S 38 ISCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a program for the provision of readjustment and mental health services to veterans who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

May 23, 2007

Mr. DOMENICI (for himself and Mr. OBAMA) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' AffairsCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a program for the provision of readjustment and mental health services to veterans who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Veterans' Mental Health Outreach and Access Act of 2007'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. PROGRAM ON PROVISION OF READJUSTMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES TO VETERANS WHO SERVED IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.

(a) Program Required- Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a program to provide--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) to veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, particularly veterans who served in such operations while in the National Guard and the Reserves--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) peer outreach services;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) peer support services;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) readjustment counseling and services described in section 1712A of title 38, United States Code; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) mental health services; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) to members of the immediate family of such a veteran, during the three-year period beginning on the date of the return of such veteran from deployment in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, education, support, counseling, and mental health services to assist in--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) the readjustment of such veteran to civilian life;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) in the case such veteran has an injury or illness incurred during such deployment, the recovery of such veteran; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) the readjustment of the family following the return of such veteran.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Contracts With Community Mental Health Centers and Qualified Entities for Provision of Services- In carrying out the program required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall contract with community mental health centers and other qualified entities to provide the services required by such subsection in areas the Secretary determines are not adequately served by other health care facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Such contracts shall require each contracting community health center or entity--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) to the extent practicable, to employ veterans trained under subsection (c);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) to the extent practicable, to use telehealth services for the delivery of services required by subsection (a);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) to participate in the training program conducted in accordance with subsection (d);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) to comply with applicable protocols of the Department of Veterans Affairs before incurring any liability on behalf of the Department for the provision of the services required by subsection (a);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) to submit annual reports to the Secretary containing, with respect to the program required by subsection (a) and for the last full calendar year ending before the submission of such report--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) the number of the veterans served, veterans diagnosed, and courses of treatment provided to veterans as part of the program required by subsection (a); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) demographic information for such services, diagnoses, and courses of treatment;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) for each veteran for whom a community mental health center or other qualified entity provides mental health services under such contract, to provide the Department of Veterans Affairs with such clinical summary information as the Secretary shall require; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) to meet such other requirements as the Secretary shall require.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Training of Veterans for the Provision of Peer-Outreach and Peer-Support Services- In carrying out the program required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall contract with a national not-for-profit mental health organization to carry out a national program of training for veterans described in subsection (a) to provide the services described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) of such subsection.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Training of Clinicians for Provision of Services- The Secretary shall conduct a training program for clinicians of community mental health centers or entities that have contracts with the Secretary under subsection (b) to ensure that such clinicians can provide the services required by subsection (a) in a manner that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) recognizes factors that are unique to the experience of veterans who served on active duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom (including their combat and military training experiences); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) utilizes best practices and technologies.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Reports Required-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) INITIAL REPORT ON PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION- Not later than 45 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report containing the plans of the Secretary to implement the program required by subsection (a).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) STATUS REPORT- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the implementation of the program. Such report shall include the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) Information on the number of veterans who received services as part of the program and the type of services received during the last full calendar year completed before the submission of such report.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) An evaluation of the provision of services under paragraph (2) of subsection (a) and a recommendation as to whether the period described in such paragraph should be extended to a five-year period.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES FROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR VETERANS OF SERVICE IN COMBAT THEATER.

Section 1710(e)(3)(C) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking `2 years' and inserting `5 years'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink