VA Creates New Falls Prevention Office, Mandates Annual Safety Checks for Veterans in Extended Care

The SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act of 2025 is tackling a serious problem that doesn't get enough attention: veterans falling down. Falls are a major cause of injury and hospitalization, especially for older folks. This bill aims to centralize and standardize the VA’s approach to preventing them, primarily by creating a brand-new Office of Falls Prevention within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

This new office, run by a Chief Officer reporting directly to the Under Secretary for Health, will be the central command for all things related to fall safety. Its job is to set official standards for falls prevention care across the entire VA system, coordinate research (including joint projects with the National Institute on Aging), and manage a national education campaign targeted at at-risk veterans and their families. Think of it as the VA finally putting a single expert in charge of making sure every facility and program is using the best science available to keep veterans on their feet.

The New Safety Standard for Extended Care

One of the most concrete changes in this bill affects veterans receiving extended care or staying in VA nursing homes. If a veteran has fallen in the last year or is deemed at risk, the VA must ensure a licensed physical therapist or occupational therapist conducts a thorough falls risk assessment and provides specific prevention services. This assessment and service requirement becomes a standard, mandated part of their annual care plan if they are in extended care. This is a huge win for standardizing care, ensuring that safety isn't left to chance.

However, there’s a catch for those in nursing homes: the specific requirement for the mandated assessment and prevention services is set to expire on September 30, 2028. If you or a family member relies on this care, that sunset date is worth watching closely. After that date, the requirement for these specific, mandatory checks goes away, potentially leaving it up to general VA policy rather than a specific mandate.

Training, Technology, and the Home Front

This bill doesn’t just focus on the veteran; it focuses on the system supporting them. The VA must update its directives on safe patient handling and mobility, requiring providers to get specific training every two years. Furthermore, any VA medical facility where patients need help moving must have the proper technology—like lifts or transfer aids—immediately available for safe transfers, fall recovery, and repositioning. This means safer conditions for patients and less back strain for the staff, too.

Another interesting provision is the mandate for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to study running a pilot program that offers home improvements and structural changes specifically designed to prevent falls. If you’re a veteran with mobility issues, a simple grab bar or a ramp might be the difference between staying independent and a trip to the ER. The Secretary has discretion on whether to proceed with the pilot, but they must report to Congress within a year with either their plan or their reasons for shelving it. This could be a game-changer for independent living, provided the VA decides to move forward.