Project VBOT and The Recovery Platform Support Bipartisan Veterans Opioid Treatment Bill

The proposed VA pilot would connect eligible veterans to qualified community-based virtual providers when timely VA care is unavailable.

WILMINGTON, NC, UNITED STATES, August 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Project VBOT and The Recovery Platform today reaffirmed their support for the Virtual-Based Opioid Treatment for Veterans Act following its bipartisan introduction by U.S. Reps. Deborah Ross (D-N.C.), Carol Miller (R-W.Va.) and Don Davis (D-N.C.).

The bill would direct the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a two-year pilot through the Veterans Community Care Program. Under the proposal, eligible veterans with opioid use disorder could be connected to qualified community-based virtual treatment providers when VA facilities cannot provide timely care. The pilot is designed to supplement—not replace—care delivered directly by the VA.

For veterans in rural and underserved communities, the distance to a treatment site, limited provider availability, transportation challenges and long wait times can delay care at the moment an individual is ready to begin recovery. Project VBOT and The Recovery Platform support the legislation’s focus on removing those barriers while preserving clinical quality, accountability and the VA’s central role in veteran care.

“A veteran’s opportunity to begin treatment should not depend on how close they live to a clinic or whether a specialist has an opening at precisely the right moment. This bipartisan bill recognizes that qualified virtual care can provide a responsible bridge when timely VA care is not available. We are proud to support a proposal that puts access, continuity and the needs of veterans first.” — Reynold Yordy, CTO, The Recovery Platform

Project VBOT is a clinician-led virtual treatment model founded by the North Carolina Medical Society Foundation and The Recovery Platform to expand access to evidence-based care for opioid use disorder. The Recovery Platform is an innovative technology platform that enables providers and community partners to deliver accessible, retention-focused virtual treatment infrastructure.

“The practical lesson from virtual treatment is straightforward: when care is easier to reach, more people have a realistic opportunity to start treatment and stay connected to it. This pilot would allow the VA to evaluate a structured community-care pathway for veterans who might otherwise face delays, distance or a shortage of nearby specialists.” — David Bolton, Clinical Director, Project VBOT

The congressional announcement cites VA research involving more than 17,000 veterans receiving buprenorphine. Veterans who received at least some care through telehealth were more likely to remain in treatment for at least 90 days than those receiving care exclusively in person.

Project VBOT and The Recovery Platform urge members of Congress to continue bipartisan consideration of the legislation and engage veterans, clinicians, community treatment providers and VA leaders as the bill advances and, if enacted, as the pilot’s standards and implementation framework are developed.

About Project VBOT
Project VBOT is a clinician-led virtual treatment model founded by the North Carolina Medical Society Foundation and The Recovery Platform to expand access to evidence-based care for opioid use disorder. The model brings together medical care, counseling, peer support and care navigation through a coordinated virtual approach. Learn more at projectvbot.com.

About The Recovery Platform
The Recovery Platform is an innovative technology platform that enables providers and community partners to deliver accessible, retention-focused virtual treatment infrastructure. The Recovery Platform's cutting-edge technology drives clinical workflow and patient engagement to increase clinician efficiency, patient retention, and outcomes by eliminating treatment barriers. Learn more at therecoveryplatform.com.

Zach Herrmann, VP of Marketing
The Recovery Platform
zherrmann@therecoveryplatform.com