---
type: "LegalText"
title: "38 U.S.C. § 1167"
description: "Mental health consultations"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 38
title_name: "VETERANS’ BENEFITS"
chapter_number: "11"
chapter_name: "COMPENSATION FOR SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY OR DEATH"
section: "1167"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 1167"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc38@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t38/s1167"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-38/usc38.xml"
source_hash: "d667da73e385e8e17b0f48ea2b99a628a511903beb0a60962f5527813b494768"
raw_snapshot_hash: "372998691b72ade88787dfa7633dbda4954bd1b037ec7926c5e06e9b1d17fc66"
text_hash: "1cebda82ada55b4275bf827b387a55cfe871d8bddd45f01f225379c4ffe899bb"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 38 U.S.C. § 1167 - Mental health consultations

## Text

(a) In General.— Not later than 30 days after the date on which a veteran submits to the Secretary a claim for compensation under this chapter for a service-connected disability relating to a mental health diagnosis, the Secretary shall offer the veteran a mental health consultation to assess the mental health needs of, and care options for, the veteran.

(b) Availability.— The Secretary shall—

(1) offer a veteran a consultation under subsection (a) without regard to any previous denial or approval of a claim of that veteran for a service-connected disability relating to a mental health diagnosis; and

(2) ensure that a veteran offered a mental health consultation under subsection (a) may elect to receive such consultation during the one-year period beginning on the date on which the consultation is offered or during such longer period beginning on such date as the Secretary considers appropriate.

(c) Rule of Construction.— A consultation provided to a veteran under this section shall not be construed as a determination that any disability of such veteran is service-connected for the purposes of any benefit under the laws administered by the Secretary.

(Added Pub. L. 117–328, div. V, title IV, § 404(a)(1), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5512.)