Sec. 201. Grants for organizations providing mental health wellness services to veterans
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The purpose of this section is to facilitate the provision of mental health services for veterans with mental health conditions who are receiving care outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Subchapter II of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: The Secretary shall provide financial assistance to eligible entities approved under this section to provide or coordinate the provision of mental health supportive services described in subsection
(b)for a veteran with a mental health condition who is seeking mental health treatment. Financial assistance under paragraph
(1)shall consist of the award of a grant to an approved eligible entity for each veteran described in paragraph
(1)for which the approved eligible entity is providing or coordinating the provision of mental health supportive services. The Secretary shall award grants under this section to each approved eligible entity that is providing or coordinating the provision of mental health supportive services under this section. The Secretary may establish intervals of payment for the administration of grants under this section and establish a maximum amount to be awarded, in accordance with the services being provided and the duration of such services. In providing financial assistance under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to entities providing or coordinating the provision of supportive mental health services for veterans with mental health conditions who face barriers in accessing mental health care services from the Department. The Secretary shall ensure that, to the extent practicable, financial assistance under this subsection is equitably distributed across geographic regions, including rural communities and tribal lands. Each entity receiving financial assistance under this section to provide mental health supportive services to a veteran with a mental health condition shall notify that veteran that such services are being paid for, in whole or in part, by the Department. The Secretary shall require entities receiving financial assistance under this section to submit a report to the Secretary that describes the services provided or coordinated with such financial assistance. The mental health supportive services described in this subsection are services provided by an eligible entity or a subcontractor of an eligible entity that address the needs of veterans with mental health conditions, including— outreach services; case management services; assistance in obtaining any benefits from the Department that the veteran may be eligible to receive, including health care services, vocational and rehabilitation counseling, employment and training services, and educational assistance; and assistance in obtaining and coordinating the provision of other public benefits provided by any Federal, State, or local agency, or any other eligible entity, including— health care services (including obtaining health insurance); daily living services; personal financial planning services; transportation services; income support services; fiduciary and representative payee services; legal services to assist the veteran with issues that interfere with the ability of the veteran to find and retain meaningful employment, housing, or benefits to which the veteran may be entitled; child care services; housing counseling; and other services necessary for maintaining independent living. An eligible entity seeking financial assistance under subsection
(a)shall submit to the Secretary an application therefor in such form, in such manner, and containing such commitments and information as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out this section. Each application submitted by an eligible entity under paragraph
(1)shall contain— a description of the mental health supportive services described in subsection
(b)proposed to be provided by the eligible entity under this section and the identified needs for those services; a description of the types of veterans with a mental health condition proposed to be provided such services; an estimate of the number of veterans with a mental health condition proposed to be provided such services; evidence of the experience of the eligible entity in providing mental health supportive services to veterans with a mental health condition; and a description of the managerial capacity of the eligible entity— to coordinate the provision of mental health supportive services with the provision of mental health services by the eligible entity or another organization; to assess continually the needs of veterans with a mental health condition for mental health supportive services; to coordinate the provision of mental health supportive services with the services of the Department; and to tailor supportive mental health services to the needs of veterans with a mental health condition. The Secretary shall establish criteria for the selection of eligible entities to be provided financial assistance under this section. Criteria established under subparagraph
(A)with respect to an eligible entity shall include the following: Relevant accreditation as may be required by each State in which the eligible entity operates. Experience coordinating care or providing treatment for veterans or members of the Armed Forces. The Secretary shall provide training and technical assistance to eligible entities provided financial assistance under this section regarding the planning, development, and provision of mental health supportive services under this section. The Secretary may provide the training described in paragraph
(1)directly or through grants or contracts with appropriate public or nonprofit private entities, including through grants awarded under section 2064 of this title. To the extent practicable, the Secretary may collect information from an eligibility entity awarded a grant under this section relating to a mental health condition of a veteran for inclusion in the electronic health record of the Department for such veteran for the sole purpose of improving care provided to such veteran. From amounts appropriated to the Department for medical services, there shall be available to carry out subsections (a), (b), and
(c)the following: $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2021. $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2022. $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2023. In this section: The term eligible entity means any of the following: An incorporated private institution or foundation— no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any member, founder, contributor, or individual; that has a governing board that is responsible for the operation of the mental health supportive services provided under this section; and that is approved by the Secretary with respect to financial responsibility. A for-profit limited partnership, the sole general partner of which is an organization meeting the requirements of clauses (i), (ii), and
(iii)of subparagraph (A). A corporation wholly owned and controlled by an organization meeting the requirements of clauses (i), (ii), and
(iii)of subparagraph (A). A tribally designated housing entity (as defined in section 4 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 ( 25 U.S.C. 4103 )). The term veteran with a mental health condition means a veteran who has been diagnosed with, or who is seeking treatment for, one or more mental health conditions, as determined by the Secretary. . The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 17 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1720I the following new item: 1720J. Financial assistance for mental health supportive services for veterans seeking mental health treatment. . The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a study on the effectiveness of the program of financial assistance under section 1720J of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (b), in meeting the needs of veterans with a mental health condition, as that term is defined in that section. In conducting the study required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall compare the results of the program described in that paragraph with other programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs dedicated to the delivery of mental health services to veterans. In making the comparison required by paragraph (2), the Secretary shall examine the following: The satisfaction of veterans targeted by the programs described in paragraph (2). The health status of such veterans. The mental wellness of such veterans. The degree to which such veterans are encouraged to engage in productive activity by such programs. The number of veterans using such programs, disaggregated by— veterans who have received care from the Department in the previous two years; and veterans who have not received care from the Department in the previous two years. The number of veterans who die by suicide while receiving services from an entity in receipt of a grant under the program of financial assistance under section 1720J of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (b), or who die by suicide during the 180-day period after receiving such services. Not later than December 31, 2021, and annually thereafter, 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 results of the study required by paragraph (1). The Secretary shall begin providing financial assistance under section 1720J of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (b), not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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Sec. 201
Grants for organizations providing mental health wellness services to veterans
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