I 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2505 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 19, 2009 Mr. Teague introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to utilize tele-health platforms to assist in the treatment of veterans living in rural areas who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Reaching Rural Veterans through Telehealth Act.

2.

Sense of Congress regarding need to use tele-health platforms in treating veterans living in rural areas suffering from post traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury

It is the sense of Congress that— (1)members of the Armed Forces serving in Iraq or Afghanistan are being exposed to conditions in combat operations that increase the risk of the members developing post-traumatic stress disorder or incurring a traumatic brain injury; (2)veterans living in rural areas need better access to treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury; and (3)the use of tele-health platforms in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury can reduce the need for travel by providers and veterans and their families, thereby also reducing costs, time, stress, and other factors associated with travel.

3.

Tele-health pilot project for treatment of veterans living in rural areas who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury

(a)

Pilot project

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall award grants for the establishment three pilot projects to use tele-health platforms to work, in collaboration with State behavioral health systems, other Federal agencies, and other entities as applicable, to serve the needs of veterans living in rural areas who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury. Utilizing tele-health platforms, the pilot projects shall provide treatment, education, and evaluation to veterans who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury and support to their families. (b)

Tele-health platform defined

The term tele-health platform means the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health, and health administration. (c)

Project goals

(1)

Education

Education efforts under the pilot projects shall be designed to teach primary care providers how to diagnosis and manage clients with post traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury, be standardized and replicable using validated tools, and require ongoing evaluation and improvement of the education and training in diagnosis and treatment. (2)

Treatment

Treatment efforts under the pilot projects shall be designed to be comprehensive and accessible to veterans on a 24-hour basis, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. (d)

Provider Participation

Participation in the pilot projects shall be multi-disciplinary and broad-based, including medical clinicians, trainers, educators, researchers, community members, and other interested persons. (e)

Grant requirements

The Secretary shall select grant recipients on the basis of the following: (1)Geographical diversity. (2)Reaching the most possible veterans not currently receiving treatment for post traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury. (3)Creating programs in Veteran Integrated Service Networks that are designated by the Secretary to be rural or highly rural. (f)

Allowable uses of funds

(1)

Training

Grant funds may be used for training practitioners, therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, case managers, and other professionals to treat veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury, including a focus on teaching primary care providers to diagnosis and manage patients with post traumatic stress disorder. (2)

Research

Grant funds may be used for testing a variety of clinical and case management modalities to provide Best Practice treatment for specific populations, such as veterans who served in a regular component of the Armed Forces, veterans who served in reserve components, female military personnel, children of military personnel, parents, and other significant others. (3)

Purchasing

Grant funds may be used for purchasing equipment related to tele-health platforms, such as monitors, speakers, webcams, and necessary software. (4)

Organization of projects

Grant recipients may partner and contract with local community groups that are already providing services in a rural area, such as parenting, sexual assault prevention and recovery services, domestic violence prevention and recovery services, food banks, and other social services. Grant funds may be used to provide stipends to clinicians and providers involved in a pilot project. (g)

Reporting requirements

Grant recipients shall provide a quarterly report to the Secretary that will include the following: (1)Results under the pilot project involved. (2)Number of veterans treated. (3)Individual client progress. (4)Demonstrative service coordination. (5)Client demographics. (6)Outcomes and information that can be shared with local, State, and Federal government agencies.