ExecutiveOrdersEO
EO 13861Executive OrderTrump 45 · R

Executive Order 13861

National Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End Suicide

This executive order establishes a presidential task force to create a comprehensive national roadmap (PREVENTS) aimed at ending veteran suicide through improved coordination between federal, state, local, tribal, and private-sector partners. It mandates development of a community integration proposal, a national research strategy, and an implementation plan within one year, with the task force continuing for two years afterward to monitor progress.

Federal Register Open PDF 84 FR 8585

Impact dates

  1. Task Force termination (2 years after roadmap submission)

  2. Task Force to develop and submit PREVENTS roadmap to President

  3. Task Force to submit legislative proposal for local community collaboration grants through OMB Director

  4. Task Force to develop national research strategy in coordination with OSTP Director

Key directives

  • Establish Veteran Wellness, Empowerment, and Suicide Prevention Task Force co-chaired by VA Secretary and Assistant to President for Domestic Policy
  • Task Force to include Secretaries of Defense, Labor, HHS, HUD, Energy, Education, Homeland Security; OMB Director; National Security Advisor; and OSTP Director
  • Develop and submit PREVENTS roadmap within 365 days
  • Submit legislative proposal for local community collaboration grants within 365 days
  • Develop national research strategy on veteran suicide factors within 365 days
  • VA to provide funding and administrative support for Task Force
  • Designate Task Force Executive Director from VA
  • Task Force to monitor implementation after roadmap submission
  • Task Force terminates 2 years after roadmap submission to President

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • Task Force established with VA Secretary and Domestic Policy Assistant as co-chairs
  • VA designated to provide funding and administrative support
  • Executive Director of Task Force to be designated

Near term (90d)

  • Initial task force organization and staffing
  • Beginning of stakeholder engagement with state/local/tribal officials and private entities

Long term

  • Roadmap submission to President (by March 5, 2020)
  • Legislative proposal for community grant program (by March 5, 2020)
  • National research strategy development (by March 5, 2020)
  • Task Force termination (by March 5, 2022, assuming on-time roadmap submission)

Risks & tensions

  • Roadmap depends on 'availability of appropriations' (Sec. 10(b)), creating funding uncertainty
  • No enforcement mechanism if roadmap is delayed or ignored; task force self-monitors implementation
  • Legislative proposal for grants requires Congressional action—EO cannot directly authorize spending
  • Data-sharing protocols (Sec. 7(c)(iv)) may conflict with privacy laws and VA healthcare confidentiality
  • Holistic approach is ambitious but metrics for 'quality of life' and 'belonging' are inherently difficult to quantify
  • Task force includes 10 cabinet-level officials plus White House staff—coordination challenges risk bureaucratic inertia
Executive Order 13861: National Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End Suicide · Executive Orders