of Congress from Maryland on a committee or subcommittee focused explicitly on national security issues. Elfreth also convened her Veterans Advisory Council ahead of Veterans Day to hear directly from veterans and families in the Third District. During the month of November, Elfreth's office is collecting stories of veterans in Maryland's Third District for the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project.

The full bill text is available HERE.

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