BEACON Act of 2026

This Act may be cited as the “Veterans TBI Breakthrough Exploration of Adaptive Care Opportunities Nationwide Act of 2026” or the “BEACON Act of 2026”.

(a) Grant program.—

(1) In general.— The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a three-year program (to be known as the “TBI Innovation Grant Program”) under which the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities described in subsection (b) for the development, implementation, and evaluation of approaches and methodologies for prospective randomized control trials for neurorehabilitation treatments for the treatment of chronic mild traumatic brain injury (in this Act referred to as “mTBI”) in veterans.

(2) Relationship to other Department activities.— The grant program required under paragraph (1) shall be carried out in a manner that—

(A) supplements, and does not supplant, other clinical care and research of the Department of Veterans Affairs relating to mTBI; and

(B) facilitates, as practicable, coordination with Veterans Health Administration facilities for referral, continuity of care, and dissemination of findings.

(b) Eligible entities described.— An eligible entity described in this subsection is any of the following:

(1) A nonprofit organization with demonstrated capability to conduct clinical trials and to deliver or research effective neurorehabilitation treatments for mTBI, including through patient care delivery.

(2) An academic institution that conducts significant research on mTBI and has demonstrated capability to conduct clinical trials relating to neurorehabilitation treatments.

(3) A non-Department health care provider with expertise in neurorehabilitative therapies and demonstrated capability to conduct clinical trials and to evaluate mTBI treatments through patient care delivery.

(4) A partnership or consortium of two or more entities described in paragraphs (1) through (3).

(c) Use of funds.— An eligible entity in receipt of a grant under this section shall use such grant to support activities that include—

(1) designing and testing novel or integrative treatments for mTBI that prioritize patient-centered care, including non-pharmacological therapies;

(2) conducting clinical studies and assessments to measure the effectiveness of funded approaches to—

(A) improve mental health outcomes among veterans;

(B) reduce suicidality, and common risk factors for completing suicide, including depression and substance use disorders among veterans; and

(C) mitigate long-term effects of mTBI and, to the extent outcomes are collected under the applicable clinical protocol, measure durability of outcomes at approximately six months following completion of treatment;

(3) providing training for clinicians and outreach to veterans and their families to improve awareness and accessibility of innovative mTBI treatments, including information on available Department resources and pathways to access such resources; and

(4) establishing partnerships with community organizations, academic institutions, and health care facilities, including, as practicable, coordination with Veterans Health Administration facilities to facilitate referral of eligible veterans, continuity of care, and dissemination of aggregate findings.

(d) Limitation on grant amount.— The Secretary may not award an eligible entity a grant under this section in an amount that exceeds $5,000,000 for any fiscal year.

(e) Program administration.—

(1) Applications.— An eligible entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form, at such time, and containing such information and assurances as the Secretary determines appropriate, including a detailed description of—

(A) activities proposed to be conducted using the grant;

(B) expected outcomes of such activities;

(C) plans for evaluating the effectiveness of such activities;

(D) how the eligible entity will coordinate, as practicable, with Veterans Health Administration facilities for referral and continuity of care for veterans who participate in activities carried out using grant funds, and for dissemination of aggregate findings;

(E) the budget of the entity for the use of the grant, including a narrative justification and an identification of the estimated amount of grant funds to be used for administrative or overhead costs; and

(F) assurances of compliance with applicable Federal laws and regulations relating to human subjects protections and patient safety.

(2) Priority.— In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that have demonstrated the capacity to coordinate with the Department to facilitate referral and continuity of care for veterans who participate in activities carried out using grant funds.

(3) Periodic reports.— As a condition of receiving a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall, not less frequently than annually during the grant period and not later than 180 days after the end of the grant period, submit to the Secretary a report that includes, with respect to the period covered by the report—

(A) a description of how the eligible entity used such grant;

(B) a summary of the progress of activities funded with amounts from such grant;

(C) measured outcomes relating to such activities;

(D) a detailed accounting of expenditures of grant funds, including administrative or overhead costs;

(E) to the extent collected under the applicable clinical protocol or in the ordinary course of care, a description of any adverse events and serious adverse events, including self-harm or suicide-related events; and

(F) a description of actions taken pursuant to the coordination plan described in paragraph (1)(D).

