---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 1783"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "1783"
heading: "Bereavement counseling"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/1783"
units:
  - "Part II — General Benefits"
  - "Chapter 17 — Hospital, Nursing Home, Domiciliary, and Medical Care"
  - "Subchapter VIII — Health Care of Persons Other Than Veterans"
---

# §1783. Bereavement counseling

- (a) **Deaths of Veterans.—** In the case of an individual who was a recipient of services under [section 1782 of this title](/usc/38/1782.md) at the time of the death of the [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1), the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) may provide bereavement counseling to that individual in the case of a death—
  - (1) that was unexpected; or
  - (2) that occurred while the [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) was participating in a hospice program (or a similar program) conducted by the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1).
- (b) **Deaths In Active Service.—**
  - (1) The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) may provide bereavement counseling to an individual who is a member of the immediate family of a member of the [Armed Forces](/usc/38/101.md?p=10) who dies in the [active military, naval, air, or space service](/usc/38/101.md?p=24) in the line of duty and under circumstances not due to the person’s own misconduct.
  - (2) For purposes of this subsection, the members of the immediate family of a member of the [Armed Forces](/usc/38/101.md?p=10) described in [paragraph (1)](#b-1) include the [parents](/usc/38/101.md?p=5) of such member.
- (c) **Provision of Counseling Through Vet Centers.—** Bereavement counseling may be provided under this section through the facilities and personnel of centers for the provision of readjustment counseling and related mental health services under [section 1712A of this title](/usc/38/1712A.md).
- (d) **Bereavement Counseling Defined.—** For purposes of this section, the term “bereavement counseling” means such counseling services, for a limited period, as the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) determines to be reasonable and necessary to assist an individual with the emotional and psychological stress accompanying the death of another individual.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 107–135, title II, § 208(b), Jan. 23, 2002, 115 Stat. 2463; amended Pub. L. 109–461, title II, § 216, Dec. 22, 2006, 120 Stat. 3424; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 926(a)(31), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3830.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 1783 was renumbered section 3683 of this title.

### Amendments

2021—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “air, or space service” for “or air service”.

2006—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–461, § 216(a), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 109–461, § 216(b), added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d).