Union Calendar No. 226
116th CONGRESS 1st Session |
[Report No. 116–281]
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for increased access to Department of Veterans Affairs medical care for women veterans.
June 12, 2019
Ms. Brownley of California introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
November 12, 2019
Additional sponsors: Mr. Aguilar, Ms. Wild, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Ms. Kuster of New Hampshire, Mr. Gonzalez of Texas, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Cisneros, Mr. Pappas, Mr. Rose of New York, Ms. Meng, Ms. Gabbard, Ms. Velázquez, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Speier, Mr. Takano, Ms. Moore, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. Rush, Mr. Ryan, Ms. Norton, Mr. Sablan, Mr. Ruiz, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mrs. Radewagen, Mr. Visclosky, Mr. Correa, Mrs. Lee of Nevada, Ms. Scanlon, Mr. Peterson, Mr. Delgado, Mr. Levin of California, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Lamb, Ms. Haaland, Mr. Beyer, and Ms. Houlahan
November 12, 2019
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]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 12, 2019]
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for increased access to Department of Veterans Affairs medical care for women veterans.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
(b) Table of contents.—The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 101. Office of Women’s Health in the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 102. Expansion of capabilities of women veterans call center to include text messaging.
Sec. 103. Requirement for Department of Veterans Affairs internet website to provide information on services available to women veterans.
Sec. 104. Report on Women Veterans Retrofit Initiative.
Sec. 105. Establishment of environment of care standards and inspections at Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers.
Sec. 106. Additional funding for primary care and emergency care clinicians in Women Veterans Health Care Mini-Residency Program.
Sec. 107. Establishment of women veteran training module for non-Department of Veterans Affairs health care providers.
Sec. 201. Improved access to Department of Veterans Affairs medical care for women veterans.
Sec. 202. Counseling and treatment for sexual trauma.
Sec. 203. Counseling in retreat settings for women veterans and other individuals.
Sec. 204. Improvement of health care services provided to newborn children by Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 301. Assessment of effects of intimate partner violence on women veterans by Advisory Committee on Women Veterans.
Sec. 302. Study on staffing of Women Veteran Program Manager program at medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs and training of staff.
Sec. 303. Report on availability of prosthetic items for women veterans from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 304. Study of barriers for women veterans to health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 305. Report regarding veterans who receive benefits under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 306. Study on Women Veteran Coordinator program.
Sec. 321. Anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 322. Support for organizations that have a focus on providing assistance to women veterans and their families.
Sec. 323. Gap analysis of Department of Veterans Affairs programs that provide assistance to women veterans who are homeless.
Sec. 324. Department of Veterans Affairs public-private partnership on legal services for women veterans.
Sec. 325. Program to assist veterans who experience intimate partner violence or sexual assault.
Sec. 326. Study and task force on veterans experiencing intimate partner violence or sexual assault.
(a) Director of Women’s Health.—Subsection (a) of section 7306 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(b) Organization of Office.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 73 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end of the following new sections:
“§ 7310. Office of Women’s Health
“(a) Establishment.— (1) The Under Secretary for Health shall establish and operate in the Veterans Health Administration the Office of Women’s Health (hereinafter in this section referred to as the ‘Office’). The Office shall be located at the Central Office of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“(2) The head of the Office is the Director of Women’s Health (hereinafter in this section referred to as the ‘Director’). The Director shall report to the Under Secretary for Health.
“(b) Purpose.—The functions of the Office include the following:
“(1) To provide a central office for monitoring and encouraging the activities of the Veterans Health Administration with respect to the provision, evaluation, and improvement of women veterans’ health care services in the Department.
“(2) To develop and implement standards of care for the provision of health care for women veterans in the Department.
“(3) To monitor and identify deficiencies in standards of care for the provision of health care for women veterans in the Department, to provide technical assistance to medical facilities of the Department to address and remedy deficiencies, and to perform oversight of implementation of standards of care for women veterans’ health care in the Department.
“(4) To monitor and identify deficiencies in standards of care for the provision of health care for women veterans provided through the community pursuant to this title, and to provide recommendations to the appropriate office to address and remedy any deficiencies.
“(5) To oversee distribution of resources and information related to women veterans’ health programming under this title.
“(6) To promote the expansion and improvement of clinical, research, and educational activities of the Veterans Health Administration with respect the health care of women veterans.