(4) Oversight; annual evaluations.— The Secretary shall—

(A) ensure rigorous oversight of the grant program under this section, including by monitoring financial compliance and timely receipt of the reports required under paragraph (2); and

(B) on an annual basis until the termination date specified in subsection (i)(1), evaluate the efficacy of activities carried out using grant funds based on the reports submitted under paragraph (2) and other appropriate information.

(5) Rule of construction.— Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the Secretary to require prior approval of, or changes to, any clinical protocol, study design, outcome measures, or follow-up schedule of an eligible entity that receives a grant under this section, except as necessary to ensure compliance with applicable Federal laws and regulations relating to human subjects protections and patient safety.

(6) Enforcement authority.— The Secretary may suspend, modify, or terminate a grant awarded under this section, if the Secretary determines that the recipient of such grant has failed to comply with reporting requirements under paragraph (2) or other applicable terms and conditions of the grant.

(f) Available amounts; authorization of appropriations.—

(1) Available amounts.— The Secretary may carry out the program under this section using amounts available to the Secretary for general mental health care programs, if the use of such amounts supplements, and does not supplant, amounts otherwise available for Department mental health and traumatic brain injury programs.

(2) Authorization of appropriations.— There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2028 to carry out this section.

(g) Duration; annual review.—

(1) Duration.— The authority of the Secretary to carry out the grant program under this section shall terminate on the date that is three years after the date of the enactment of this Act, except that the Secretary may continue to use amounts made available to carry out this section after such date solely for the purpose of administering activities and obligations incurred before such termination date.

(2) Annual review.— During such three-year period, the Secretary shall, on an annual basis, review the effectiveness of the grant program to determine the potential of such grant program for continuation or expansion.

(a) Establishment.— The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish and carry out a research grant program to award grants to eligible entities described in subsection (b) to be used to carry out studies and applied programs on approaches and methodologies for the treatment of mTBI in veterans.

(b) Eligible entities described.— An eligible entity described in this subsection is any of the following:

(1) A nonprofit organization that has demonstrated the capability to conduct clinical trials and to evaluate traumatic brain injury treatments through patient care delivery.

(2) An academic institution that conducts significant research on traumatic brain injury and has demonstrated the capability to conduct clinical trials relating to neurorehabilitation treatments

(3) A partnership or consortium of two or more entities described in paragraphs (1) and (2).

(c) Applications.— An eligible entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form, at such time, and containing such information and assurances as the Secretary determines appropriate, including a summary of—

(1) the research and treatment activities proposed to be carried out using grant funds;

(2) the methodology to be used for such activities;

(3) the expected outcomes of such activities;

(4) how the eligible entity will coordinate, as practicable, with Veterans Health Administration facilities for referral and continuity of care for veterans who participate in activities carried out using grant funds, and for dissemination of aggregate findings;

(5) the budget of the entity for the use of the grant, including a narrative justification and an identification of the estimated amount of grant funds to be used for administrative or overhead costs; and

(6) assurances of compliance with applicable Federal laws and regulations relating to human subjects protections and patient safety.

(d) Administration.—

(1) Grant categories.— In carrying out the grant program under this section, each fiscal year the Secretary shall—

(A) subject to the requirement under paragraph (2), award four grants for exploratory or pilot research and treatment projects, each of which shall be in an amount of not more than $625,000; and

(B) award five grants for collaborative or multidisciplinary research and treatment initiatives, each of which shall be in an amount of not more than $1,500,000.

(2) Priority.— Of the grants awarded under paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary shall award not fewer than three to nonprofit organizations.

(3) Enforcement authority.— The Secretary may suspend, modify, or terminate a grant awarded under this section, if the Secretary determines that the recipient of such grant has failed to comply with the applicable terms and conditions of the grant.

