1237 
ordination with the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employ-
ment Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
‘‘(f) EVALUATION.— 
‘‘(1) PERIODIC REVIEW BY SECRETARY.—The 
Secretary shall periodically review the effectiveness 
of each plan developed under subsection (a). The 
Secretary shall refine each such plan as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate in light of such review. 
‘‘(2) REQUEST FOR REVIEW BY VETERANS.—In 
addition to the periodic review required by para-
graph (1), the Secretary shall conduct a review of 
the plan for an individual under paragraph (1) at 
the request of the individual, or in the case of an in-
dividual who is incapacitated, at the request of the 
guardian or designee of the individual. 
‘‘(g) STATE DESIGNATED PROTECTION AND ADVO-
CACY SYSTEM DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘State 
protection and advocacy system’ means a system estab-
lished in a State under subtitle C of the Developmental 
Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (42 
U.S.C. 15041 et seq.) to protect and advocate for the 
rights of persons with development disabilities.
1238 
‘‘§ 1710D. Traumatic brain injury: comprehensive 
program for long-term rehabilitation 
‘‘(a) COMPREHENSIVE
PROGRAM.—In developing 
plans for the rehabilitation and reintegration of individ-
uals with traumatic brain injury under section 1710C of 
this title, the Secretary shall develop and carry out a com-
prehensive program of long-term care for post-acute trau-
matic brain injury rehabilitation that includes residential, 
community, and home-based components utilizing inter-
disciplinary treatment teams. 
‘‘(b) LOCATION OF PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall 
carry out the program developed under subsection (a) in 
each Department polytrauma rehabilitation center des-
ignated by the Secretary. 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBILITY.—A veteran is eligible for care 
under the program developed under subsection (a) if the 
veteran is otherwise eligible to receive hospital care and 
medical services under section 1710 of this title and— 
‘‘(1) served on active duty in a theater of com-
bat operations (as determined by the Secretary in 
consultation with the Secretary of Defense) during a 
period of war after the Persian Gulf War, or in com-
bat against a hostile force during a period of hos-
tilities (as defined in section 1712A(a)(2)(B) of this 
title) after November 11, 1998;
1239 
‘‘(2) is diagnosed as suffering from moderate to 
severe traumatic brain injury; and 
‘‘(3) is unable to manage routine activities of 
daily living without supervision or assistance, as de-
termined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(d) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this section, and annually there-
after, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentatives a report containing the following information: 
‘‘(1) A description of the operation of the pro-
gram. 
‘‘(2) The number of veterans provided care 
under the program during the year preceding such 
report. 
‘‘(3) The cost of operating the program during 
the year preceding such report.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 1710B the following new 
items: 
‘‘1710C. Traumatic brain injury: plans for rehabilitation and reintegration into 
the community. 
‘‘1710D. Traumatic brain injury: comprehensive plan for long-term rehabilita-
tion.’’.
1240 
SEC. 1703. USE OF NON-DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS FACILITIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF 
REHABILITATION 
AND 
COMMUNITY 
RE-
INTEGRATION PLANS FOR TRAUMATIC BRAIN 
INJURY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 17 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after 
section 1710D, as added by section 1702, the following 
new section: 
‘‘§ 1710E. Traumatic brain injury: use of non-Depart-
ment facilities for rehabilitation 
‘‘(a) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary, 
in implementing and carrying out a plan developed under 
section 1710C of this title, may provide hospital care and 
medical services through cooperative agreements with ap-
propriate public or private entities that have established 
long-term neurobehavioral rehabilitation and recovery pro-
grams. 
‘‘(b) AUTHORITIES OF STATE PROTECTION AND AD-
VOCACY SYSTEMS.—Nothing in subtitle C of the Develop-
mental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 
2000 shall be construed as preventing a State protection 
and advocacy system (as defined in section 1710C(g) of 
this title) from exercising the authorities described in such 
subtitle with respect to individuals provided rehabilitative
1241 
treatment or services under section 1710C of this title in 
a non-Department facility.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 1710D, as added by sec-
tion 1702, the following new item: 
‘‘1710E. Traumatic brain injury: use of non-Departmental facilities for rehabili-
tation.’’. 
SEC. 1704. RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND CLINICAL CARE 
PROGRAM ON TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—To improve the provision of 
health care by the Department of Veterans Affairs to vet-
erans with traumatic brain injuries, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall— 
(1) conduct research, including— 
(A) research on the sequelae of mild to se-
vere forms of traumatic brain injury; 
(B) research on visually-related neuro-
logical conditions; 
(C) research on seizure disorders; 
(D) research on means of improving the 
diagnosis, rehabilitative treatment, and preven-
tion of such sequelae; 
(E) research to determine the most effec-
tive cognitive and physical therapies for such 
sequelae;
1247 
(1) continue to provide each veteran who is re-
ceiving assisted living services under the pilot pro-
gram with rehabilitative services; and 
(2) designate employees of the Veterans Health 
Administration of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs to furnish case management services for vet-
erans participating in the pilot program. 
(e) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after 
the completion of the pilot program, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the Senate and House of Representatives a report 
on the pilot program. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) A description of the pilot program. 
(B) An assessment of the utility of the ac-
tivities under the pilot program in enhancing 
the rehabilitation, quality of life, and commu-
nity reintegration of veterans with traumatic 
brain injury. 
(C) Such recommendations as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate regarding the ex-
tension or expansion of the pilot program. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: