[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 739 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 739

To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve programs for homeless 
                   veterans, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 6, 2001

Mr. Wellstone (for himself, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Dayton, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. 
 Dorgan, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Daschle, Mr. Reid, 
 and Mr. Johnson) introduced the following bill; which was read twice 
          and referred to the Committee on Veterarns' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve programs for homeless 
                   veterans, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Heather French 
Henry Homeless Veterans Assistance Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings; definitions.
Sec. 3. National goal to end homelessness among veterans.
Sec. 4. Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans.
Sec. 5. Annual meeting requirement for Interagency Council on the 
                            Homeless.
Sec. 6. Evaluation of homeless programs.
Sec. 7. Changes in veterans equitable resource allocation methodology.
Sec. 8. Per diem payments for furnishing services to homeless veterans.
Sec. 9. Grant program for homeless veterans with special needs.
Sec. 10. Coordination of outreach services for veterans at risk of 
                            homelessness.
Sec. 11. Treatment trials in integrated mental health services 
                            delivery.
Sec. 12. Dental care.
Sec. 13. Programmatic expansions.
Sec. 14. Various authorities.
Sec. 15. Life safety code for grant and per diem providers.
Sec. 16. Transitional assistance grants pilot program.
Sec. 17. Assistance for grant applications.
Sec. 18. Home loan program for manufactured housing.
Sec. 19. Extension of homeless veterans reintegration program.
Sec. 20. Use of real property.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; DEFINITIONS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) On the field of battle, the members of the Armed Forces 
        who defend the Nation are honor-bound to leave no one behind 
        and, likewise, the Nation is honor-bound to leave no veteran 
        behind.
            (2) The Department of Veterans Affairs report known as the 
        Community Homeless Assessment, Local Education, and Networking 
        Groups for Veterans (CHALENG) assessment, issued in May 2000, 
        reports that during 1999 there were an estimated 344,983 
        homeless veterans, an increase of 34 percent above the 1998 
        estimate of 256,872 homeless veterans.
            (3) Male veterans are more likely to be homeless than their 
        nonveteran peers. Although veterans constitute only 13 percent 
        of the general male population, 23 percent of the homeless male 
        population are veterans.
            (4) Homelessness among veterans is persistent despite 
        unprecedented economic growth and job creation and general 
        prosperity.
            (5) While there are many effective programs that assist 
        homeless veterans to again become productive and self-
        sufficient members of society, current resources provided to 
        such programs and other activities that assist homeless 
        veterans are inadequate to provide all needed essential 
        services, assistance, and support to homeless veterans.
            (6) If current programs to assist homeless veterans are 
        fully maintained but not expanded, veterans will experience as 
        many as a billion nights of homelessness during the next 
        decade.
            (7) The CHALENG assessment referred to in paragraph (2) 
        reports--
                    (A) that Department of Veterans Affairs and 
                community providers were responsible for establishing 
                almost 500 beds for homeless veterans during 2000, 
                including emergency, transitional, and permanent beds; 
                and
                    (B) that there is a need for about 45,724 
                additional beds to meet current needs of homeless 
                veterans.
            (8) As of February 28, 2001, the Congressional Budget 
        Office forecasts a Federal budget surplus of $313,000,000,000 
        for fiscal year 2002 and budget surpluses totaling more than 
        $5,610,000,000,000 over the next 10 years.
            (9) At least $750,000,000 will be required to establish the 
        45,724 additional new beds now needed by homeless veterans, 
        according to an informal Department of Veterans Affairs cost 
        estimate.
            (10) Even if the Department of Veterans Affairs and its 
        partners created 2,000 additional beds per year for homeless 
        veterans (roughly quadrupling the number of such beds they 
        currently plan to open annually), it would still take more than 
        two decades to provide the necessary additional beds to meet 
        the current needs of homeless veterans.
            (11) Nearly four decades ago, the Nation established a goal 
        of sending a man to the moon and returning him safely to earth 
        within a decade and accomplished that goal, and the Nation can 
        do no less to end homelessness among the Nation's veterans.
    (b) Definitions.--For purposes of this Act:
            (1) The term ``homeless veteran'' means a veteran who--
                    (A) lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime 
                residence; or
                    (B) has a primary nighttime residence that is--
                            (i) a supervised publicly or privately 
                        operated shelter designed to provide temporary 
                        living accommodations (including welfare 
                        hotels, congregate shelters, grant per diem 
                        shelters and transitional housing for the 
                        mentally ill);
                            (ii) an institution that provides a 
                        temporary residence for individuals intended to 
                        be institutionalized; or
                            (iii) a public or private place not 
                        designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular 
                        sleeping accommodation for human beings.
            (2) The term ``grant and per diem provider'' means an 
        entity in receipt of a grant under section 3 or 4 of the 
        Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 
        (38 U.S.C. 7721 note).

SEC. 3. NATIONAL GOAL TO END HOMELESSNESS AMONG VETERANS.

    (a) National Goal.--Congress hereby declares it to be a national 
goal to end homelessness among veterans within a decade.
    (b) Cooperative Efforts Encouraged.--Congress hereby encourages all 
departments and agencies of Federal, State, and local governments, 
quasi-governmental organizations, private and public sector entities, 
including community-based organizations, and individuals to work 
cooperatively to end homelessness among veterans within a decade.

SEC. 4. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HOMELESS VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 5 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 546. Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans
    ``(a)(1) There is established in the Department the Advisory 
Committee on Homeless Veterans (hereinafter in this section referred to 
as the `Committee').
    ``(2) The Committee shall consist of not more than 15 members 
appointed by the Secretary from among the following:
            ``(A) Veterans service organizations.
            ``(B) Advocates of homeless veterans and other homeless 
        individuals.
            ``(C) Community-based providers of services to homeless 
        individuals.
            ``(D) Previously homeless veterans.
            ``(E) State veterans affairs officials.
            ``(F) Experts in the treatment of individuals with mental 
        illness.
            ``(G) Experts in the treatment of substance use disorders.
            ``(H) Experts in the development of permanent housing 
        alternatives for lower income populations.
            ``(I) Experts in vocational rehabilitation.
            ``(J) Such other organizations or groups as the Secretary 
        considers appropriate.
    ``(3) The Committee shall include, as ex officio members--
            ``(A) the Secretary of Labor (or a representative of the 
        Secretary selected after consultation with the Assistant 
        Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment and Training);
            ``(B) the Secretary of Defense (or a representative of the 
        Secretary);
            ``(C) the Secretary of Health and Human Services (or a 
        representative of the Secretary); and
            ``(D) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (or a 
        representative of the Secretary).
    ``(4) The Secretary shall determine the terms of service and pay 
and allowances of the members of the Committee, except that a term of 
service may not exceed three years. The Secretary may reappoint any 
member for additional terms of service.
    ``(b)(1) The Secretary shall, on a regular basis, consult with and 
seek the advice of the Committee with respect to the provision by the 
Department of benefits and services to homeless veterans.
    ``(2)(A) In providing advice to the Secretary under this 
subsection, the Committee shall--
            ``(i) assemble and review information relating to the needs 
        of homeless veterans;
            ``(ii) provide an on-going assessment of the effectiveness 
        of the policies, organizational structures, and services of the 
        Department in assisting homeless veterans; and
            ``(iii) provide on-going advice on the most appropriate 
        means of providing assistance to homeless veterans.
    ``(3) The Committee shall--
            ``(A) review the continuum of services provided by the 
        Department directly or by contract in order to define cross-
        cutting issues and to improve coordination of all services in 
        the Department that address the special needs of homeless 
        veterans;
            ``(B) identify (through the annual assessments under 
        section 1774 of this title and other available resources) gaps 
        in programs of the Department in serving homeless veterans, 
        including identification of geographic areas with unmet needs, 
        and provide recommendations to address those program gaps;
            ``(C) identify gaps in existing information systems on 
        homeless veterans, both within and outside the Department, and 
        provide recommendations about redressing problems in data 
        collection;
            ``(D) identify barriers under existing laws and policies to 
        effective coordination by the Department with other Federal 
        agencies and with State and local agencies addressing homeless 
        populations;
            ``(E) identify opportunities for enhanced liaison by the 
        Department with nongovernmental organizations and individual 
        groups addressing homeless populations;
            ``(F) with appropriate officials of the Department 
        designated by the Secretary, participate with the Interagency 
        Council on the Homeless under title II of the McKinney-Vento 
        Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11311 et seq.);
            ``(G) recommend appropriate funding levels for specialized 
        programs for homeless veterans provided or funded by the 
        Department;
            ``(H) recommend appropriate placement options for veterans 
        who, because of advanced age, frailty, or severe mental 
        illness, may not be appropriate candidates for vocational 
        rehabilitation or independent living; and
            ``(I) perform such other functions as the Secretary may 
        direct.
    ``(c)(1) Not later than March 31 of each year, the Committee shall 
submit to the Secretary a report on the programs and activities of the 
Department that relate to homeless veterans. Each such report shall 
include--
            ``(A) an assessment of the needs of homeless veterans;
            ``(B) a review of the programs and activities of the 
        Department designed to meet such needs;
            ``(C) a review of the activities of the Committee; and
            ``(D) such recommendations (including recommendations for 
        administrative and legislative action) as the Committee 
        considers appropriate.
    ``(2) Not later than 90 days after the receipt of a report under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall transmit to the Committees on 
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a copy of 
the report, together with any comments and recommendations concerning 
the report that the Secretary considers appropriate.
    ``(3) The Committee may also submit to the Secretary such other 
reports and recommendations as the Committee considers appropriate.
    ``(4) The Secretary shall submit with each annual report submitted 
to Congress pursuant to section 529 of this title a summary of all 
reports and recommendations of the Committee submitted to the Secretary 
since the previous annual report of the Secretary submitted pursuant to 
that section.
    ``(d)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the provisions of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall apply to the 
activities of the Committee under this section.
    ``(2) Section 14 of such Act shall not apply to the Committee.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``546. Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans.''.

