[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2383 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2383

To require a pilot program on the mobile provision of care and services 
for veterans in rural areas by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 16, 2007

 Ms. Klobuchar (for herself and Mr. Grassley) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require a pilot program on the mobile provision of care and services 
for veterans in rural areas by the Department of Veterans Affairs, 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. PILOT PROGRAM ON MOBILE PROVISION OF CARE AND SERVICES FOR 
              VETERANS IN RURAL AREAS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS.

    (a) Pilot Program Required.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        carry out a pilot program to assess the feasability and 
        advisability of providing care and services described in 
        subsection (d) to veterans residing in rural areas through the 
        mobile system described in subsection (e).
            (2) Designation.--The pilot program shall be known as the 
        ``Mobile Support for Rural Veterans Program'' (in this section 
        referred to as the ``pilot program'').
    (b) General Administration.--
            (1) Principal responsibility.--The Secretary shall carry 
        out the pilot program through the Director of the Office of 
        Rural Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
            (2) Consultation.--The pilot program shall be developed and 
        carried out in consultation with the following:
                    (A) The Regional Director of Veterans Integrated 
                Services Network (VISN) 23, in which mobile Department 
                of Veterans Affairs clinics are currently in operation.
                    (B) The Director of the Office of Rural Health 
                Policy of the Department of Health and Human Services.
                    (C) The agencies or offices for rural health in the 
                States selected for participation in the pilot program.
                    (D) The country or local agencies or offices for 
                rural health in the areas designated for the pilot 
                program.
    (c) Locations.--
            (1) In general.--The pilot program shall be carried out in 
        not less than three Veterans Integrated Services Networks 
        selected by the Secretary for purposes of the pilot program.
            (2) Rural areas within visns.--The pilot program shall be 
        carried out in one or more rural areas in each Veterans 
        Integrated Services Network selected under paragraph (1) that 
        are designated by the Secretary for purposes of the pilot 
        program in consultation with the Regional Director of such 
        Veterans Integrated Services Network. In designating such 
        areas, the Secretary shall take into account--
                    (A) the number of veterans residing in or near an 
                area; and
                    (B) the difficulty of access of such veterans to 
                the nearest Department of Veterans Affairs medical 
                facility, whether by reason of ravel or other factors.
    (d) Care and Services Provided.--The care and services provided 
under the pilot program shall include, but not be limited to, care and 
services as follows:
            (1) Counseling and education for veterans on accessing such 
        health care, educational, pension, or other benefits for which 
        veterans may eligible under the laws administered by the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
            (2) Assistance for veterans in completing paperwork 
        necessary for enrollment in the health care system of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs.
            (3) The prescription for and delivery to veterans of 
        medications for which veterans are entitled under such laws, 
        including, in particular, medications for veterans suffering 
        from acute or chronic injuries or illnesses.
            (4) Mental health screenings for veterans to identify 
        potential mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress 
        disorder (PTSD) or a substance abuse, including, in particular, 
        for veterans recently discharged or released after service 
        overseas in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring 
        Freedom.
            (5) Job placement assistance and information on employment 
        or training opportunities for veterans.
            (6) Substance abuse counseling for veterans.
            (7) Bereavement counseling for families of members of the 
        Armed Forces who were killed in military service.
            (8) Such other care, services, and assistance as the 
        Secretary considers appropriate for purposes of the pilot 
        program.
    (e) Mobile System.--
            (1) In general.--Care and services under the pilot program 
        shall be provided through a mobile system established for 
        purposes of the pilot program that meets the requirements of 
        this subsection.
            (2) Personnel.--In providing care and services under the 
        pilot program, the mobile system shall transport to the areas 
        designated for the pilot program personnel as follows:
                    (A) Department of Veterans Affairs physicians, 
                nurses, and mental health specialists.
                    (B) Department of Veterans Affairs casework 
                officers.
                    (C) Department of Veterans Affairs benefits 
                counselors.
                    (D) Such other personnel of the Department as the 
                Secretary considers appropriate for purposes of the 
                pilot program.
            (3) Additional materials.--In providing care and services 
        under the pilot program, the mobile system shall transport also 
        such equipment, forms, information, and other materiel as are 
        necessary for the provision of care and services under the 
        pilot program.
            (4) Visits.--
                    (A) Frequency.--The mobile system shall visit each 
                area designated for the pilot program at least once 
                each 45 days.
                    (B) Duration.--The mobile system shall be present 
                in an area designated for the pilot program during each 
                visit under subparagraph (A) for a period of not less 
                than 48 hours
    (f) Coordination Requirements.--
            (1) Identification of veterans not enrolled in va health 
        care system.--In carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary 
        of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly 
        undertake actions to identify veterans residing in areas 
        designated for the pilot program who are not enrolled in, or 
        otherwise being cared for by, the health care system of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs.
            (2) Coordination with county and local veterans service 
        offices.--In carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs shall coordinate with county and local 
        veterans service officers in areas designated for the pilot 
        program to--
                    (A) establish contact with veterans in such areas 
                who are not enrolled in the health care system of the 
                Department of Veterans Affairs;
                    (B) inform veterans in such areas, in advance, of 
                the date and location of visits of the mobile system 
                under subsection (e) to such areas; and
                    (C) identify possibilities to complete necessary 
                paperwork or preparation for veterans to maximize the 
                effectiveness of the pilot program.
            (3) Utilization of community-based outpatient clinics.--The 
        pilot program shall, to the extent practicable, utilize 
        appropriate personnel and resources of community-based 
        outpatient clinics of the Department of Veterans Affairs in 
        areas designated for the pilot program, including the inclusion 
        of such personnel in visits of the mobile system under 
        subsection (e).
    (g) Reports.--Not later than 16 months after the commencement of 
the pilot program, and every 180 days thereafter, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the 
House of Representatives a report on the pilot program. The report 
shall include the following:
            (1) A description and assessment of the implementation of 
        the pilot program.
            (2) An assessment, current as of the date of the report, of 
        the effectiveness of the pilot program in providing care and 
        services to veterans residing in rural areas, including a 
        comparative assessment of effectiveness for each of the various 
        areas designated for the pilot program.
            (3) An assessment, current as of the date of the report, of 
        the effectiveness of the coordination described in subsection 
        (f) in contributing toward the effectiveness of the pilot 
        program.
            (4) Such recommendations as the Secretary considers 
        appropriate for modifications of the pilot program in order to 
        better provide care and services to veterans residing in rural 
        areas.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is hereby authorized to 
be appropriated for the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out 
this section amounts as follows:
            (1) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.
            (2) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
            (3) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.
                                 <all>