‘‘(2) otherwise administering the program estab-
lished by this section. 
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2008 through 2012 to carry out this section.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 1708 the following new item: 
‘‘1709. Grants for provision of transportation to Department medical facilities for 
veterans in remote rural areas.’’. 
SEC. 4. PERMANENT TREATMENT AUTHORITY FOR PARTICI-
PANTS IN DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CHEM-
ICAL AND BIOLOGICAL TESTING CONDUCTED 
BY 
DESERET 
TEST 
CENTER 
(INCLUDING 
PROJECT 
SHIPBOARD 
HAZARD 
AND 
DE-
FENSE). 
Section 1710(e)(3) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘and’’ 
after the semicolon; 
(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 
and inserting a period; and 
(3) by striking subparagraph (D). 
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SEC. 5. EXTENSION OF EXPIRING COLLECTIONS AUTHORI-
TIES. 
(a) 
HEALTH
CARE
COPAYMENTS.—Section 
1710(f)(2)(B) is amended by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting 
‘‘2009’’. 
(b) 
MEDICAL
CARE
COST
RECOVERY.—Section 
1729(a)(2)(E) is amended by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting 
‘‘2009’’. 
SEC. 6. READJUSTMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES 
FOR COVERED VETERANS. 
(a) PROVISION OF READJUSTMENT COUNSELING AND 
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.—Subchapter II of chapter 17 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
after section 1712B the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1712C. Provision of readjustment counseling and 
mental health services for covered vet-
erans 
‘‘(a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary shall carry 
out a program to provide peer outreach services, peer sup-
port services, and readjustment and mental health services 
to covered veterans. 
‘‘(b) CONTRACTS WITH COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH 
CENTERS.—In carrying out the program required by sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall contract with community 
mental health centers and other qualified entities to provide 
the services referred to in that paragraph in areas the Sec-
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retary determines are not adequately served by health care 
facilities of the Department. Such contracts shall require 
each community health center or other entity— 
‘‘(1) to the extent practicable, to employ covered 
veterans trained under subsection (c); 
‘‘(2) to the extent practicable, to use telehealth 
services for the provision of such services; 
‘‘(3) to participate in the training program 
under subsection (d); 
‘‘(4) to comply with applicable protocols of the 
Department before incurring any liability on behalf 
of the Department for the provision of such the serv-
ices; 
‘‘(5) to submit annual reports to the Secretary 
containing, with respect to the program required by 
subsection (a) and for the last full calendar year end-
ing before the submission of such report— 
‘‘(A) the number of veterans served, veterans 
diagnosed, and courses of treatment provided to 
veterans as part of the program required by sub-
section (a); and 
‘‘(B) demographic information for such 
services, diagnoses, and courses of treatment; 
‘‘(6) to provide to the Secretary such clinical 
summary information as the Secretary may require 
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for each veteran for whom the center or entity pro-
vides mental health services under the contract; and 
‘‘(7) to meet such other requirements as the Sec-
retary may require. 
‘‘(c) TRAINING PROGRAM FOR VETERANS.—In car-
rying out the program required by subsection (a), the Sec-
retary shall contract with a nonprofit mental health organi-
zation to carry out a program to train covered veterans 
to provide peer outreach and peer support services. 
‘‘(d) TRAINING PROGRAM FOR CLINICIANS.—The Sec-
retary shall conduct a training program for clinicians of 
community mental health centers or other entities that have 
entered into contracts with the Secretary under subsection 
(b) to ensure that such clinicians are able to provide the 
services required by subsection (a) in a manner that— 
‘‘(1) recognizes factors that are unique to the ex-
perience of veterans who served on active duty in Op-
eration Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Free-
dom (including the combat and military training ex-
periences of such veterans); and 
‘‘(2) utilizes best practices and technologies. 
‘‘(e) COVERED VETERANS.—For the purposes of this 
subsection, a ‘covered veteran’ is a veteran who served on 
active duty in a theater of combat operations (as deter-
mined by the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary 
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of Defense) during a period of war after the Persian Gulf 
War, or in combat against a hostile force during a period 
of hostilities (as defined in section1712A(a)(2)(B) of this 
title) after November 11, 1998, and who is discharged or 
released from active military, naval, or air service on or 
after September 11, 2001’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 1712B the following new item: 
‘‘1712C. Provision of readjustment counseling and mental health services for cov-
ered veterans.’’. 
SEC. 7. EXPANSION AND EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR 
PROGRAM OF REFERRAL AND COUNSELING 
SERVICES 
FOR 
AT-RISK 
VETERANS 
TRANSITIONING 
FROM 
CERTAIN 
INSTITU-
TIONS. 
(a) PROGRAM AUTHORITY.—Subsection (a) of section 
2023 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking 
‘‘a demonstration program for the purpose of determining 
the costs and benefits of providing’’ and inserting ‘‘a pro-
gram to provide’’. 
(b) SCOPE OF PROGRAM.—Subsection (b) of such sec-
tion is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘DEMONSTRATION’’ in the sub-
section heading; 
(2) by striking ‘‘demonstration’’; and 
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(3) by striking ‘‘in at least six locations’’ and 
inserting ‘‘in at least 12 locations’’. 
(c) EXTENSION
OF AUTHORITY.—Subsection (d) of 
such section is amended by striking ‘‘shall cease’’ and all 
that follows and inserting ‘‘shall cease on September 30, 
2011.’’. 
(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) SCOPE OF PROGRAM.—Subsection (c)(1) of 
such section is amended by striking ‘‘demonstration’’. 
(2) SECTION HEADING.—The heading of such sec-
tion is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 2023. Referral and counseling services: veterans at 
risk 
of 
homelessness 
who 
are 
transitioning from certain institutions’’. 
(3) OTHER CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 
2022(f)(2)(C) of such title is amended by striking 
‘‘demonstration’’. 
(e) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of chapter 20 of such title is amended by 
striking the item relating to section 2023 and inserting the 
following new item: 
‘‘2023. Referral and counseling services: veterans at risk of homelessness who are 
transitioning from certain institutions.’’. 
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SEC. 8. PERMANENT AUTHORITY FOR DOMICILIARY SERV-
ICES FOR HOMELESS VETERANS AND EN-
HANCEMENT OF CAPACITY OF DOMICILIARY 
CARE PROGRAMS FOR FEMALE VETERANS. 
Subsection (b) of section 2043 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(b) ENHANCEMENT OF CAPACITY OF DOMICILIARY 
CARE PROGRAMS FOR FEMALE VETERANS.—The Secretary 
shall take appropriate actions to ensure that the domi-
ciliary care programs of the Department are adequate, with 
respect to capacity and safety, to meet the needs of veterans 
who are women.’’. 
SEC. 9. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR SUPPORTIVE SERV-
ICES FOR VERY LOW-INCOME VETERAN FAMI-
LIES IN PERMANENT HOUSING. 
(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to facili-
tate the provision of supportive services for very low-income 
veteran families in permanent housing. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter V of chapter 20 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2044. Financial assistance for supportive services 
for very low-income veteran families resid-
ing in permanent housing 
‘‘(a) DISTRIBUTION OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.— 
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‘‘(1) The Secretary shall provide financial assist-
ance to eligible entities approved under this section to 
provide and coordinate the provision of the supportive 
services for very low-income veteran families residing 
in permanent housing. 
‘‘(2)(A) Financial assistance under this section 
shall consist of payments for each such family for 
which an approved eligible entity provides or coordi-
nates the provision of supportive services. 
‘‘(B) The Secretary shall establish a formula for 
determining the rate of payments provided to a very 
low-income veteran family receiving supportive serv-
ices under this section. The rate shall be adjusted not 
less than once annually to reflect changes in the cost 
of living. In calculating the payment formula under 
this subparagraph, the Secretary may consider geo-
graphic cost of living variances, family size, and the 
cost of services provided. 
‘‘(3) In providing financial assistance under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to 
an entity that provides or coordinates the provision 
of supportive services for very low-income veteran 
families who are transitioning from homelessness to 
permanent housing. 
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‘‘(4) The Secretary shall ensure that, to the ex-
tent practicable, financial assistance under this sub-
section is equitably distributed across geographic re-
gions, including rural communities and tribal lands. 
‘‘(5) Each entity receiving financial assistance 
under this section to provide supportive services to a 
very low-income veteran family shall notify the fam-
ily that such services are being paid for, in whole or 
in part, by the Department. 
‘‘(6) The Secretary may require an entity receiv-
ing financial assistance under this section to submit 
a report to the Secretary describing the supportive 
services provided with such financial assistance. 
‘‘(b) APPLICATION FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.— 
‘‘(1) An eligible entity seeking financial assist-
ance under subsection (a) shall submit to the Sec-
retary an application in such form, in such manner, 
and containing such commitments and information 
as the Secretary determines to be necessary. 
‘‘(2) An application submitted under paragraph 
(1) shall contain— 
‘‘(A) a description of the supportive services 
proposed to be provided by the eligible entity; 
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‘‘(B) a description of the types of very low- 
income veteran families proposed to be provided 
such services; 
‘‘(C) an estimate of the number of very low- 
income veteran families proposed to be provided 
such services; 
‘‘(D) evidence of the experience of the eligi-
ble entity in providing supportive services to 
very low-income veteran families; and 
‘‘(E) a description of the managerial capac-
ity of the eligible entity to— 
‘‘(i) coordinate the provision of sup-
portive services with the provision of per-
manent housing, by the eligible entity or by 
other organizations; 
‘‘(ii) continuously assess the needs of 
very low-income veteran families for sup-
portive services; 
‘‘(iii) coordinate the provision of sup-
portive services with the services of the De-
partment; 
‘‘(iv) tailor supportive services to the 
needs of very low-income veteran families; 
and 
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‘‘(v) continuously seek new sources of 
assistance to ensure the long-term provision 
of supportive services to very low-income 
veteran families. 
‘‘(3) The Secretary shall establish criteria for the 
selection of eligible entities to receive financial assist-
ance under this section. 
‘‘(c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 
‘‘(1) The Secretary shall provide training and 
technical assistance to eligible entities that receive fi-
nancial assistance under this section with respect to 
the planning, development, and provision of sup-
portive services to very low-income veteran families 
occupying permanent housing. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary may provide the training de-
scribed in paragraph (1) directly or through grants or 
contracts with appropriate public or nonprofit pri-
vate entities. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated, for each fiscal year, 
$25,000,000, to carry out this section, of which not more 
than $750,000 for each fiscal year may be used to provide 
technical assistance under subsection (c). 
‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this section: 
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‘‘(1) The term ‘very low-income veteran family’ 
means a veteran family whose income does not exceed 
50 percent of the median income for the area, as de-
termined by the Secretary in accordance with this 
paragraph, except that— 
‘‘(A) the Secretary shall make appropriate 
adjustments to the income requirement under 
subparagraph (A) based on family size; and 
‘‘(B) the Secretary may establish an income 
ceiling higher or lower than 50 percent of the 
median income for an area if the Secretary de-
termines that such variations are necessary be-
cause the area has unusually high or low con-
struction costs, fair market rents (as determined 
under section 8 of the United States Housing Act 
of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f)), or family incomes. 
‘‘(C) the Secretary shall establish criteria 
for determining the need for specific supportive 
services (as defined by paragraph (8)) of indi-
vidual very low income veteran families occu-
pying permanent housing. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘veteran family’ includes a veteran 
who is a single person and a family in which the 
head of household or the spouse of the head of house-
hold is a veteran. 
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‘‘(3) The term ‘consumer cooperative’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 202 of the Hous-
ing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q). 
‘‘(4) The term ‘eligible entity’ means— 
‘‘(A) a private nonprofit organization; or 
‘‘(B) a consumer cooperative. 
‘‘(5) The term ‘homeless’ has the meaning given 
the term in section 103 of the McKinney-Vento Home-
less Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11302). 
‘‘(6) The term ‘permanent housing’ means com-
munity-based housing without a designated length of 
stay. 
‘‘(7) The term ‘private nonprofit organization’ 
means— 
‘‘(A) any incorporated private institution 
or foundation— 
‘‘(i) no part of the net earnings of 
which inures to the benefit of any member, 
founder, contributor, or individual; 
‘‘(ii) which has a governing board that 
is responsible for the operation of the sup-
portive services provided under this section; 
and 
‘‘(iii) which is approved by the Sec-
retary as to financial responsibility; 
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