Sec. 727. EXPANSION OF VET CENTER PROGRAM TO INCLUDE FURNISHING COUNSELING TO CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS

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## SEC. 727 EXPANSION OF VET CENTER PROGRAM TO INCLUDE FURNISHING COUNSELING TO CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS Section 1712A of title 38, United States Code, is amended— ####

(1)in subsection (a)— #####

(A)in paragraph (1)— ######

(i)in subparagraph (A), by striking “ Upon the request ” and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting > “Upon the request of any individual referred to in subparagraph (C), the Secretary shall furnish counseling, including by furnishing counseling through a Vet Center, to the individual— > > > ###### “(i) > > in the case of an individual referred to in clauses

(i)through

(iv)of subparagraph (C), to assist the individual in readjusting to civilian life; and > > > ###### “(ii) > > in the case of an individual referred to in clause

(v)of such subparagraph who is a family member of a veteran or member described in such clause— > > > ###### “(I) > > in the case of a member who is deployed in a theater of combat operations or an area at a time during which hostilities are occurring in that area, during such deployment to assist such individual in coping with such deployment; and > > > ###### “(II) > > in the case of a veteran or member who is readjusting to civilian life, to the degree that counseling furnished to such individual is found to aid in the readjustment of such veteran or member to civilian life.” > ; and ######

(ii)by striking subparagraph

(B)and inserting the following new subparagraphs: > > ##### “(B) > > Counseling furnished to an individual under subparagraph

(A)may include a comprehensive individual assessment of the individual’s psychological, social, and other characteristics to ascertain whether— > > > ###### “(i) > > in the case of an individual referred to in clauses

(i)through

(iv)of subparagraph (C), such individual has difficulties associated with readjusting to civilian life; and > > > ###### “(ii) > > in the case of an individual referred to in clause

(v)of such subparagraph, such individual has difficulties associated with— > > > ###### “(I) > > coping with the deployment of a member described in subclause

(I)of such clause; or > > > ###### “(II) > > readjustment to civilian life of a veteran or member described in subclause

(II)of such clause. > > > ##### “(C) > > Subparagraph

(A)applies to the following individuals: > > > ###### “(i) > > Any individual who is a veteran or member of the Armed Forces, including a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces, who served on active duty in a theater of combat operations or an area at a time during which hostilities occurred in that area. > > > ###### “(ii) > > Any individual who is a veteran or member of the Armed Forces, including a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces, who provided direct emergency medical or mental health care, or mortuary services to the causalities of combat operations or hostilities, but who at the time was located outside the theater of combat operations or area of hostilities. > > > ###### “(iii) > > Any individual who is a veteran or member of the Armed Forces, including a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces, who engaged in combat with an enemy of the United States or against an opposing military force in a theater of combat operations or an area at a time during which hostilities occurred in that area by remotely controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle, notwithstanding whether the physical location of such veteran or member during such combat was within such theater of combat operations or area. > > > ###### “(iv) > > Any individual who received counseling under this section before the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013. > > > ###### “(v) > > Any individual who is a family member of any— > > > ###### “(I) > > member of the Armed Forces, including a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces, who is serving on active duty in a theater of combat operations or in an area at a time during which hostilities are occurring in that area; or > > > ###### “(II) > > veteran or member of the Armed Forces described in this subparagraph.” > ; #####

(B)by striking paragraph (2); #####

(C)by redesignating paragraph

(3)as paragraph (2); and #####

(D)in paragraph (2), as redesignated by subparagraph (C)— ######

(i)by striking “a veteran described in paragraph (1)(B)(iii)” and inserting “an individual described in paragraph (1)(C)”; and ######

(ii)by striking “the veteran a preliminary general mental health assessment” and inserting “the individual a comprehensive individual assessment as described in paragraph (1)(B)”; ####

(2)in subsection (b)(1), by striking “physician or psychologist” each place it appears and inserting “licensed or certified mental health care provider”; ####

(3)in subsection (g)— #####

(A)by amending paragraph

(1)to read as follows: > > #### “(1) > > The term ‘Vet Center’ means a facility which is operated by the Department for the provision of services under this section and which is situated apart from Department general health care facilities.” > ; and #####

(B)by adding at the end the following new paragraph: > > #### “(3) > > The term ‘family member’, with respect to a veteran or member of the Armed Forces, means an individual who— > > > ##### “(A) > > is a member of the family of the veteran or member, including— > > > ###### “(i) > > a parent; > > > ###### “(ii) > > a spouse; > > > ###### “(iii) > > a child; > > > ###### “(iv) > > a step-family member; and > > > ###### “(v) > > an extended family member; or > > > ##### “(B) > > lives with the veteran or member but is not a member of the family of the veteran or member.” > ; and ####

(4)by redesignating subsection (g), as amended by paragraph (3), as subsection

(h)and inserting after subsection

(f)the following new subsection (g): > > ### “(g) > > In carrying out this section and in furtherance of the Secretary’s responsibility to carry out outreach activities under chapter 63 of this title, the Secretary may provide for and facilitate the participation of personnel employed by the Secretary to provide services under this section in recreational programs that are— > > > #### “(1) > > designed to encourage the readjustment of veterans described in subsection (a)(1)(C); and > > > #### “(2) > > operated by any organization named in or approved under section 5902 of this title.” > .