[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1211 Reported in House (RH)]
Union Calendar No. 83
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1211
[Report No. 111-165]
To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand and improve health
care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in
Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, from the
Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 26, 2009
Ms. Herseth Sandlin (for herself, Mr. Moran of Kansas, Mr. Boozman, Ms.
Ginny Brown-Waite of Florida, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr.
Boswell, Mr. Wu, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. McDermott, and Mr. Bishop of New
York) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
June 18, 2009
Additional sponsors: Mr. Sestak, Mr. Michaud, Mr. Teague, Mr. Kissell,
Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Peterson, Mr. Barrow, Mr.
Frank of Massachusetts, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Titus, Mr.
Oberstar, Mr. Wexler, Mr. Holt, Mr. Gordon of Tennessee, Mr. Filner,
Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Mr. Payne, Mr. Edwards of Texas, Mr.
Boucher, Mr. Griffith, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Nadler of New York, Mrs. McCarthy
of New York, Mr. Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania, Ms. Slaughter, Mr.
McGovern, Mr. McNerney, Mr. Wittman, Mr. Connolly of Virginia, Mr.
Rodriguez, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Gonzalez, Mrs. Davis of California, Mr.
Courtney, Mr. Brown of South Carolina, Ms. Berkley, Ms. Corrine Brown
of Florida, Mr. Meek of Florida, Mr. Walz, Mr. Fortenberry, and Mr. Poe
of Texas
June 18, 2009
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand and improve health
care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in
Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, from 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. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Women Veterans
Health Care Improvement Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I--STUDIES AND ASSESSMENTS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
HEALTH SERVICES FOR WOMEN VETERANS
Sec. 101. Study of barriers for women veterans to health care from the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 102. Comprehensive assessment of women's health care programs of
the Department of Veterans Affairs.
TITLE II--IMPROVEMENT AND EXPANSION OF HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR WOMEN VETERANS
Sec. 201. Medical care for newborn children of women veterans receiving
maternity care.
Sec. 202. Training and certification for mental health care providers
of the Department of Veterans Affairs on
care for veterans suffering from sexual
trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Sec. 203. Pilot program for provision of child care assistance to
certain veterans receiving certain types of
health care services at Department
facilities.
Sec. 204. Addition of recently separated women and minority veterans to
serve on advisory committees.
TITLE I--STUDIES AND ASSESSMENTS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
HEALTH SERVICES FOR WOMEN VETERANS
SEC. 101. STUDY OF BARRIERS FOR WOMEN VETERANS TO HEALTH CARE FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) Study Required.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
conduct a comprehensive study of the barriers to the provision of
comprehensive health care by the Department of Veterans Affairs
encountered by women who are veterans. In conducting the study, the
Secretary shall--
(1) survey women veterans who seek or receive hospital care
or medical services provided by the Department of Veterans
Affairs as well as women veterans who do not seek or receive
such care or services;
(2) build on the work of the study of the Department of
Veterans Affairs entitled ``National Survey of Women Veterans
in Fiscal Year 2007-2008'';
(3) administer the survey to a representative sample of
women veterans from each Veterans Integrated Service Network;
and
(4) ensure that the sample of women veterans surveyed is of
sufficient size for the study results to be statistically
significant and is a larger sample than that of the study of
the Department of Veterans Affairs entitled ``National Survey
of Women Veterans in Fiscal Year 2007-2008''.
(b) Elements of Study.--In conducting the study required by
subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct
research on the effects of the following on the women veterans surveyed
in the study:
(1) The perceived stigma associated with seeking mental
health care services.
(2) The effect of driving distance or availability of other
forms of transportation to the nearest medical facility on
access to care.
(3) The availability of child care.
(4) The acceptability of integrated primary care, women's
health clinics, or both.
(5) The comprehension of eligibility requirements for, and
the scope of services available under, hospital care and
medical services.
(6) The perception of the personal safety and comfort of
women veterans in inpatient, outpatient, and behavioral health
facilities of the Department.
(7) The gender sensitivity of health care providers and
staff to issues that particularly affect women.
(8) The effectiveness of outreach for health care services
available to women veterans.
(9) The location and operating hours of health care
facilities that provide services to women veterans.
(10) Such other significant barriers as the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs may identify.
(c) Authority To Enter Into Contracts.--The Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall enter into a contract with a qualified independent entity
or organization to carry out the studies and research required under
this section.
