April 23, 2026
Mr. Mackenzie (for himself and Mr. Gottheimer) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program to award grants for the development of predictive models to evaluate risk factors that contribute to the incidence of suicide among veterans, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Data Driven Suicide Prevention and Outreach Act of 2026
.
Sec. 2. Department of Veterans Affairs grant program for predictive models to evaluate risk factors that contribute to suicide among veterans
(a) Establishment
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, acting through the Center for Innovation for Care and Payment of the Department of Veterans Affairs, shall establish and carry out a program (in this section referred to as the Program
) to award grants to eligible organizations described in subsection (b) to use artificial intelligence to develop a predictive model to evaluate risk factors contributing to the incidence of suicide among veterans.
(b) Eligibility
An eligible organization described in this subsection is a nonprofit entity, academic institution, private research organization, or other entity with demonstrated capability and experience—
(1)
developing and deploying artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions;
(2)
analyzing health care data, including de-identification and protection of—
(A)
personally identifiable information; and
(B)
protected health information;
(3)
developing predictive models or decision-support tools used in clinical or population health settings;
(4)
applying advanced statistical methods or machine learning techniques to large, complex health datasets; and
(5)
complying with Department data security and interoperability standards.
(c) Applications
An eligible organization desiring a grant under the Program shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form, at such time, and containing such information and assurances as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(d) Selection procedures
(1) Number
Subject to paragraph (4), the Secretary shall select not fewer than two eligible organizations to which to award a grant under the Program.
(2) Criteria
In selecting an eligible organization pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider the following criteria:
(A)
With respect to the VISN in which the organization is located—
(i)
the geographic distribution;
(ii)
the complexity of applicable Veterans Health Administration facilities; and
(iii)
the density of the veteran population.
(B)
Geographic proximity to Veterans Health Administration facilities.
(C)
Demonstrated experience in collaborating with local Department facilities and community partners.
(D)
Demonstrated capability to deploy a predictive analysis solution in a health care system that serves more than 500,000 patients and beneficiaries.
(3) Priority
In evaluating the criteria described in paragraph (2), the Secretary shall give priority for selection under paragraph (1) to eligible organizations—
(A)
located in areas with—
(i)
a high rate of suicide among veterans;
(ii)
a high rate of calls to the Veterans Crisis Line; and
(iii)
long wait times for mental health care services at Department facilities;
(B)
with experience in administering predictive analytics or population health solutions for Government-owned health care systems pursuant to an agreement with the Federal Government (including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services);
(C)
with a demonstrated capability to deliver tools that are—
(i)
explicable;
(ii)
interoperable; and
(iii)
clinically actionable;
(D)
that employ data scientists, clinicians, and suicide prevention specialists;
(E)
with existing infrastructure for secure data storage and transmission that complies with Federal cybersecurity requirements; and
(F)
that agree to make any predictive model or finding resulting from activities funded with a grant under this section available to the Secretary for Department of Veterans Affairs-wide implementation and evaluation.
(4) Limitation
The Secretary may not, pursuant to paragraph (1), select an eligible organization located in a VISN in which another eligible organization in receipt of a grant under the Program is located.
(e) Capability
Each eligible organization in receipt of a grant under the Program shall ensure that the predictive model developed using such grant has the capability to integrate data under the jurisdiction of the Veterans Benefits Administration, including the military service records of veterans, with clinical data under the jurisdiction of the Veterans Health Administration.
(f) Rule of construction
Nothing in subsection (d) may be construed to require an eligible organization in receipt of a grant under the Program to transfer to the Secretary ownership of the predictive model developed using such grant, or any proprietary technology associated with such predictive model.
(g) Termination date
The authority of the Secretary to carry out the pilot program under this section shall terminate on September 30, 2029.
(h) Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term artificial intelligence has the meaning given such term in section 238 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 10 U.S.C. 2358 note).
(2)
The term veteran has the meaning given such term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
(3)
The term Veterans Crisis Line means the toll-free hotline for veterans established and operated under section 1720F of such title.
(4)
The term VISN means a Veteran Integrated Services Network.