By Michael Brewer

Special to The Alpine Mountaineer

Upon transitioning from active duty to civilian life, a veteran can now anticipate phone contact from the Department of Veterans Affairs offering a vast array of resources for new horizons.

Signed into law in October of 2022, the Solid Start Act: Public Law 117-205 gives permanent authorization to a program that was tested as a pilot program in 2019.

The new law is intended to create a smoother transition from the Pentagon to the VA Healthcare system, while easing some of the obstacles to receiving screening and mental health care outreach programs.

The language of the bill mandates that the VA call the veteran three times a year after leaving active duty. The bill also expands healthcare benefits to women veterans.

The current statistics indicate that the VA connected with approximately 25,000 veterans in 2021 and 150,000 to date.

It is refreshing to see our Congress working in unison to ensure that no veteran is left behind.