SEC. 5. MEETINGS OF INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON THE HOMELESS.

    Section 202(c) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 11312(c)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(c) Meetings.--The Council shall meet at the call of its 
Chairperson or a majority of its members, but not less often than 
annually.''.

SEC. 6. EVALUATION OF HOMELESS PROGRAMS.

    (a) Evaluation Centers.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
support the continuation within the Department of Veterans Affairs of 
at least one center for evaluation to monitor the structure, process, 
and outcome of programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs that 
address homeless veterans.
    (b) Annual Report on Health Care.--The Secretary shall submit to 
Congress on an annual basis a report on programs of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs addressing health care needs of homeless veterans. The 
Secretary shall include in each such report the following:
            (1) Information about expenditures, costs, and workload 
        under the Department of Veterans Affairs program known as the 
        Health Care for Homeless Veterans program (HCHV).
            (2) Information about the veterans contacted through that 
        program.
            (3) Information about processes under that program.
            (4) Information about program treatment outcomes under that 
        program.
            (5) Information about supported housing programs.
            (6) Information about the Department's grant and per diem 
        provider program.
            (7) Other information the Secretary considers relevant in 
        assessing the program.
    (c) Annual Program Assessment.--Section 1774(b) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``annual'' after ``to 
        make an''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(6) The Secretary shall review each annual assessment under this 
subsection, and shall consolidate the findings and conclusions of those 
assessments into an annual report which the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress.''.

SEC. 7. CHANGES IN VETERANS EQUITABLE RESOURCE ALLOCATION METHODOLOGY.

    (a) Allocation Categories.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
assign veterans receiving the following services to the resource 
allocation category designated as ``complex care'' within the Veterans 
Equitable Resource Allocation system:
            (1) Care provided to veterans enrolled in the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs program for Mental Health Intensive Community 
        Case Management.
            (2) Continuous care in homeless chronically mentally ill 
        veterans programs.
            (3) Continuous care within specialized programs provided to 
        veterans who have been diagnosed with both serious chronic 
        mental illness and substance use disorders.
            (4) Continuous therapy combined with sheltered housing 
        provided to veterans in specialized treatment for substance use 
        disorders.
            (5) Specialized therapies provided to veterans with post-
        traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), including therapies provided 
        by or under the following:
                    (A) Specialized outpatient PTSD programs.
                    (B) PTSD clinical teams.
                    (C) Women veterans stress disorder treatment teams.
                    (D) Substance abuse disorder PTSD teams.
    (b) Treatment of Funds for New Programs for Homeless Veterans.--The 
Secretary shall ensure that funds for any new program for homeless 
veterans carried out through a Department health care facility are 
designated for the first three years of operation of that program as a 
special purpose program for which funds are not allocated through the 
Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation system.

SEC. 8. PER DIEM PAYMENTS FOR FURNISHING SERVICES TO HOMELESS VETERANS.

    (a) Increase in Rate of Per Diem Payments.--Section 4(a) of the 
Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 (38 U.S.C. 
7721 note) is amended by striking ``at such rates'' and all that 
follows through ``homeless veteran--'' and inserting the following: 
``at the same rates as the rates authorized for State homes for 
domiciliary care provided under section 1741 of title 38, United States 
Code, for services furnished to homeless veterans--''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on the first day of the first fiscal year beginning after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 9. GRANT PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS VETERANS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry 
out a program to make grants to health care facilities of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs and to grant and per diem providers in 
order to encourage development by those facilities and providers of 
programs targeted at meeting special needs within the population of 
homeless veterans.
    (b) Homeless Veterans With Special Needs.--For purposes of this 
section, homeless veterans with special needs include homeless veterans 
who--
            (1) are women;
            (2) are 50 years of age or older;
            (3) are substance abusers;
            (4) are persons with post-traumatic stress disorder;
            (5) are terminally ill;
            (6) are chronically mentally ill; or
            (7) have care of minor dependents or other family members.
    (c) Study of Outcome Effectiveness.--The Secretary shall conduct a 
study of the effectiveness of the grant program in meeting the needs of 
homeless veterans. As part of the study, the Secretary shall compare 
the results of programs carried out in the grant program under this 
section in terms of veterans' satisfaction, health status, reduction in 
addiction severity, housing, and encouragement of productive activity 
with results for similar veterans in programs of the Department or of 
grant and per diem providers that are designed to meet the general 
needs of homeless veterans.
    (d) Funding.--From amounts appropriated to the Department of 
Veterans Affairs for ``Medical Care'' for each of fiscal years 2003, 
2004, and 2005, $5,000,000 shall be available for purposes of the 
program under this section. Grants under this section to a health care 
facility of the Department or a grant and per diem provider shall be 
treated in the manner provided in section 7(b).

SEC. 10. COORDINATION OF OUTREACH SERVICES FOR VETERANS AT RISK OF 
              HOMELESSNESS.

    (a) Outreach Plan.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, acting 
through the Under Secretary for Health, shall provide for appropriate 
officials of the Mental Health Service and the Readjustment Counseling 
Service of the Veterans Health Administration to initiate a coordinated 
plan for joint outreach to veterans at risk of homelessness, including 
particularly veterans who are being discharged from institutions 
(including discharges from inpatient psychiatric care, substance abuse 
treatment programs, and penal institutions).
    (b) Matters To Be Included.--The plan under subsection (a) shall 
include the following:
            (1) Strategies to identify and collaborate with external 
        entities used by veterans who have not traditionally used 
        Department of Veterans Affairs services to further outreach 
        efforts.
            (2) Strategies to ensure that mentoring programs, recovery 
        support groups, and other appropriate support networks are 
        optimally available to veterans.
            (3) Appropriate programs or referrals to family support 
        programs.
            (4) Means to increase access to case management services.
            (5) Plans for making additional employment services 
        accessible to veterans.
            (6) Appropriate referral sources for mental health and 
        substance abuse services.
    (c) Cooperative Relationships.--The plan under subsection (a) shall 
identify strategies for the Department to enter into formal cooperative 
relationships with entities outside the Department of Veterans Affairs 
to facilitate making services and resources optimally available to 
veterans.
    (d) Review of Plan.--The Secretary shall submit the plan under 
subsection (a) to the Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans for its 
review and consultation.
    (e) Submission of Report.--Not later than two years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of 
Representatives a report on the Secretary's plan under subsection (a), 
including goals and timelines for implementation of the plan for 
particular facilities and service networks.
    (f) Outreach Program.--(1) The Secretary shall carry out an 
outreach program to provide information to homeless veterans and 
veterans at risk of homelessness. The program shall include at a 
minimum--
            (A) provision of information about benefits available to 
        eligible veterans from the Department; and
            (B) contact information for local Department facilities, 
        including medical facilities, regional offices, and veterans 
        centers.
    (2) In developing and carrying out the program under paragraph (1), 
the Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, consult with 
appropriate public and private organizations, including the Bureau of 
Prisons, State social service agencies, the Department of Defense, and 
mental health, veterans, and homeless advocates--
            (A) for assistance in identifying and contacting veterans 
        who are homeless or at risk of homelessness;
            (B) to coordinate appropriate outreach activities with 
        those organizations; and
            (C) to coordinate services provided to veterans with 
        services provided by those organizations.

SEC. 11. TREATMENT TRIALS IN INTEGRATED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES 
              DELIVERY.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry 
out two treatment trials in integrated mental health services delivery. 
Each such trial shall be carried out at a Department of Veterans 
Affairs medical center selected by the Secretary for such purpose. The 
trials shall each be carried out over the same one-year period.
    (b) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term 
``integrated mental health services delivery'' means a coordinated and 
standardized approach to evaluation between mental health and primary 
health care professionals for enrollment, treatment, and followup of 
patients who have both mental health disorders (including substance use 
disorders) and medical conditions.
    (c) Site Selection Criteria.--In reviewing applications from 
Department medical centers for selection as a site for a treatment 
trial under this section, the Secretary shall consider models that use 
the following:
            (1) Standardized criteria for admission and enrollment as 
        participant or control.
            (2) Focus on prevention and symptom reduction.
            (3) Development of a comprehensive, integrated treatment 
        plan.
            (4) Patient assignment to a team or teams.
            (5) Management of polypharmacy.
            (6) Use of evidence-based treatment protocols.
            (7) Case management between visits.
            (8) Referral and coordination of appropriate Department or 
        community-based services (including housing if necessary).
            (9) Ability to maintain and provide outcomes for comparison 
        purposes on veterans with similar diagnoses and characteristics 
        who are not included in the trial, but who are receiving 
        traditional consultative services in the same facility.
    (d) Treatment Models To Be Tested.--The two treatment trials shall 
each use one of the following models:
            (1) Mental health primary care teams.
            (2) Patient assignment to a mental health primary care team 
        that is linked with the patient's medical primary care team.
    (e) Study of Effectiveness.--The Secretary shall compare treatment 
outcomes (including such outcomes as veterans' satisfaction, health 
status, treatment compliance, patient functionality, reduction in 
addiction severity as well as service utilization and treatment costs) 
of the different treatment trials for chronically mentally ill veterans 
who are provided treatment through integrated mental health programs 
with treatment outcomes for similar chronically mentally ill veterans 
provided treatment through traditionally consultative relationships.
    (f) Results.--Not later than 30 months after selection of the two 
centers under this section, each selected center shall complete 
measures of treatment outcomes under subsection (e), as well as 
measures for matched controls.
    (g) Mandatory Audit of Results.--The Department of Veterans Affairs 
Medical Inspector General shall review medical records of participants 
and controls for both trials to ensure that results are accurate.
    (h) Report and Dissemination of Results.--Not later than two years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to Congress a report setting forth the results of the comparison under 
subsection (e) and such recommendations as the Secretary may have. 
Based upon the Secretary's conclusions, the Secretary shall disseminate 
the best practices for treatment of mentally ill veterans in such 
manner as the Secretary determines appropriate on a nationwide basis.
    (i) Costs.--The Secretary may use up to $2,000,000 from funds 
available to the Secretary for Medical Care for costs for each of the 
treatment trials. Funds identified by the Secretary for the trials 
shall remain available until expended.

SEC. 12. DENTAL CARE.

    (a) In General.--For purposes of section 1712(a)(1)(H) of title 38, 
United States Code, outpatient dental services and treatment of a 
dental condition or disability of a veteran described in subsection (b) 
shall be considered to be medically necessary if--
            (1) the dental services and treatment are necessary for the 
        veteran to successfully gain or regain employment;
            (2) the dental services and treatment are necessary to 
        alleviate pain; or
            (3) the dental services and treatment are necessary for 
        treatment of moderate, severe, or severe and complicated 
        gingival and periodontal pathology.
    (b) Eligible Veterans.--Subsection (a) applies to a veteran who 
is--
            (1) enrolled for care under section 1705(a) of title 38, 
        United States Code; and
            (2) receiving care (directly or by contract) in any of the 
        following settings:
                    (A) A domiciliary under section 1710 of such title.
                    (B) A therapeutic residence under section 1772 of 
                such title.
                    (C) Community residential care coordinated by the 
                Secretary of Veterans Affairs under section 1730 of 
                such title.
                    (D) A setting for which the Secretary provides 
                funds for a grant and per diem provider.
                    (E) Any program described in section 7 of this Act.

SEC. 13. PROGRAMMATIC EXPANSIONS.

    (a) Access to Mental Health Services.--The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall develop standards to ensure that mental health services 
are available to veterans in a manner similar to the manner in which 
primary care is available to veterans who require services by ensuring 
that each primary care health care facility of the Department has a 
mental health treatment capacity.
    (b) Transitional Housing.--Effective October 1, 2001, section 12 of 
the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 (38 
U.S.C. 7721 note) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 12. FUNDING.

    ``(a) Amounts for Grant and Per Diem Programs.--From amounts 
appropriated for `Medical Care' for any fiscal year, the Secretary 
shall expend not less than $55,000,000 (as adjusted from time to time 
under subsection (b)) to carry out the transitional housing grant and 
per diem provider programs under sections 3 and 4 of this Act.
    ``(b) Periodic Increases.--The amount in effect under subsection 
(a) shall be increased for any fiscal year by the overall percentage 
increase in the Medical Care account for that fiscal year from the 
preceding fiscal year.''.
    (c) Comprehensive Homeless Services Program.--(1) The Secretary 
shall provide for the establishment of centers for the provision of 
comprehensive services to homeless veterans under section 1773(b) of 
title 38, United States Code, in at least each of the 20 largest 
metropolitan statistical areas.
    (2) Section 1773(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``not fewer than eight''.
    (d) Opioid Substitution Therapy.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
opioid substitution therapy is available at each Department of Veterans 
Affairs medical center.
    (e) Program Expiration Extension.--Sections 1771(b) and 1773(d) of 
title 38, United States Code, are amended by striking ``December 31, 
2001'' and inserting ``December 31, 2006''.

SEC. 14. VARIOUS AUTHORITIES.

    (a) Employment Programs.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
authorize homeless veterans receiving care through vocational 
rehabilitation programs to participate in the compensated work therapy 
program.
    (b) Supported Housing for Veterans Participating in Compensated 
Work Therapies.--The Secretary may authorize homeless veterans in the 
compensated work therapy program to be provided housing through the 
therapeutic residence program under section 1772 of title 38, United 
States Code, or through grant and per diem providers.
    (c) Staffing Requirement.--The Secretary shall ensure that there is 
assigned at each Veterans Benefits Administration regional office at 
least one employee assigned specifically to oversee and coordinate 
homeless veterans programs in that region, including the housing 
program for veterans supported by the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, housing programs supported by the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, the homeless veterans reintegration program of the Department 
of Labor, the assessments required by section 1774 of title 38, United 
States Code, Comprehensive Homeless Centers, and such other duties 
relating to homeless veterans as may be assigned. In any such regional 
office with at least 140 employees, there shall be at least one full-
time employee assigned to such functions.
    (d) Coordination of Employment Services.--(1) Section 4103A(c) of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph:
            ``(11) Coordination of services provided to veterans with 
        training assistance provided to veterans by entities receiving 
        financial assistance under section 738 of the McKinney-Vento 
        Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11448).''.
    (2) Section 4104(b) of such title is amended--
            (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (11);
            (B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (12) and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(13) coordinate services provided to veterans with 
        training assistance for veterans provided by entities receiving 
        financial assistance under section 738 of the McKinney-Vento 
        Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11448).''.

SEC. 15. LIFE SAFETY CODE FOR GRANT AND PER DIEM PROVIDERS.

    (a) New Grants.--Section 3(b)(5) of the Homeless Veterans 
Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 (38 U.S.C. 7721 note) is 
amended by striking ``, but fire and safety'' and all that follows 
through ``in carrying out the grant'' and inserting ``and the fire and 
safety requirements applicable under the Life Safety Code of the 
National Fire Protection Association''.
    (b) Previous Grantees.--Section 4 of such Act is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(e) Life Safety Code.--(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a 
per diem payment (or in-kind assistance in lieu of per diem payments) 
may not be provided under this section to a grant recipient unless the 
facilities of the grant recipient meet the fire and safety requirements 
applicable under the Life Safety Code of the National Fire Protection 
Association.
    ``(2) During the five-year period beginning on the date of the 
enactment of the Heather French Henry Homeless Veterans Assistance Act, 
paragraph (1) shall not apply to an entity that received a grant under 
section 3 before that date if the entity meets fire and safety 
requirements established by the Secretary.
    ``(3) From amounts available for purposes of this section pursuant 
to section 12, not less than $5,000,000 shall be used only for grants 
to assist entities covered by paragraph (2) in meeting the Life Safety 
Code of the National Fire Protection Association.''.

