[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5904 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5904

To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve services provided by 
the Department of Veterans Affairs for veteran families, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 6, 2023

  Ms. Perez (for herself and Mr. James) introduced the following bill

                            October 25, 2023

Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the 
Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined 
 by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as 
        fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve services provided by 
the Department of Veterans Affairs for veteran families, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Helping Heroes Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. APPOINTMENT OF FAMILY COORDINATORS TO MEDICAL CENTERS OF 
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS; ESTABLISHMENT OF FAMILY 
              SUPPORT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 17 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new sections 
(and conforming the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter 
accordingly):
``Sec. 1709D. Appointment of family coordinators to medical centers
    ``(a) Appointment of Family Coordinators.--The Secretary shall 
appoint not fewer than one family coordinator to each medical center of 
the Department. Each family coordinator shall be responsible for 
assessing the needs of families of eligible veterans located in the 
geographic area served by each such medical center and connecting such 
families with appropriate supportive services.
    ``(b) Qualifications.--(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), to 
be eligible for an appointment under subsection (a), an individual 
shall--
            ``(A) be a social worker licensed, registered, or certified 
        in accordance with the requirements of any State; and
            ``(B) have earned a graduate degree in social work or a 
        related field.
    ``(2) The Secretary may waive the qualification requirements 
described in paragraph (1), as the Secretary determines appropriate.
    ``(c) Duties.--Each family coordinator appointed pursuant to 
subsection (a) shall be responsible for--
            ``(1) assessing the needs of families of eligible veterans 
        located in the geographic area served by the medical center to 
        which such family coordinator is appointed using evidence-based 
        strategies;
            ``(2) building positive relationships with such families;
            ``(3) referring eligible veterans to local, State, and 
        Federal entities that support such families, as the family 
        coordinator determines appropriate;
            ``(4) developing and maintaining a list of--
                    ``(A) supportive services offered by the medical 
                center to which such family coordinator is appointed; 
                and
                    ``(B) supportive services offered at reduced or no 
                cost by non-Department facilities located in the 
                geographic area served by such medical center; and
            ``(5) developing and maintaining on a publicly available 
        Internet website of the Department a list of supportive 
        services available to eligible veterans located in such 
        geographic area who are enrolled in the patient enrollment 
        system under section 1705(a) of this title.
    ``(d) Outreach.--The Secretary shall conduct outreach to ensure 
that the following are informed of family coordinators at each medical 
center of the Department:
            ``(1) Eligible veterans who are enrolled in such patient 
        enrollment system.
            ``(2) Employees of the Department.
            ``(3) State, local, and Federal entities to which a family 
        coordinator may refer an eligible veteran pursuant to 
        subsection (c)(3).
    ``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `eligible veteran' means a disabled veteran 
        (as defined in section 4211 of this title) with a service-
        connected disability rated at 70 percent or more.
            ``(2) The term `supportive services' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 1709E of this title.
``Sec. 1709E. Family Support Program
    ``(a) Establishment.--(1) There is established in the Department a 
program to be known as the `Family Support Program' (in this section 
referred to as the `Program') under which the Secretary shall furnish 
supportive services to eligible veterans, eligible children, and family 
members of eligible veterans.
    ``(2) To carry out the Program, the Secretary shall--
            ``(A) provide supportive services through medical centers 
        of the Department;
            ``(B) collaborate with relevant State, local, and Federal 
        entities to provide supportive services; and
            ``(C) engage in other activities in support of the Program, 
        as the Secretary determines appropriate.
    ``(3)(A) The Secretary may carry out the Program by entering into 
contracts with or awarding grants to eligible entities to provide 
supportive services to eligible veterans, eligible children, and family 
members of eligible veterans.
    ``(B) The Secretary shall offer to any such eligible entity awarded 
a contract or grant under subparagraph (A) training and technical 
assistance regarding the planning, development, and provision of 
supportive services.
    ``(b) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to enter into a contract 
with, or receive a grant provided by the Secretary under subsection 
(a)(3)(A), an entity shall be a public or non-profit entity that is not 
an entity of the Department.
    ``(c) Applications.--An eligible entity desiring a contract or 
grant under such subsection shall submit to the Secretary an 
application in such form and containing such information and assurances 
as the Secretary determines appropriate, which shall include--
            ``(1) a description of each supportive service proposed to 
        be provided to eligible veterans, eligible children, and family 
        members of eligible veterans; and
            ``(2) evidence of a capacity to serve families of veterans 
        in a manner that is trauma-informed and culturally and 
        linguistically appropriate.
    ``(d) Oversight by Secretary.--As a condition of being awarded a 
contract or grant under such subsection, an eligible entity shall agree 
to permit the Secretary to conduct oversight regarding--
            ``(1) the use of funds provided under such contract or 
        grant; and
            ``(2) the quality of supportive services to be provided 
        pursuant to such contract or grant.
    ``(e) Public Notice.--The Secretary shall publish the requirements 
for eligibility for a contract or grant under this section on a 
publicly available Internet website of the Department.
    ``(f) Coordination With Other Programs of the Department.--The 
Secretary shall share best practices with, and facilitate referrals of, 
eligible veterans, eligible children, and family members of eligible 
veterans, as appropriate, from the Program to other programs of the 
Department, including the program described in section 1720G(b) of this 
title.
    ``(g) Annual Report for Contract or Grant Recipients.--Any eligible 
entity awarded a contract or grant under this section shall, not later 
than one year after the date of the award of such contract or grant, 
and annually thereafter during the period covered by such contract or 
grant, submit to the Secretary a report that describes the supportive 
services provided during the year covered by such report.
    ``(h) Outreach.--The Secretary shall conduct outreach to ensure 
that the following are informed of the supportive services available 
under the Program:
            ``(1) Eligible veterans who are enrolled in the patient 
        enrollment system under section 1705(a) of this title.
            ``(2) Employees of the Department.
            ``(3) State, local, and Federal entities with which the 
        Secretary collaborates pursuant to subsection (a)(2)(B).
    ``(i) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The terms `eligible child' means an individual who--
                    ``(A) is a ward, child (including stepchild), 
                grandchild, or sibling (including stepsibling or 
                halfsibling) of an eligible veteran; and
                    ``(B) is less than 18 years of age.
            ``(2) The term `eligible veteran' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 1709D of this title.
            ``(3) The term `supportive services' means services that 
        address social, emotional, mental health, career-readiness, or 
        other needs, including--
                    ``(A) in the case of an eligible child--
                            ``(i) peer-support programs;
                            ``(ii) assistance completing college 
                        admission and financial aid applications, 
                        including the Free Application for Federal 
                        Student Aid described in section 483(a) of the 
                        Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1090), and 
                        accessing veterans' education benefits (as 
                        defined under section 480(c)(2) of such Act (20 
                        U.S.C. 1087vv)) to which such eligible child 
                        may be entitled; and
                            ``(iii) after-school care and summer 
                        learning opportunities;
                    ``(B) in the case of an eligible veteran, 
                assistance transitioning from active duty in the Armed 
                Forces to veteran status;
                    ``(C) assistance with accessing workforce 
                development programs, including programs providing the 
                activities authorized under section 129 of the 
                Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
                3164), and programs of vocational rehabilitation 
                services, including programs authorized under title I 
                of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 720 et 
                seq.);
                    ``(D) wellness services, including mental, 
                emotional, behavioral, and physical health and 
                nutritional counseling and assistance;
                    ``(E) sports and recreation activities;
                    ``(F) dependent care, including home and community-
                based services;
                    ``(G) resources for low-income families; and
                    ``(H) any other services or activities the 
                Secretary considers appropriate to address such 
                needs.''.
    (b) Reporting Requirements.--
            (1) Report on potential additional veteran family needs.--
        Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs commences the Family Support Program 
        established under section 1709E of title 38, United States 
        Code, as added by subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to 
        Congress a report on the potential need for additional 
        resources for family members of eligible veterans who are not 
        eligible children.
            (2) Report on family support program.--Not later than one 
        year after such date, the Secretary shall submit to the 
        Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives 
        and the Senate a report on the progress of such Family Support 
        Program that includes the following:
                    (A) The number of eligible veterans, eligible 
                children, and family members of eligible veterans who 
                received supportive services under such Family Support 
                Program.
                    (B) The demographic data of eligible veterans and 
                family members of eligible veterans, including--
                            (i) with respect to family members of 
                        eligible veterans, the relationship to the 
                        eligible veteran;
                            (ii) age;
                            (iii) race;
                            (iv) ethnicity;
                            (v) gender;
                            (vi) disability, where applicable; and
                            (vii) proficiency in the English language 
                        and whether a language other than English is 
                        spoken at home.
                    (C) A summary of the supportive services carried 
                out under such Family Support Program and the costs to 
                the Department of Veterans Affairs of such supportive 
                services.
                    (D) An assessment, measured by a survey of 
                participants in such Family Support Program, of whether 
                participation in such Family Support Program resulted 
                in positive outcomes for eligible veterans, eligible 
                children, and family members of eligible veterans.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary such sums as may be necessary to carry 
out sections 1709D and 1709E of title 38, United States Code, as added 
by subsection (a).
    (d) Deadlines.--
            (1) Family coordinator appointments.--The Secretary shall 
        make the appointments required under section 1709D of such 
        title, as added by such subsection, not later than one year 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act.
            (2) Date family support program fully operational.--The 
        Secretary shall ensure that the Family Support Program 
        established under section 1709E of such title, as added by such 
        subsection, is fully operational not later one year after such 
        date.

SEC. 3. SURVEY ON NEEDS OF DISABLED VETERANS AND FAMILIES OF DISABLED 
              VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for five years, the 
Secretary shall conduct a survey of disabled veterans and families of 
disabled veterans to identify and better understand the needs of such 
disabled veterans and such families.
    (b) Content of Survey.--Such survey shall include questions 
regarding--
            (1) the types and quality of support disabled veterans 
        receive from the children of such disabled veterans; and
            (2) the unmet needs of such children.
    (c) Report on Survey.--Not later than 90 days after the date on 
which the Secretary completes each such survey, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of 
Representatives and the Senate and the Committees on Veterans' Affairs 
of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report that includes 
the findings of each such survey.

SEC. 4. INCLUSION OF INFORMATION REGARDING SUPPORTIVE SERVICES IN 
              TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

    Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall include information regarding supportive 
services available to members of the Armed Forces who are being 
separated from active duty and their families, including mental health 
and other services for children, in the Transition Assistance Program 
of the Department of Defense under sections 1142 and 1144 of title 10, 
United States Code.

SEC. 5. DISCRIMINATION PROHIBITED.

    Programs or activities receiving funds authorized to be 
appropriated under section 2(c) of this Act may not discriminate on the 
basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, 
disability status, or age.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) The term ``disabled veteran'' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 4211 of title 38, United States Code.
            (2) The terms ``eligible veteran'' and ``eligible child'' 
        have the meaning given such terms in sections 1709D and 1709E 
        of such title, respectively, as added by section 2(a).
            (3) The term ``supportive services'' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 1709E of such title, as added by such 
        section.
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