(d) Mandatory Review of Data by Certain Divisions Within the
Department.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
ensure that the head of each division of the Department of
Veterans Affairs specified in paragraph (2) reviews the results
of the study conducted under this section. The head of each
such division shall submit findings with respect to the study
to the Under Secretary for Health and to other pertinent
program offices within the Department of Veterans Affairs with
duties relating to health care services for women veterans.
(2) Specified divisions of the department.--The divisions
of the Department of Veterans Affairs specified in this
paragraph are--
(A) the Center for Women Veterans, established
under section 318 of title 38, United States Code; and
(B) the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans,
established under section 542 of title 38, United
States Code.
(e) Reports.--
(1) Report on implementation.--Not later than 6 months
after the date on which the Department of Veterans Affairs
publishes a final report on the study entitled ``National
Survey of Women Veterans in Fiscal Year 2007-2008'', the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report
on the status of the implementation of the section.
(2) Report on study.--Not later than 30 months after the
date on which the Department publishes such final report, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report
on the study required under this section. The report shall
include recommendations for such administrative and legislative
action as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines to be
appropriate. The report shall also include the findings of the
head of each specified division of the Department and of the
Under Secretary for Health.
(f) Definition of Facility of the Department.--In this section the
term ``facility of the Department'' has the meaning given that term in
section 1701(3) of title 38, United States Code.
(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $4,000,000 to carry
out this section.
SEC. 102. COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a
comprehensive assessment of all health care services and programs
provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the health care
needs of women veterans. Such comprehensive assessment shall include
assessments of specialized programs for women with post-traumatic
stress disorder, for women who are homeless, for women who require care
for substance abuse or mental illnesses, and for women who require
obstetric and gynecologic care.
(b) Specific Matters Studied.--
(1) Identification of programs.--For each medical facility
of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall identify each of the following types of
programs for women veterans provided by the Department and
determine whether effective health care services, including
evidenced-based health care services, are readily available to
and easily accessed by women veterans:
(A) Health promotion programs, including
reproductive health promotion programs.
(B) Disease prevention programs.
(C) Health care programs.
(2) Identification of relevant issues.--In making such
determination, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
identify, for each medical facility of the Department of
Veterans Affairs--
(A) the frequency with which such services are
available and provided,
(B) the demographics of the women veterans
population,
(C) the sites where such services are available and
provided, and
(D) whether, and to what extent, waiting lists,
geographic distance, and other factors obstruct the
receipt of any of such services at any such site.
(c) Authority To Enter Into a Contract.--The Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall enter into a contract with a qualified independent entity
or organization to carry out the studies and research required under
this section.
(d) Development of Plan To Improve Services.--
(1) Plan required.--After conducting the comprehensive
assessment required by subsection (a), the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall develop a plan to improve the provision
of health care services to women veterans and to project the
future health care needs, including the mental health care
needs of women serving in the combat theaters of Operation
Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
(2) List of services.--In developing the plan under this
subsection, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall list the
types of services available for women veterans at each medical
center of the Department.
(e) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit
to Congress a report on the assessment conducted pursuant to subsection
(a) and the plan required under subsection (d). The report shall
include recommendations for such administrative and legislative action
as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines to be appropriate.
(f) GAO Report.--Not later than 6 months after the date on which
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs submits the report required under
subsection (e), the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a
report containing the findings of the Comptroller General with respect
to the report of the Secretary, which may include such recommendations
for administrative or legislative actions as the Comptroller General
determines to be appropriate.
(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $5,000,000 to carry
out this section.
TITLE II--IMPROVEMENT AND EXPANSION OF HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR WOMEN VETERANS
SEC. 201. MEDICAL CARE FOR NEWBORN CHILDREN OF WOMEN VETERANS RECEIVING
MATERNITY CARE.
(a) Newborn Care.--Subchapter VIII of chapter 17 of title 38,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new
section:
<DELETED>``SEC. 1786. HOSPITAL CARE AND MEDICAL SERVICES FOR NEWBORN
CHILDREN OF WOMEN VETERANS RECEIVING MATERNITY
CARE.''.</DELETED>
``Sec. 1786. Hospital care and medical services for newborn children of
women veterans receiving maternity care
``In the case of a child of a woman veteran who is receiving
hospital care or medical services at a Department facility (or in
another facility pursuant to a contract entered into by the Secretary)
relating to the birth of that child, the Secretary may furnish hospital
care and medical services to that child at that facility during the
<DELETED>14-day</DELETED> seven-day period beginning on the date of the
birth of the child.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
chapter 17 of such title is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 1785 the following new item:
``1786. Hospital care and medical services for newborn children of
women veterans receiving maternity care.''.
SEC. 202. TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ON CARE FOR
VETERANS SUFFERING FROM SEXUAL TRAUMA AND POST-TRAUMATIC
STRESS DISORDER.
Section 1720D of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (f); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new
subsections:
``(d) The Secretary shall carry out a program to provide graduate
medical education, training, certification, and continuing medical
education for mental health professionals who provide counseling, care,
and services under subsection (a). In carrying out such program, the
Secretary shall ensure that all such mental health professionals have
been trained in a consistent manner and that such training includes
principles of evidence-based treatment and care for sexual trauma and
post-traumatic stress disorder.
``(e) The Secretary shall submit to Congress an annual report on
the counseling, care, and services provided to veterans pursuant to
this section. Each report shall include data for the year covered by
the report with respect to each of the following:
``(1) The number of mental health professionals, graduate
medical education trainees, and primary care providers who have
been certified under the program required by subsection (d) and
the amount and nature of continuing medical education provided
under such program to such professionals, trainees, and
providers who are so certified.
``(2) The number of women veterans who received counseling
and care and services under subsection (a) from professionals
and providers who received training under subsection (d).
``(3) The number of graduate medical education, training,
certification, and continuing medical education courses
provided by reason of subsection (d).
``(4) The number of trained full-time equivalent employees
required in each facility of the Department to meet the needs
of veterans requiring treatment and care for sexual trauma and
post-traumatic stress disorder.
``(5) Any recommended improvements for treating women
veterans with sexual trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder.
``(6) Such other information as the Secretary determines to
be appropriate.''.
SEC. 203. PILOT PROGRAM FOR PROVISION OF CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE TO
CERTAIN VETERANS RECEIVING CERTAIN TYPES OF HEALTH CARE
SERVICES AT DEPARTMENT FACILITIES.
(a) In General.--
(1) Pilot program required.--Not later than six months
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall carry out a two-year pilot program under
which, subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary shall provide
child care assistance to a qualified veteran child care needed
by the veteran during the period of time described in paragraph
(3).
(2) Form of child care assistance.--Child care assistance
under this section may include--
(A) stipends for the payment of child care offered
by licensed child care centers (either directly or
through a voucher program);
(B) the development of partnerships with private
agencies;
(C) collaboration with facilities or programs of
other Federal departments or agencies; and
(D) the arrangement of after-school care.
(3) Period of time.--Child care assistance under the pilot
program may only be provided for the period of time that the
qualified veteran--
(A) receives a health care service referred to in
paragraph (4) at a facility of the Department; and
(B) requires to travel to and return from such
facility for the receipt of such health care service.
(4) Qualified veteran defined.--In this section, the term
``qualified veteran'' means a veteran who is the primary
caretaker of a child and who is receiving from the Department
of Veterans Affairs one or more of the following health care
services:
(A) Regular mental health care services.
(B) Intensive mental health care services.
(C) Any other intensive health care services for
which the Secretary determines that the provision of
child care would improve access by qualified veterans.
(5) Location of pilot program.--The Secretary shall carry
out the pilot program at no fewer than three Veterans
Integrated Service Networks.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $1,500,000 for each
of fiscal years 2010 and 2011 to carry out the pilot program under this
section.
(c) Report.--Not later than six months after the completion of the
pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the
pilot program and shall include recommendations for the continuation or
expansion of the pilot program.
SEC. 204. ADDITION OF RECENTLY SEPARATED WOMEN AND MINORITY VETERANS TO
SERVE ON ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
(a) Advisory Committee on Women Veterans.--Subsection (a)(2)(a) of
section 542 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of clause (ii);
(2) by striking the period at the end of clause (iii) and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by inserting after clause (iii) the following new
clause:
``(iv) women who are recently separated veterans.''.
(b) Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans.--Subsection (a)(2)(a)
of section 544 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of clause (iii);
(2) by striking the period at the end of clause (iv) and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by inserting after clause (iv) the following new
clause:
``(v) recently separated veterans who are minority group
members.''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
first apply to appointments made on or after the date of the enactment
of this Act.
Union Calendar No. 83
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1211
[Report No. 111-165]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand and improve health
care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in
Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, from the
Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
June 18, 2009
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed