Veterans deserve full transparency, real choice, and meaningful participation in decisions about their mental health care.
Right now, Congress has the opportunity to strengthen those rights through the Written Informed Consent Act (H.R. 4837 / S. 3314). This legislation affirms a basic ethical principle: that veterans should receive clear, comprehensive information about psychiatric medications, including potential risks, and be supported in collaborative decision-making about their treatment.
ISPS-US has submitted the open letter below to members of the U.S. House and Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs. We are sharing it publicly to invite you to join us in this effort. We encourage you to read the letter and then contact your own representatives to urge their support for the Written Informed Consent Act.
Chairmen Bost and Moran and Ranking Members Takano and Blumenthal:
The International Society of Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis – US Chapter (ISPS-US) is a national professional membership organization and the US chapter of an international society founded over 70 years ago. Our members include psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, peer specialists, researchers, and people with lived experience. We are committed to evidence-informed, recovery-oriented, and person-centered approaches to psychosis and other serious mental health conditions.
The Written Informed Consent Act reinforces a core principle of ethical medical care: that patients deserve to understand the potential benefits and risks of recommended treatments and to participate meaningfully in decisions about their care. Mental health treatment should not be held to a lower standard than other areas of medicine. Veterans receiving psychiatric medications deserve the same level of respect, information, and transparency as veterans receiving any other form of medical treatment.
We note that the VA’s own policy, VHA Handbook 1004.01, already recognizes the importance of informed consent for treatments involving significant risk. However, reports from the VA Office of Inspector General have identified gaps in documentation and implementation of informed consent for psychiatric medications. This legislation strengthens accountability and helps ensure that informed consent is not merely a policy expectation, but a consistent clinical practice.
We want to be clear that ISPS-US is not opposed to the judicious use of psychiatric medications, including antipsychotic medications. For many individuals, these medications can be helpful. At the same time, psychotropic medications, particularly antipsychotics, carry well-documented risks, including serious metabolic, neurological, and cardiovascular side effects, as well as challenges related to long-term use and withdrawal. Decisions about their use should therefore be made collaboratively between veterans and providers, with clear, comprehensive information and adequate support for informed decision-making.
It is also important to recognize that medication is not the only effective treatment for psychosis and other serious mental health conditions. For many veterans, service-related trauma plays a central role in their mental health needs, underscoring the importance of access to comprehensive, non-pharmacological supports. A wide range of evidence-based approaches exist, including psychotherapy, peer support, and community-based interventions. Assuming that antipsychotic medication is the default or sole treatment option, whether in crisis response or ongoing maintenance, risks narrowing care and undermining individualized, recovery-oriented approaches. Written informed consent supports broader, more thoughtful conversations about treatment options and aligns with shared decision-making.
At its core, the Written Informed Consent Act affirms veterans’ dignity, autonomy, and right to make informed choices about their care. We respectfully urge you to support this legislation and to advance policies that promote transparency, collaboration, and a full range of evidence-based mental health supports for veterans.
Thank you for your consideration and for your continued service to our nation’s veterans.
The International Society of Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis – US Chapter (ISPS-US)
Now is the moment to act.
We urge our members and supporters to contact their Senators and Representatives and ask them to support the Written Informed Consent Act (H.R. 4837 / S. 3314). Hearing directly from constituents helps ensure that veterans’ rights to transparency, informed consent, and shared decision-making are protected, within the VA and beyond.
Together, we can help advance care rooted in dignity, autonomy, and respect.
Resources:
- Full act: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3314/text/is?overview=closed&format=xml
- Press Release: https://www.sheehy.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sheehy-introduces-pro-veteran-bill-to-prevent-overprescription-at-the-va/
- Grunt Style Foundation: https://www.gruntstylefoundation.org/
