Sec. 5109. Improving processing by the Department of Veterans Affairs of disability claims for post-traumatic stress disorder
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Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (in this section referred to as the Secretary ) shall, acting through the Under Secretary for Benefits (in this section referred to as the Under Secretary ), update an ongoing, national training program for claims processors who review claims for compensation for service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder. Beginning on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall require that each claims processor described in paragraph
(1)participates in the training established under paragraph
(1)at least once each year beginning in the second year in which the claims processor carries out the duties of the claims processor for the Department. The training established under paragraph
(1)shall include instruction on stressor development and verification. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, shall standardize the training provided at regional offices of the Veterans Benefits Administration to the employees of such regional offices. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, shall establish a formal process to analyze, on an annual basis, training needs based on identified processing error trends. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, shall establish a formal process to conduct, on an annual basis, studies to help guide the national training program established under subsection (a)(1). Each study conducted under paragraph
(1)shall cover the following: Military post-traumatic stress disorder stressors. Decision-making claims for claims processors. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and not less frequently than once each year thereafter, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, shall evaluate the guidance relating to post-traumatic stress disorder to determine if updates are warranted to provide claims processors of the Department with better resources regarding best practices for claims processing, including specific guidance regarding development of claims involving compensation for service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder.