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[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2325 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2325

   To amend certain laws under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of 
 Veterans Affairs to reauthorize programs relating to substance abuse 
  and homeless assistance for veterans, to authorize a demonstration 
   program to provide assistance to homeless veterans, and for other 
                               purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                July 26 (legislative day, July 20), 1994

Mr. Rockefeller (for himself, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Daschle, and Mr. Campbell) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
   To amend certain laws under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of 
 Veterans Affairs to reauthorize programs relating to substance abuse 
  and homeless assistance for veterans, to authorize a demonstration 
   program to provide assistance to homeless 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. REAUTHORIZATION OF DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM OF COMPENSATED WORK 
              THERAPY AND THERAPEUTIC TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.

    Section 7(a) of Public Law 102-54 (38 U.S.C. 1718 note) is amended 
by striking out ``fiscal years 1991 through 1994'' and inserting in 
lieu thereof ``fiscal years 1991 through 1996''.

SEC. 2. PERMANENT AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION FOR 
              ALCOHOL OR DRUG DEPENDENCE OR ABUSE DISABILITIES.

    Section 1720A of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking out subsection (e).

SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF HOMELESS VETERANS' REINTEGRATION PROJECTS.

    Section 738(e)(1) of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 11448(e)(1)) is amended by striking out subparagraphs 
(A), (B), and (C) and inserting in lieu thereof the following new 
subparagraphs:
            ``(A) $14,000,000 for fiscal year 1995.
            ``(B) $16,000,000 for fiscal year 1996.
            ``(C) $18,000,000 for fiscal year 1997.''.

SEC. 4. AUTHORITY FOR COMMUNITY-BASED RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR HOMELESS 
              CHRONICALLY MENTALLY ILL AND OTHER VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 17 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 1720E. Community-based residential care for homeless chronically 
              mentally ill and other veterans
  ``(a)(1) The Secretary may provide care and treatment and 
rehabilitative services (directly or by contract) in halfway houses, 
therapeutic communities, psychiatric residential treatment centers, and 
other community-based treatment facilities to homeless veterans 
suffering from chronic mental illness disabilities who are eligible for 
care under section 1710(a)(1) of this title.
  ``(2) In providing care and treatment and rehabilitative services 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary may also provide such care and 
treatment and rehabilitative services--
          ``(A) to veterans being furnished hospital or nursing home 
        care by the Secretary for a chronic mental illness disability; 
        and
          ``(B) to veterans with service-connected chronic mental 
        illness disabilities.
  ``(b) Before furnishing care and treatment and rehabilitative 
services by contract under subsection (a) to a veteran through a 
facility described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall approve (in 
accordance with criteria which the Secretary shall prescribe) the 
quality and effectiveness of the program operated by such facility for 
the purpose for which such veteran is to be furnished such care and 
services.
  ``(c)(1) The Secretary may provide in-kind assistance (through the 
services of Department employees and the sharing of other Department 
resources) to a facility described in subsection (a) under this 
section. The Secretary shall provide such assistance to a facility 
under a contract between the Secretary and the facility.
    ``(2) The Secretary may provide assistance under paragraph (1)--
            ``(A) only for use solely in the furnishing of appropriate 
        care and services under this section; and
            ``(B) only if, under such contract, the Secretary receives 
        reimbursement for the full cost of such assistance, including 
        the cost of services and supplies and normal depreciation and 
        amortization of equipment.
    ``(3) Reimbursement under paragraph (2)(B) may be made by reduction 
in the charges to the United States or by payment to the United States.
    ``(4) Any funds received through reimbursement under paragraph (3) 
shall be credited to funds allotted to the Department facility that 
provided the assistance.
    ``(d) The Secretary may not provide care and treatment and 
rehabilitative services under this section after September 30, 1998.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
1720D the following new item:

``1720E. Community-based residential care for homeless mentally ill and 
                            other veterans.''.
    (c) Repeal of Superseded Authority.--Section 115 of the Veterans' 
Benefits and Services Act of 1988 (38 U.S.C. 1712 note) is repealed.

SEC. 5. REPORTS ON ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO 
              ASSIST HOMELESS VETERANS.

    (a) Annual Report.--(1) Not later than February 1 of each year, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on 
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
report on the activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs during 
the year preceding the report under programs of the Department for the 
provision of assistance to homeless veterans.
    (2) The report shall--
            (A) set forth the number of homeless veterans provided 
        assistance under such programs;
            (B) describe the cost to the Department of providing such 
        assistance under such programs; and
            (C) provide any other information on such programs and on 
        the provision of such assistance that the Secretary considers 
        appropriate.
    (b) Bi-Annual Requirement.--The Secretary shall include in the 
report submitted under subsection (a)(1) in 1995, and every 2 years 
thereafter, an evaluation of the effectiveness of the programs of the 
Department in providing assistance to homeless veterans.

SEC. 6. REPORT ON ASSESSMENT AND PLANS FOR RESPONSE TO NEEDS OF 
              HOMELESS VETERANS.

    (a) Update on Assessment.--Subsection (b) of section 107 of the 
Veterans' Medical Programs Amendments of 1992 (Public Law 102-405; 106 
Stat. 1977; 38 U.S.C. 527 note) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
    ``(6) The Secretary shall require that the directors referred to in 
paragraph (1) update the assessment required under that paragraph in 
each of 1995, 1996, and 1997.''.
    (b) Reports on Assessments and Plan.--Subsection (i) of such 
section 107 (106 Stat. 1978) is amended--
            (1) by striking out ``Report.--'' and inserting in lieu 
        thereof ``Reports.--(1)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(2) Not later than December 31, 1994, the Secretary shall submit 
to such committees a report that--
            ``(A) describes the results of the assessment carried out 
        under subsection (b);
            ``(B) sets forth the lists developed under paragraph (1) of 
        subsection (c); and
            ``(C) describes the progress, if any, made by the directors 
        of the medical centers and the directors of the benefits 
        offices referred to in such subsection (c) in developing the 
        plan referred to in paragraph (2) of such subsection (c).
    ``(3) Not later than December 31 of each of 1995, 1996, and 1997, 
the Secretary shall submit to such committees a report that describes 
the update to the assessment that is carried out under subsection 
(b)(6) in the year preceding the report.''.

SEC. 7. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND 
              COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION PARTNERSHIPS TO ASSIST 
              HOMELESS VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out 
a demonstration program under which the Secretary shall enter into 
partnerships with community-based homeless service organizations 
described in subsection (b) in order to provide services and assistance 
to homeless veterans in conjunction with such organizations. The 
Secretary shall carry out the program in accordance with this section.
    (b) Community-Based Organizations.--The organizations with which 
the Secretary enters into partnerships under subsection (a) shall be 
organizations that--
            (1) encourage the assumption of personal responsibility by 
        homeless veterans who receive services and assistance from the 
        organization;
            (2) provide transitional housing to such veterans;
            (3) provide employment training or employment placement 
        assistance to such veterans;
            (4) may collect from such veterans rent derived from 
        employment-related income of such veterans; and
            (5) in the case of organizations that collect rent from 
        such veterans, utilize rent amounts collected to cover the 
        expenses of the organizations in providing services and 
        assistance to such veterans.
    (c) Provision of Services and Assistance.--(1) The Secretary shall 
carry out the demonstration program authorized under subsection (a) at 
not more than five locations designated for that purpose by the 
Secretary. The Secretary shall designate such locations in various 
geographic areas.
    (2) With respect to each location designated under paragraph (1), 
the Secretary shall enter into an agreement with a community-based 
service organization referred to in subsection (b) in order to provide 
services and assistance to homeless veterans.
    (3) The Secretary shall ensure under an agreement entered into 
under paragraph (1) that appropriate personnel of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs provide individual and group counseling, substance 
abuse counseling, employment counseling, basic medical care, and 
referrals to other Department health care and benefits programs to 
homeless veterans at the location covered by the agreement.
    (d) Review of Program.--The Secretary shall enter into an agreement 
with an appropriate non-Federal entity under which agreement the entity 
shall carry out a study of program carried out under this section. The 
Secretary shall ensure that, in carrying out the study, the entity 
shall--
            (1) determine whether assistance and services are provided 
        to homeless veterans under the program in a cost-effective 
        manner;
            (2) compare the assistance and services available under the 
        program with the assistance and services provided to homeless 
        individuals under other programs that are similar to the 
        program; and
            (3) make any recommendations that the entity considers 
        appropriate for the improvement and expansion of the program or 
        any agreement entered into under subsection (c).
    (e) Report.--Not later than September 30, 1996, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the 
House of Representatives a report on the results of the study carried 
out under subsection (d).

SEC. 8. REVISIONS TO HOMELESS VETERANS COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE PROGRAMS 
              ACT OF 1992.

    (a) Increase in Number of Demonstration Programs.--Section 2(b) of 
the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 (38 
U.S.C. 7721 note) is amended in the first sentence by striking out 
``four'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``12''.
    (b) Removal of Funding Limitation.--Section 12 of such Act (38 
U.S.C. 7721 note) is amended by striking out the second sentence.

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