The "Veterans' Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers Act of 2025," or "Veterans' ACCESS Act of 2025," aims to enhance the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Community Care Program and improve access to mental health treatment. Title I codifies specific eligibility access standards for community care, defining maximum driving times and wait times for primary, mental health, extended, and specialty care appointments. Notably, it clarifies that telehealth availability will not be considered when determining if the VA can meet these standards, and mandates that if a VA appointment is canceled, wait times for subsequent appointments are calculated from the original request date. The bill also requires documentation of veteran agreement to longer times or distances. To improve transparency and veteran choice, the bill requires the VA to notify veterans in writing of their eligibility for community care within two business days and provide periodic reminders. It further stipulates that the VA must consider a veteran's preference for where, when, and how to seek care , along with continuity of care and the need for a caregiver or attendant, when arranging community care. If a request for community care is denied, the VA must notify the veteran within two business days, providing the reason for denial and instructions on how to appeal. Additionally, the VA must discuss telehealth options with veterans, ensuring they are informed if such care is available, appropriate, and acceptable to them. Title II focuses on improving mental health treatment programs by establishing a standardized screening process for admission to VA mental health residential rehabilitation treatment programs. This process defines clear criteria for priority admission , including significant symptoms, unsafe living situations, suicide risk, and non-responsiveness to other treatments. The bill sets strict timeframes, requiring screening within 48 hours of a request and admission for priority cases within 48 hours of determination. If the VA cannot meet these admission requirements, it must offer the veteran care at an accredited non-Department facility. The legislation mandates the development of performance metrics to track screening and admission timeliness for mental health residential programs, along with an oversight process to assess the quality of care from both VA and non-VA providers. It requires the VA to provide veterans with a list of available residential care locations and offer transportation assistance . A national policy for clinical appeals is established for veterans denied admission or timely bed placement, with a required 72-hour response time. The bill also calls for tracking program availability and wait times, updating staff training, and ensuring robust care coordination and follow-up care, including comprehensive care plans prior to discharge. Title III introduces an initiative for an interactive, online self-service module for veterans, enabling them to request appointments, track referrals, receive reminders, and appeal care denial decisions. It also modifies the VA's Center for Innovation for Care and Payment (CICP), making its establishment mandatory and expanding its mission. A significant provision is the establishment of a three-year pilot program , managed by the CICP, allowing veterans in at least five locations to directly access outpatient mental health and substance use services from community providers without a prior VA referral or pre-authorization, prioritizing sites with high veteran suicide/overdose rates and long VA wait times.