New Pilot Program Funds Local Police Teams to Intervene in Veteran Crises and Coordinate with the VA

The Supporting Every at-Risk Veteran In Critical Emergencies Act of 2025, or the SERVICE Act, is setting up a five-year pilot program to change how law enforcement interacts with veterans in crisis. Starting in Fiscal Year 2026, the Attorney General can start handing out grants to state, local, and Tribal governments to establish specialized “Veterans Response Teams” within their police departments.

The New Playbook for Crisis Response

Think of these Veterans Response Teams as specialized SWAT teams—but for mental health and resource connection, not raids. The core idea is to stop the cycle where veterans experiencing a mental health crisis or dealing with issues like PTSD or TBI end up unnecessarily in the criminal justice system. If a local jurisdiction gets one of these grants, their team is required to build strong, formal ties with the local Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) office, specifically linking up with the Veterans Justice Outreach specialist. They must also coordinate with local veterans courts and use the VA’s Veterans Re-Entry Search Service to flag veterans entering the jail or court system so the VA can step in with services.

Crucially, these teams are tasked with organizing volunteer first responders who are available 24/7 to assist officers responding to a call involving a veteran in crisis. This is a big lift, relying heavily on community involvement and coordination. If successful, this means that instead of a standard patrol officer showing up to a tense situation with limited mental health training, a specialized team member or volunteer—who understands the specific challenges faced by veterans—would be on the scene, hopefully leading to de-escalation and connection to services rather than an arrest.

Training and Transparency

One of the most valuable requirements in the SERVICE Act is the mandate for grant recipients to train their general law enforcement officers on mental health issues common among veterans, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). This training isn't just for the specialized team; it's designed to raise the baseline understanding across the entire department. For the average officer, this means better awareness of how to handle situations involving veterans, which should lead to safer outcomes for everyone involved.

While the bill is clear on its goals—better outcomes for veterans—it relies on future appropriations through the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 for funding between 2026 and 2030. This means the program’s ability to actually roll out across the country depends entirely on Congress allocating the necessary cash each year. Furthermore, the Attorney General is required to report back to Congress on how the pilot is doing, including details on grant amounts and success metrics, which should provide transparency on whether these teams are actually making a difference in the lives of veterans and their communities.