HR 1211 IH
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1211
To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 26, 2009
Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN (for herself, Mr. MORAN of Kansas, Mr. BOOZMAN, Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. WU, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. MCDERMOTT, and Mr. BISHOP of New York) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, from the Department of Veterans Affairs, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title- This Act may be cited as the ‘Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act’.
(b) Table of Contents- The table of contents of this Act is as follows:
TITLE I--STUDIES AND ASSESSMENTS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH SERVICES FOR WOMEN VETERANS
Sec. 101. Study of barriers for women veterans to health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 102. Comprehensive assessment of women’s health care programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
TITLE II--IMPROVEMENT AND EXPANSION OF HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR WOMEN VETERANS
Sec. 201. Medical care for newborn children of women veterans receiving maternity care.
Sec. 202. Training and certification for mental health care providers of the Department of Veterans Affairs on care for veterans suffering from sexual trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Sec. 203. Pilot program for provision of child care assistance to certain veterans receiving certain types of health care services at Department facilities.
Sec. 204. Addition of recently separated women and minority veterans to serve on advisory committees.
TITLE I--STUDIES AND ASSESSMENTS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH SERVICES FOR WOMEN VETERANS
SEC. 101. STUDY OF BARRIERS FOR WOMEN VETERANS TO HEALTH CARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(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;
(2) build on the work of the study of the Department of Veterans Affairs entitled ‘National Survey of Women Veterans in Fiscal Year 2007-2008’;
(3) administer the survey to a representative sample of women veterans from each Veterans Integrated Service Network; and
(4) ensure that the sample of women veterans surveyed is of sufficient size for the study results to be statistically significant and is a larger sample than that of the study of the Department of Veterans Affairs entitled ‘National Survey of Women Veterans in Fiscal Year 2007-2008’.
(b) Elements of Study- In conducting the study required by subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct research on the effects of the following on the women veterans surveyed in the study:
(1) The perceived stigma associated with seeking mental health care services.
(2) The effect of driving distance or availability of other forms of transportation to the nearest medical facility on access to care.
(3) The availability of child care.
(4) The acceptability of integrated primary care, women’s health clinics, or both.
(5) The comprehension of eligibility requirements for, and the scope of services available under, hospital care and medical services.
(6) The perception of the personal safety and comfort of women veterans in inpatient, outpatient, and behavioral health facilities of the Department.
(7) The gender sensitivity of health care providers and staff to issues that particularly affect women.
(8) The effectiveness of outreach for health care services available to women veterans.
(9) The location and operating hours of health care facilities that provide services to women veterans.
(10) Such other significant barriers as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may identify.
(c) Authority To Enter Into Contracts- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enter into a contract with a qualified independent entity or organization to carry out the studies and research required under this section.
(d) Mandatory Review of Data by Certain Divisions Within the Department-
(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 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 Health and to other pertinent program offices within the Department of Veterans Affairs with duties relating to health care services for women veterans.
(2) SPECIFIED DIVISIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT- The divisions of the Department of Veterans Affairs specified in this paragraph are--
(A) the Center for Women Veterans, established under section 318 of title 38, United States Code; and
(B) the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans, established under section 542 of title 38, United States Code.
(e) Reports-
(1) REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION- Not later than 6 months after the date on which the Department of Veterans Affairs publishes a final report on the study entitled ‘National Survey of Women Veterans in Fiscal Year 2007-2008’, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report on the status of the implementation of the section.
(2) REPORT ON STUDY- Not later than 30 months after the date on which the Department publishes such final report, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 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 of Veterans Affairs determines to be appropriate. The report shall also include the findings of the head of each specified division of the Department and of the Under Secretary for Health.
(f) Definition of Facility of the Department- In this section the term ‘facility of the Department’ has the meaning given that term in section 1701(3) of title 38, United States Code.
(g) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $4,000,000 to carry out this section.
SEC. 102. COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) In General- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a comprehensive assessment of all health care services and programs provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the health care needs of women veterans. Such comprehensive assessment shall include assessments of specialized programs for women with post-traumatic stress disorder, for women who are homeless, for women who require care for substance abuse or mental illnesses, and for women who require obstetric and gynecologic care.
(b) Specific Matters Studied-
(1) IDENTIFICATION OF PROGRAMS- For each medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall identify each of the following types of programs for women veterans provided by the Department and determine whether effective health care services, including evidenced-based health care services, are readily available to and easily accessed by women veterans:
(A) Health promotion programs, including reproductive health promotion programs.
(B) Disease prevention programs.
(C) Health care programs.
(2) IDENTIFICATION OF RELEVANT ISSUES- In making such determination, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall identify, for each medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs--
(A) the frequency with which such services are available and provided,
(B) the demographics of the women veterans population,
(C) the sites where such services are available and provided, and
(D) whether, and to what extent, waiting lists, geographic distance, and other factors obstruct the receipt of any of such services at any such site.
(c) Authority To Enter Into a Contract- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enter into a contract with a qualified independent entity or organization to carry out the studies and research required under this section.
(d) Development of Plan To Improve Services-
(1) PLAN REQUIRED- After conducting the comprehensive assessment required by subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop a plan to improve the provision of health care services to women veterans and to project the future health care needs, including the mental health care needs of women serving in the combat theaters of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
(2) LIST OF SERVICES- In developing the plan under this subsection, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall list the types of services available for women veterans at each medical center of the Department.
(e) Report- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report on the assessment conducted pursuant to subsection (a) and the plan required under subsection (d). The report shall include recommendations for such administrative and legislative action as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines to be appropriate.
(f) GAO Report- Not later than 6 months after the date on which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs submits the report required under subsection (e), the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report containing the findings of the Comptroller General with respect to the report of the Secretary, which may include such recommendations for administrative or legislative actions as the Comptroller General determines to be appropriate.
(g) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $5,000,000 to carry out this section.
TITLE II--IMPROVEMENT AND EXPANSION OF HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR WOMEN VETERANS
Full Text of Legislation