Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act
This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into a contract with a state in order to carry out, coordinate, improve, or otherwise enhance health and wellness programs, comprehensive veteran suicide prevention programs, and outreach by the VA and the state.
The VA is authorized to award a grant to a state to (1) carry out, coordinate, improve or otherwise enhance health and wellness programs, comprehensive veteran suicide prevention programs, outreach activities, or activities to assist with benefits claims for veterans; or (2) hire additional county veterans service officers.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5516 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5516
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to enter into contracts with States or to award grants
to States to promote health and wellness, prevent suicide, and improve
outreach to veterans, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 19, 2019
Mr. Levin of California introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to enter into contracts with States or to award grants
to States to promote health and wellness, prevent suicide, and improve
outreach to veterans, 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 ``Commitment to Veteran Support and
Outreach Act''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORITY FOR SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO AWARD CONTRACTS
AND GRANTS TO STATES TO PROMOTE HEALTH AND WELLNESS,
PREVENT SUICIDE, AND IMPROVE OUTREACH TO VETERANS.
(a) In General.--Chapter 63 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) by redesignating sections 6307 and 6308 and sections
6308 and 6309, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after section 6306 the following new
section 6307:
``Sec. 6307. Contracts and grants to promote health and wellness,
prevent suicide, and improve outreach to veterans
``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to provide for
assistance by the Secretary to States to carry out programs that
promote health and wellness, strengthen the coordination,
implementation, and evaluation of comprehensive veteran suicide
prevention programs, and offer a high probability of improving outreach
and assistance to veterans and the spouses, children, and parents of
veterans, to ensure that such individuals are fully informed about, and
assisted in applying for, any veterans and veterans-related benefits
and programs (including State veterans programs) for which they may be
eligible.
``(b) Contracts.--(1) The Secretary may enter into a contract with
a State in order to carry out, coordinate, improve, or otherwise
enhance health and wellness programs, comprehensive veteran suicide
prevention programs, and outreach by the Department and the State
(including outreach with respect to a State, county, or other local
veterans program).
``(2) As a condition of entering into a contract with a State under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall require the State to submit to the
Secretary a detailed plan for the use of any funds provided to the
State pursuant to the contract and to meet the outcome measures
developed by the Secretary under subsection (c)(4).
``(3) Each contract entered into with a State under this subsection
to carry out an activity shall include a requirement that the State
carry out the activity through--
``(A) the county veterans service officers of the State; or
``(B) if a county veterans service officer does not exist
in the State or exists only in portions of the State, an
appropriate State, local, or tribal entity as determined by the
Secretary.
``(c) Grants.--(1) The Secretary may award a grant to a State to be
used--
``(A) to carry out, coordinate, improve, or otherwise
enhance--
``(i) health and wellness programs;
``(ii) comprehensive veteran suicide prevention
programs;
``(iii) outreach activities; or
``(iv) activities to assist in the development and
submittal of claims for veterans and veterans-related
benefits; or
``(B) to increase the number of county veterans service
officers serving in the State by hiring new, additional county
veterans service officers.
``(2) A State that receives a grant under this subsection to carry
out an activity described in paragraph (1)(A) shall carry out the
activity through--
``(A) a county veterans service officer of the State; or
``(B) if a county veterans service officer does not exist
in the State or exists only in portions of the State, an
appropriate State, local, or tribal entity as determined by the
Secretary.
``(3)(A) To be eligible for a grant under this subsection, a State
shall submit to the Secretary an application therefor at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require.
``(B) Each application submitted under subparagraph (A) shall
include the following:
``(i) A detailed plan for the use of the grant.
``(ii) A description of the programs through which the
State will meet the outcome measures developed by the Secretary
under paragraph (4).
``(4)(A) The Secretary shall develop and provide to the recipient
of a grant under this subsection written guidance on outcome measures,
policies of the Department, and procedures for applying for grants
under this section.
``(B) The Secretary shall review the performance of each State that
receives a grant under this section and shall make information
regarding such performance publicly available.
``(C) In the case of a State that is a recipient of a grant under
this subsection that does not meet the outcome measures developed by
the Secretary, the Secretary shall require the State to submit a
remediation plan under which the State shall describe how and when it
plans to meet such outcome measures. The Secretary must approve such
plan before the Secretary may award a subsequent grant to that State
under this subsection.
``(5) A grant under this subsection--
``(A) shall be used--
``(i) to expand existing programs, activities, and
services;
``(ii) to hire new, additional county veterans
service officers; or
``(iii) for travel and transportation to facilitate
carrying out clause (i) or (ii); and
``(B) shall be used to supplement and not supplant State
and local funding that is otherwise available.
``(6) A grant under this subsection may be used to provide
education and training, including on-the-job training, for State,
county, local, and tribal government employees who provide (or when
trained will provide) veterans outreach services in order for those
employees to obtain accreditation in accordance with procedures
approved by the Secretary and, for employees so accredited, for
purposes of continuing education.
``(7) A grant awarded under paragraph (1)(A) may be used to carry
out, coordinate, improve, or otherwise enhance an activity carried out
pursuant to a contract entered into under subsection (b).
``(d) County Veterans Service Officer Defined.--In this section,
the term `county veterans service officer' includes--
``(1) a local equivalent veterans service officer; and
``(2) a tribal veterans service officer or tribal veteran
representative.
``(e) Funding.--(1) Amounts for the activities of the Department
under this section shall be budgeted and appropriated through a
separate appropriation account.
``(2) In the budget justification materials submitted to Congress
in support of the Department budget for any fiscal year (as submitted
with the budget of the President under section 1105(a) of title 31),
the Secretary shall include a separate statement of the amount
requested to be appropriated for that fiscal year for the account
specified in paragraph (1).
``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary for each of fiscal years 2020 through
2024, $50,000,000 to carry out this section.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
chapter 63 of such title is amended by striking the items relating to
sections 6307 and 6308 and inserting the following new items:
``6307. Contracts and grants to promote health and wellness, prevent
suicide, and improve outreach to veterans.
``6308. Outreach for eligible dependents.
``6309. Biennial report to Congress.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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