“(7) To provide, as part of the annual budgeting process, recommendations with respect to the amount of funds to be requested for furnishing hospital care and medical services to women veterans pursuant to chapter 17 of this title, including, at a minimum, recommendations that ensure that such amount of funds either reflect or exceed the proportion of veterans enrolled in the patient enrollment system under section 1705 of this title who are women.
“(c) Recommendations.—If the Under Secretary for Health determines not to implement any recommendation made by the Director with respect to the allocation of resources to address the health care needs of women veterans, the Secretary shall notify the appropriate congressional committees of such determination by not later than 30 days after the date on which the Under Secretary for Health receives the recommendation. Each such notification shall include the following:
“(d) Standards of care.—In this section, the standards of care for the provision of health care for women veterans in the Department shall include, at a minimum, the following:
“(e) Outreach.—The Director shall ensure that—
“(f) Definitions.—In this section:
“(1) The term ‘appropriate congressional committees’ has the meaning given that term in section 7310A of this title.
“(3) The term ‘Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation system’ means the resource allocation system established pursuant to section 429 of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1997 (Public Law 104–204; 110 Stat. 2929).
“§ 7310A. Annual reports on women’s health
“(a) Annual reports.—Not later than December 1 of each year, the Director of Women’s Health shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report containing the matters under subsections (b) through (g).
“(b) Office of Women’s Health.—Each report under subsection (a) shall include a description of—
“(1) actions taken by the Office of Women’s Health in the preceding fiscal year to improve the Department’s provision of health care to women veterans;
“(2) any identified deficiencies related to the Department’s provision of health care to women veterans and the standards of care established in section 7310 of this title, and the Department’s plan to address such deficiencies;
“(c) Access to gender-specific services.—Each report under subsection (a) shall include an analysis of the access of women veterans to gender-specific services under contracts, agreements, or other arrangements with non-Department medical providers entered into by the Secretary for the provision of hospital care or medical services to veterans. Such analysis shall include data and performance measures for the availability of gender specific services, including—
“(d) Locations where women veterans are using health care.—Each report under subsection (a) shall include an analysis of the use by women veterans of health care from the Department, including the following information:
“(2) The number of women veterans in each State who are enrolled in the system of patient enrollment of the Department established and operated under section 1705(a) this title.
“(3) Of the women veterans who are so enrolled, the number who have received health care under the laws administered by the Secretary at least one time during the one-year period preceding the submittal of the report.
“(4) The number of women veterans who have been seen at each medical facility of the Department during such year.
“(5) The number of appointments that women veterans have had at each such facility during such year.
“(e) Models of care.—Each report under subsection (a) shall include an analysis of the use by the Department of general primary care clinics, separate but shared spaces, and women's health centers as models of providing health care to women veterans. Such analysis shall include the following:
“(1) The number of facilities of the Department that fall into each such model, disaggregated by Veterans Integrated Service Network and State.
“(2) A description of the criteria used by the Department to determine which such model is most appropriate for each facility of the Department.
“(3) An assessment of how the Department decides to make investments to modify facilities to a different model.
“(4) A description of what, if any, plans the Department has to modify facilities from general primary care clinics to another model.
“(5) An assessment of whether any facilities could be modified to a separate but shared space for a women’s health center within planned investments under the strategic capital investment planning process of the Department.
“(f) Staffing.—Each report under subsection (a) shall include an analysis of the staffing of the Department relating to the treatment of women, including the following, disaggregated by Veterans Integrated Service Network and State (except with respect to paragraph (4)):
“(4) The number of designated women’s health care providers of the Department, disaggregated by facility of the Department.
“(5) The number of health care providers of the Department who have completed a mini-residency for women’s health care through Women Veterans Health Care Mini-Residency Program of the Department during the one-year period preceding the submittal of the report, and the number that plan to participate in such a mini-residency during the one-year period following such date.
“(g) Accessibility and treatment options.—Each report under subsection (a) shall include an analysis of the accessibility and treatment options for women veterans, including the following:
“(1) An assessment of wheelchair accessibility of women’s health centers of the Department, including, with respect to each such facility, an assessment of such accessibility for each kind of treatment provided at the center, including with respect to radiology and mammography, that addresses all relevant factors, including door sizes, hoists, and equipment.
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall expand the capabilities of the Women Veterans Call Center of the Department of Veterans Affairs to include a text messaging capability.