SEC. 16. TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment of Program.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall carry out a three-year pilot program of transitional assistance 
grants to eligible homeless veterans. The pilot program shall be 
established at not less than three nor more than six regional offices 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs and shall include at least one 
regional office located in a large urban area and at least one regional 
office serving primarily rural veterans. The maximum number of veterans 
who may participate in the pilot program is 600.
    (b) Eligible Veterans.--A veteran is eligible for a transitional 
assistance grant under this section if the veteran is physically 
present in the geographic area of a regional office which is 
participating in the pilot program and the veteran--
            (1) is a veteran of a period of war or, if not a veteran of 
        a period of war, meets the minimum service requirements 
        specified in section 5303A of title 38, United States Code;
            (2) is being released, or within the preceding 60 days was 
        released, from an institution, including a hospital, a penal 
        institution, a homeless shelter, or a facility of a grant and 
        per diem provider;
            (3) is a homeless veteran or was a homeless veteran before 
        institutionalization; and
            (4) had less than marginal income for the preceding three 
        months.
    (c) Duration of Grant Assistance.--An eligible veteran may be 
provided a transitional assistance grant under this section for no more 
than three months.
    (d) Exception to Limitation on Grant Assistance.--(1) A veteran who 
receives transitional assistance under this section and who while in 
receipt of such assistance has a claim pending with the Secretary for 
service-connected disability compensation or nonservice-
connected pension shall, notwithstanding subsection (c), continue to be 
provided transitional assistance under this section after the period 
prescribed in subsection (c) until the earlier of (A) the date on which 
a decision on the claim is made by the regional office, or (B) the end 
of the six-month period beginning on the date of expiration of 
eligibility under subsection (c).
    (2) An extension of transitional assistance under paragraph (1) 
shall be terminated if, as determined by the Secretary, the veteran, 
without good cause, fails to cooperate in establishing the pending 
claim or if the gross monthly income of the veteran for a month exceeds 
twice the amount of transitional assistance benefits payable to the 
veteran for that month. The effective date of such a termination shall 
be the last day of the month following the month in which the extension 
under paragraph (1) is terminated under the preceding sentence.
    (3) Claims of veterans receiving benefits under this subsection 
shall receive expedited consideration by the regional office.
    (e) Amount of Grant.--(1) The monthly amount of a grant provided 
under this section to an eligible veteran shall be the amount of 
monthly pension that would be payable to that veteran under chapter 15 
of title 38, United States Code, if the veteran had a permanent and 
total nonservice-connected disability.
    (2) Once eligibility for a grant under this section has been 
established, the amount of the grant shall be determined without regard 
to the veteran's income, other than as provided in subsection (d)(2).
    (f) Coordination With Other Benefits.--If retroactive benefits from 
the Department of Veterans Affairs are payable to a veteran with 
respect to a month for which the veteran received a transitional 
assistance grant under this section, the amount of such retroactive 
benefit payable for such month shall be reduced (but not below zero) by 
the amount of the grant under this section paid for that month. No 
reduction may be made by the Secretary from an amount otherwise due a 
veteran for any other month to offset an amount paid under this section 
for a previous month.
    (g) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            (1) The term ``veteran'' means a person who served in the 
        active military, naval, or air service (as defined in section 
        101 of title 38, United States Code) and who was discharged or 
        released from any such period of service under conditions other 
        than dishonorable.
            (2) The term ``marginal income'', with respect to a 
        veteran, means income below the poverty standard (as determined 
        by the Bureau of the Census) for a family of the size of the 
        veteran's family.

SEC. 17. ASSISTANCE FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS.

    (a) Grant Program.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry 
out a program to make technical assistance grants to nonprofit 
community-based groups with experience in providing assistance to 
homeless veterans in order to assist such groups in applying for grants 
relating to addressing problems of homeless veterans.
    (b) Funding.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs for each of fiscal years 2002 through 
2006, $750,000 to carry out the program under this section.

SEC. 18. HOME LOAN PROGRAM FOR MANUFACTURED HOUSING.

    Section 3712(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
``With respect to a veteran who, as determined by the Secretary, is 
homeless, the Secretary may waive any otherwise applicable requirement 
under this chapter that a purchase of a manufactured home include 
ownership or purchase of a lot by the veteran to which the home is to 
be permanently affixed.''.

SEC. 19. EXTENSION OF HOMELESS VETERANS REINTEGRATION PROGRAM.

    Section 4111(d)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking subparagraphs (C) and (D) and inserting the following:
            ``(C) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2002.
            ``(D) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2003.
            ``(E) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2004.
            ``(F) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2005.
            ``(G) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2006.''.

SEC. 20. USE OF REAL PROPERTY.

    Section 8122(d) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting before the period at the end the following: ``and is not 
suitable for use for the provision of services to homeless veterans by 
the Department or by another entity under an enhanced-use lease of such 
property under section 8162 of this title''.
                                 <all>