[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 155 (Friday, August 10, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 39816]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-17205]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Creating Options for Veterans Expedited Recovery (COVER) 
Commission; Notice of Meeting

    In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Creating 
Options for Veterans Expedited Recovery (COVER) Commission gives notice 
that the second meeting will be held on August 21 and August 22, 2018 
at the JW Marriott Hotel, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 
20004-1710. The meeting will convene at 8:00 a.m. and adjourn at 5:00 
p.m. EST on both days. The meeting will be open to the public through 
the entirety of Day One, August 21, and again on Day Two, August 22 
through the 2:00 p.m. session. On August 22, the meeting will be closed 
from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. under S.C. 552b(c) under (9)(B) because it 
would reveal information the disclosure of which would, ``in the case 
of an agency, be likely to significantly frustrate implementation of a 
proposed agency action.'' This closed session would include continued 
discussion and final decisions on ground rules, decision making 
protocol, and strategy. Any precipitous release of those discussions 
through an open session will frustrate implementation and potentially 
our Veterans who we consider our greatest customer/benefactor of the 
commission.
    Day 1 will focus on CARA Legislation (full scope) and integration 
with COVER, current VHA Mental Health Services and Resources and 
Current Process, Specialty and Recreational Therapies, Hyper Baric 
Therapy, Integrative Health, and a Question and Answer Panel by VA 
leading experts in CARA legislation, Mental Health and Whole Health 
Practices. Day 2 will include further review and discussion on past 
surveys of Veterans Mental Health and approach to a way forward. A 
listening line will be available to the public who prefer to call in 
rather than attend the open sessions at the JW Marriott. This listening 
line number will be activated 10 minutes before each of the two open 
sessions. The listening line number is 800-767-1750; access code 
48664#.
    The purpose of the COVER Commission is to examine the evidence-
based therapy treatment model used by the Department of Veterans 
Affairs (VA) for treating mental health conditions of Veterans and the 
potential benefits of incorporating complementary and integrative 
health approaches as standard practice throughout the Department.
    Any member of the public seeking additional information should 
email [email protected]. The Designated Federal Officer for the 
Commission is Ms. Sheila B. Hickman. She and the staff will be 
monitoring and responding to questions or comments sent to this email 
box. The Committee will also accept written comments which may be sent 
to the same email box. In the public's communications with the 
Committee, the writers must identify themselves and state the 
organizations, associations, or persons they represent.

    Dated: August 7, 2018.
LaTonya L. Small,
Federal Advisory Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-17205 Filed 8-9-18; 8:45 am]
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