(a) In general.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall survey the internet websites and information resources of the Department of Veterans Affairs in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act and publish an internet website that serves as a centralized source for the provision to women veterans of information about the benefits and services available to them under laws administered by the Secretary.
(b) Elements.—The internet website published under subsection (a) shall provide to women veterans information regarding all of the services available in the district in which the veteran is seeking such services, including, with respect to each medical center and community-based outpatient clinic in the applicable Veterans Integrated Service Network—
(c) Updated information.—The Secretary shall ensure that the information described in subsection (b) that is published on the internet website required by subsection (a) is updated not less frequently than once every 90 days.
(a) Report.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on requirements to retrofit existing medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs with fixtures, materials, and other outfitting measures to support the provision of care to women veterans at such facilities.
(a) In general.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a policy under which the environment of care standards and inspections at medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs include—
(1) an alignment of the requirements for such standards and inspections with the women's health handbook of the Veterans Health Administration;
(3) delineation of the roles and responsibilities of staff at the medical center who are responsible for compliance;
(b) Report.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives certification in writing that the policy required by subsection (a) has been finalized and disseminated to Department all medical centers.
(a) In general.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $1,000,000 for each fiscal year for the Women Veterans Health Care Mini-Residency Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide opportunities for participation in such program for primary care and emergency care clinicians.
(a) In general.—Subchapter II of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
Ҥ 1720J. Medical services for women veterans
“(a) Access to care.—The Secretary shall ensure that women’s health primary care services are available during regular business hours at every medical center and community based outpatient clinic of the Department.
Section 1720D of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(3) by striking “veterans” each place it appears and inserting “former members of the Armed Forces”; and
(a) In general.—Chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1712C the following new section:
Ҥ 1712D. Counseling in retreat settings for women veterans and other individuals
“(a) Program.— (1) Commencing not later than January 1, 2021, the Secretary shall carry out, through the Readjustment Counseling Service of the Veterans Health Administration, a program to provide reintegration and readjustment services described in subsection (b) in group retreat settings to covered individuals, including cohorts of women veterans who are eligible for readjustment counseling services under section 1712A of this title.
“(b) Covered services.—The services provided to a covered individual under the program under subsection (a)(1) shall include the following:
“(c) Biennial reports.—Not later than December 31, 2022, and each even-numbered year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on the program under subsection (a)(1).
(a) Expansion.—Section 1786 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “seven days” and inserting “14 days”; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(f) Annual report.—Not later than 60 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the health care services provided under subsection (a) during such fiscal year, including the number of newborn children who received such services during such fiscal year.”.
(b) Authority to furnish medically necessary transportation for newborn children of certain women veterans.—Such section is further amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(2) in subsection (b), by inserting before the period at the end the following: “, including necessary health care services provided by a facility other than the facility where the newborn child was delivered (including a specialty pediatric hospital) that accepts transfer of the newborn child and responsibility for treatment of the newborn child”; and
(3) by inserting before subsection (f), as added by subsection (a), the following new subsections:
“(c) Transportation.— (1) Transportation furnished under subsection (a) to, from, or between care settings to meet the needs of a newborn child includes costs for either or both the newborn child and parents.
“(2) Transportation furnished under subsection (a) is transportation by ambulance, including air ambulance, or other appropriate medically staffed modes of transportation—
“(d) Reimbursement or payment for health care services or transportation.— (1) Pursuant to regulations the Secretary shall prescribe to establish rates of reimbursement and any limitations thereto under this section, the Secretary shall directly reimburse a covered entity for health care services or transportation services provided under this section, unless the cost of the services or transportation is covered by an established agreement or contract. If such an agreement or contract exists, its negotiated payment terms shall apply.
“(2) (A) Reimbursement or payment by the Secretary under this section on behalf of an individual to a covered entity shall, unless rejected and refunded by the covered entity within 30 days of receipt, extinguish any liability on the part of the individual for the health care services or transportation covered by such payment.
“(e) Exception.—Pursuant to such regulations as the Secretary shall prescribe to carry out this section, the Secretary may furnish more than 14 days of health care services described in subsection (b), and transportation necessary to receive such services, to a newborn child based on medical necessity if the child is in need of additional care, including a case in which the newborn child has been discharged or released from a hospital and requires readmittance to ensure the health and welfare of the newborn child.”.
(c) Treatment of certain expenses already incurred.—Pursuant to such regulations as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall prescribe, the Secretary may provide reimbursement under section 1786 of title 38, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a), health care services or transportation services furnished to a newborn child during the period beginning on May 5, 2010, and ending on the date of the enactment of this Act, if the Secretary determines that, under the circumstances applicable with respect to the newborn, such reimbursement appropriate.
Section 542(c)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(a) Study.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a study on the use of the Women Veteran Program Manager program of the Department of Veterans Affairs to determine—
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the availability from the Department of Veterans Affairs of prosthetic items made for women veterans, including an assessment of the availability of such prosthetic items at each medical facility of the Department. The report shall—
(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;
(b) Use of previous studies.—In conducting the study required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall build on the work of the studies of the Department of Veterans Affairs titled—
(c) Elements of study.—In conducting the study required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall conduct research on the effects of the following on the women veterans surveyed in the study:
(1) The barriers associated with seeking mental health care services, including with respect to provider availability, telehealth access, and family, work, and school obligations.
(2) The effect of driving distance or availability of other forms of transportation to the nearest medical facility on access to care.
(6) The comprehension of eligibility requirements for, and the scope of services available under, hospital care and medical services.
(7) The perception of personal safety and comfort in inpatient, outpatient, and behavioral health facilities.
(8) The gender sensitivity of health care providers and staff to issues that particularly affect women.
(d) Discharge by contract.—The Secretary shall enter into a contract with a qualified independent entity or organization to carry out the study and research required under this section.
(e) Mandatory review of data by certain department divisions.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary 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 responsibilities relating to health care services for women veterans.
(f) Report.—Not later than 30 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 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 considers appropriate. The report shall also include the findings of the head of each division of the Department specified under subsection (e)(2) and of the Under Secretary for Health.
(a) Report.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall publish a report regarding veterans who receive benefits under laws administered by the Secretary, including the Transition Assistance Program under sections 1142 and 1144 of title 10, United States Code.
(b) Data.—The data regarding veterans published in the report under subsection (a)—
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report containing a study on the Women Veteran Coordinator program of the Veterans Benefits Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Such study shall identify the following:
(2) Whether each regional benefits office of the Department is staffed with a Women Veteran Coordinator.
(a) In general.—Subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
Ҥ 533. Anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault policy
“(a) Establishment.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a comprehensive policy to end harassment and sexual assault, including sexual harassment and gender-based harassment, throughout the Department of Veterans Affairs. This policy shall include the following:
“(1) A process for employees and contractors of the Department to respond to reported incidents of harassment and sexual assault committed by any non-Department individual within a facility of the Department, including with respect to accountability or disciplinary measures.
“(2) A process for employees and contractors of the Department to respond to reported incidents of harassment and sexual assault of any non-Department individual within a facility of the Department.
“(3) A process for any non-Department individual to report harassment and sexual assault described in paragraph (1), including an option for confidential reporting, and for the Secretary to respond to and address such reports.
“(4) Clear mechanisms for non-Department individuals to readily identify to whom and how to report incidents of harassment and sexual assault committed by another non-Department individual.
“(5) Clear mechanisms for employees and contractors of the Department to readily identify to whom and how to report incidents of harassment and sexual assault and how to refer non-Department individuals with respect to reporting an incident of harassment or sexual assault.
“(6) A process for, and mandatory reporting requirement applicable to, any employee or contractor of the Department who witnesses harassment or sexual assault described in paragraph (1) or (2) within a facility of the Department, regardless of whether the individual affected by such harassment or sexual assault wants to report such harassment or sexual assault.
“(7) The actions possible, including disciplinary actions, for employees or contractors of the Department who fail to report incidents of harassment and sexual assault described in paragraph (1) or (2) that the employees or contractors witness.
“(8) On an annual or more frequent basis, mandatory training for employees and contractors of the Department regarding how to report and address harassment and sexual assault described in paragraphs (1) and (2), including bystander intervention training.
“(9) On an annual or more frequent basis, the distribution of the policy under this subsection and anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault educational materials by mail or email to each individual receiving a benefit under a law administered by the Secretary.
“(10) The prominent display of anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault messages in each facility of the Department, including how non-Department individuals may report harassment and sexual assault described in paragraphs (1) and (2) at such facility and the points of contact under subsection (b).
“(11) The posting on internet websites of the Department, including the main internet website regarding benefits of the Department and the main internet website regarding health care of the Department, of anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault banners specifically addressing harassment and sexual assault described in paragraphs (1) and (2).
“(b) Points of contact.—The Secretary shall designate, as a point of contact to receive reports of harassment and sexual assault described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a)—
“(1) at least one individual, in addition to law enforcement, at each facility of the Department (including Vet Centers under section 1712A of this title), with regard to that facility;
“(c) Accountability.—The Secretary shall establish a policy to ensure that each facility of the Department and each director of a Veterans Integrated Service Network is responsible for addressing harassment and sexual assault at the facility and the Network. Such policy shall include—
“(d) Data.—The Secretary shall ensure that the in-take process for veterans at medical facilities of the Department includes a survey to collect the following information:
“(e) Working group.— (1) The Secretary shall establish a working group to assist the Secretary in implementing policies to carry out this section.
“(3) The working group established under paragraph (1) shall develop, and the Secretary shall carry out—
“(A) an action plan for addressing changes at the local level to reduce instances of harassment and sexual assault;
“(f) Reports.—The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives an annual report on harassment and sexual assault described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) in facilities of the Department. Each such report shall include the following:
“(2) Results of studies from the Women’s Health Practice-Based Research Network of the Department relating to harassment and sexual assault.
(b) Clerical amendment.—The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating to section 532 the following new item:
“533. Anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault policy.”.
Section 2044(e) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(a) Program required.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a program to assist former members of the armed forces who have experienced or are experiencing intimate partner violence or sexual assault in accessing benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, including coordinating access to medical treatment centers, housing assistance, and other benefits from the Department.
(b) Collaboration.—The Secretary shall carry out the program under subsection (a) in collaboration with—
(c) Authorized activities.—In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary may conduct the following activities:
(1) Training for community-based intimate partner violence or sexual assault service providers on—
(d) Intimate partner violence and sexual assault outreach coordinators.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to effectively assist veterans who have experienced intimate partner violence or sexual assault, the Secretary may establish local coordinators to provide outreach under the program required by subsection (a).
(2) LOCAL COORDINATOR KNOWLEDGE.—The Secretary shall ensure that each coordinator established under paragraph (1) is knowledgeable about—
(A) the dynamics of intimate partner violence and sexual assault, including safety concerns, legal protections, and the need for the provision of confidential services;
(a) National baseline study.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall conduct a national baseline study to examine the scope of the problem of intimate partner violence and sexual assault among veterans and spouses and intimate partners of veterans.
(2) MATTERS INCLUDED.—The study under paragraph (1) shall—
(A) include a literature review of all relevant research on intimate partner violence and sexual assault among veterans and spouses and intimate partners of veterans;
(b) Task force.—Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Secretary completes the study under subsection (a), the Secretary, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall establish a national task force (in this section referred to as the “Task Force”) to develop a comprehensive national program, including by integrating facilities, services, and benefits of the Department of Veterans Affairs into existing networks of community-based intimate partner violence and sexual assault services, to address intimate partner violence and sexual assault among veterans.
(c) Consultation with stakeholders.—In carrying out this section, the Task Force shall consult with—
(d) Duties.—The duties of the Task Force shall include the following:
(1) To review existing services and policies of the Department and develop a comprehensive national program to address intimate partner violence and sexual assault prevention, response, and treatment.
(2) To review the feasibility and advisability of establishing an expedited process to secure emergency, temporary benefits, including housing or other benefits, for veterans who are experiencing intimate partner violence or sexual assault.
(3) To review and make recommendations regarding the feasibility and advisability of establishing dedicated, temporary housing assistance for veterans experiencing intimate partner violence or sexual assault.
(4) To identify any requirements regarding intimate partner violence assistance or sexual assault response and services that are not being met by the Department and make recommendations on how the Department can meet such requirements.
(5) To review and make recommendations regarding the feasibility and advisability of providing direct services or contracting for community-based services for veterans in response to a sexual assault, including through the use of sexual assault nurse examiners, particularly in underserved or remote areas, including services for Native American veterans.
(e) Report.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than annually thereafter by October 1 of each year, the Task Force shall submit to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Congress a report on the activities of the Task Force, including any recommendations for legislative or administrative action.
Union Calendar No. 226 | |||||
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[Report No. 116–281] | |||||
A BILL | |||||
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for increased access to Department of Veterans
Affairs medical care for women veterans. | |||||
November 12, 2019 | |||||
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed |