Central South Dakota News

U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Angus King (I-Maine) have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at helping older veterans avoid injuries from falls. The SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act proposes the establishment of an Office of Falls Prevention within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the creation of a falls prevention coordinator role.

The bill also suggests a pilot program to integrate falls prevention initiatives into VA home modification programs and calls for an assessment to identify veterans most at risk of falling. Given that veterans often suffer from more chronic conditions than non-veterans, these programs aim to reduce injuries, hospitalizations, and related expenses.

“America’s veterans deserve access to the preventative care solutions that evidence-based slip and fall prevention programs offer,” said Rounds. “It’s our responsibility to make certain veterans have access to these programs so they can live safely and comfortably after giving their time and talents to protect our great nation. I’m proud to join Senator King on the SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act to build and expand fall prevention programs at the VA.”

“We all know the saying that ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ so preventative care is a win-win for patients, family support systems, VA beneficiaries, and taxpayers,” said King. “The bipartisan SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act will ensure older veterans across the United States have access to a dedicated office and resources solely focused on their health and safety in the falls prevention space. Thanks to my colleague, Senator Rounds, for continuing to prioritize our veterans who gave so much to our country.”

Falls prevention requires an interdisciplinary approach involving screening by healthcare providers, referrals to community-based programs, and addressing home-based risks. Currently, neither the VA nor VHA has a single authority leading these efforts. While there are VA-funded home modification programs for some veteran populations, they do not incorporate evidence-based falls prevention measures.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, South Dakota ranks second nationwide in fall rates among adults aged 65 and over.

Specifically, the SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act would:

- Establish an Office of Falls Prevention within VHA.

- Create a falls prevention coordinator position.

- Designate this coordinator as the point person on federal panels focused on falls prevention.

- Develop a national education campaign promoting injury prevention.

- Collaborate with NIH on veteran-specific research.

- Require reporting on Falls Prevention Initiatives within the Department.

- Improve Safe Patient Handling Transfer Techniques.

- Launch a pilot program integrating evidence-based falls prevention into home modification grants.

- Mandate screenings through a Falls Assessment and Fall Prevention Service.