Gus Bilirakis Promotes Alternative Therapy for Veterans

From his perch on the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla, introduced a bill on Monday to study how alternative therapies can be added into the current VA structure. Bilirakis has dubbed his bill the Creating Options for Veterans Expedited Recovery (COVER) Act.

It is vital that veterans receive the care they need, but it is important to recognize that one size does not fit all when discussing treatments for veterans and the invisible wounds endured from their service to our great nation, Bilirakis said on Monday. While many veterans may thrive under evidence-based treatment plans, some may not be as responsive to this traditional medical care. As such, we need to provide them with choices and easy access to alternative forms of therapies that work best for them.

We must find the most effective ways to treat veterans, Bilirakis added. The COVER Act will ascertain the viability of alternative treatments, providing a pathway forward that will eventually allow veterans to have a range of options for mental health treatments, such as outdoor sports therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, accelerated resolution therapy, and service dog therapy.