New Bills Highlight OTs Role in Preventing Falls

Congress is increasingly acknowledging the vital role occupational therapy (OT) plays in preventing falls among older adults and veterans. Two bipartisan bills—the SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act and the SAFE Act—demonstrate this growing support by proposing expanded access to OT-led interventions through the Department of Veterans Affairs and Medicare. These legislative efforts aim to reduce injuries, promote independence, and improve quality of life for aging populations.

SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act Aims to Reduce Falls Among Veterans

Bipartisan bill would expand evidence-based falls prevention services through the VA, improving safety and independence for aging veterans.

Representatives Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Jack Bergman (R-MI), and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have reintroduced H.R. 3183, the SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act, a bill aimed at reducing falls among older and at-risk veterans through expanded access to home-based, evidence-based interventions. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) have reintroduced companion legislation (S.668) in the Senate.

The SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act would establish a dedicated Office of Falls Prevention within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and appoint a coordinator to lead and streamline efforts across VA facilities. The bill also proposes the creation of a new Falls Assessment and Fall Prevention Service to screen veterans for fall risk and ensure individualized care plans are developed.

Additionally, it includes a pilot program to incorporate evidence-based falls prevention strategies into existing VA home modification grant programs. Given the strong evidence supporting the effectiveness of occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) in providing home safety assessments, adaptive equipment recommendations, and activity modifications to prevent falls and support aging in place, OTPs, whose specialized skills align directly with these strategies, will play a critical role in implementing this work.

By requiring collaboration with the National Institutes of Health to develop veteran-specific research and mandating a report on existing falls prevention initiatives, the legislation aims to strengthen coordination and identify opportunities to better serve aging veterans.

House Reintroduces SAFE Act to Support OT-Led Falls Prevention for Older Adults

Bipartisan bill would integrate occupational therapy-led falls prevention into Medicare wellness visits, reducing injuries and hospitalizations among older adults.

In a step forward for elder care and the occupational therapy profession, Representatives Carol Miller (R-WV) and Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) have reintroduced H.R. 1171, the Stopping Addiction and Falls for the Elderly (SAFE) Act, in the U.S. House of Representatives. This bipartisan legislation would allow occupational and physical therapists to conduct falls risk assessments during Medicare Annual Wellness Visits and initial “Welcome to Medicare” preventive physical exams.

Falls are the leading cause of injury and injury-related death among older adults. By enabling occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) to identify fall risks during routine visits, the SAFE Act aims to reduce preventable injuries, help older adults age safely at home, and decrease reliance on pain treatments such as opioids.

“We greatly appreciate the introduction of this crucial legislation. Occupational therapy practitioners assess the physical, behavioral, and environmental factors that contribute to falls, and provide interventions that have been shown to reduce fall and injury risk. By adding falls prevention services provided by an occupational therapy practitioner to both the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit and initial preventative medical exam, this bill will reduce the number of emergency room visits, hospitalizations and deaths that occur every year because of falls,” said Alyson Stover, MOT, JD, OTR/L, BCP, President of AOTA.

The bill also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to report annually to Congress on the number of Medicare beneficiaries who experience falls and receive treatment for fall-related injuries. This data will help improve transparency and inform future policy decisions.

A Unified Vision for Safer Aging in Place

Together, the SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act and the SAFE Act reflect a growing bipartisan commitment to prevention-focused care that leverages the unique skills of occupational therapy practitioners. AOTA applauds the leadership of Representatives Budzinski, Frankel, Kiggans, Bergman, Bilirakis, Miller, and Stansbury—as well as Senators King and Rounds—for championing legislation that prioritizes safety, independence, and quality of life for older adults and veterans.

By expanding access to OT-led falls prevention services in both the VA and Medicare systems, these bills offer practical, evidence-based strategies to reduce injuries, lower healthcare costs, and support aging in place. AOTA strongly supports these efforts as meaningful steps toward improving health outcomes and advancing occupational therapy’s role in prevention-focused care nationwide.