(e) Agreement with independent organization.—

(1) In general.— The Secretary shall seek to enter into an agreement with an independent organization that is not a component of the Department and that has demonstrated expertise in randomized controlled trials, neurorehabilitation outcomes evaluation, and research integrity, under which the organization agrees to—

(A) administer the research grant program under this section;

(B) carry out studies and implement efforts that include—

(i) analyzing data from mTBI treatment methodologies developed pursuant to the research grant program to assess the effect, among veterans, of such methodologies on enhanced brain health outcomes, mental health, and long-term recovery, including, to the extent outcomes are collected under the applicable clinical protocol, durability of outcomes at approximately six months following completion of treatment;

(ii) identifying data-driven best practices and providing recommendations for further research or clinical application, including recommendations for dissemination to Veterans Health Administration clinicians and facilities (as appropriate); and

(iii) randomized, controlled clinical trials to—

(I) validate and deliver treatments;

(II) establish a standard of care; and

(III) improve access to such treatments for veterans;

(C) submit to the Secretary not less frequently than annually a report describing activities carried out under this section, including outcome data and methodology; and

(D) make available to the Secretary all data and findings from the grants made under this section, consistent with applicable Federal law, regulation, and Department policies relating to patient protections, data security, and privacy.

(2) Rule of construction.— Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the Secretary, or an independent organization that enters into an agreement with the Secretary under paragraph (1), to require prior approval of, or changes to, any clinical protocol, study design, outcome measures, or follow-up schedule established by an eligible entity that receives a grant under this section, except as necessary to ensure compliance with applicable Federal laws and regulations relating to human subjects protections and patient safety.

(3) Report.— An agreement under paragraph (1) shall include a requirement that the independent organization submits to Congress and the Secretary a comprehensive report that includes—

(A) the findings of the studies required under such agreement;

(B) recommendations with respect to the expansion of successful TBI treatment methodologies and standard of care recommendations, if any, developed pursuant to the research grant program; and

(C) to the extent available from the reports and study materials of grant recipients, a summary of—

(i) the durability of outcomes at approximately six months following completion of treatment, if collected under the applicable clinical protocol;

(ii) adverse events and serious adverse events, including self-harm or suicide-related events, if collected under the applicable clinical protocol or in the ordinary course of care; and

(iii) aggregate expenditures of grant funds, including administrative or overhead costs.

(4) Surveys.— The Secretary may conduct surveys of any independent organization that enters into an agreement with the Secretary under paragraph (1) in order to assess the effectiveness of such organization in administering the research grant program under this section.

(f) Available amounts; authorization of appropriations.—

(1) Available amounts.— The Secretary may use amounts available to the Secretary for the operating budget of the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder to carry out the research grant program under this section, if the use of such amounts supplements, and does not supplant, amounts otherwise available for Department programs and services.

(2) Authorization of appropriations.— There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2028 to carry out this section.

(g) Termination date.— The authority of the Secretary to carry out the research grant program under this section shall terminate on the date that is three years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Not later than two years after the date on which the Secretary commences the research grant program under tsection 2, and on an annual basis thereafter until the termination date specified in subsection (h) of such section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the grant programs under sections 2 and 3. Each such report shall include—

(1) the findings of the studies under section 2(f)(2);

(2) a description of any agreement entered into by the Secretary under section 3(e)(1);

(3) recommendations of the Secretary with respect to policy and programmatic improvements to services of the Department to treat mTBI among veterans;

(4) any findings derived from surveys conducted under section 3(e)(4), including any recommendations of the Secretary for improvements to the structure, oversight, administration, or performance of the independent organization that enters into an agreement with the Secretary under section 3(e)(1); and

(5) such other matters as the Secretary determines appropriate.

The loan fee table in section 3729(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking “June 9, 2034” each place it appears and inserting “July 14, 2034”.

In this Act:

(1) The terms “chronic mild traumatic brain injury” and “mTBI” mean a mild traumatic brain injury with symptoms that persist for not fewer than six months after the inciting injury, as determined using validated clinical criteria.

(2) The term “nonprofit organization”—

(A) means an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code; and

(B) includes such an organization that is a hospital, nonprofit health system, academic medical center, or clinic that delivers neurorehabilitation care or conducts clinical research relating to mTBI.

(3) The term “veteran” has the meaning given such term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.