H. R. 4986—489 
(2) DESCRIPTION.—The Registry shall include the following 
information: 
(A) A list containing the name of each individual who 
served as a member of the Armed Forces in Operation 
Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom who 
exhibits symptoms associated with traumatic brain injury, 
as determined by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and 
who— 
(i) applies for care and services furnished by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs under chapter 17 of 
title 38, United States Code; or 
(ii) files a claim for compensation under chapter 
11 of such title on the basis of any disability which 
may be associated with such service. 
(B) Any relevant medical data relating to the health 
status of an individual described in subparagraph (A) and 
any other information the Secretary considers relevant and 
appropriate with respect to such an individual if the indi-
vidual— 
(i) grants permission to the Secretary to include 
such information in the Registry; or 
(ii) is deceased at the time such individual is listed 
in the Registry. 
(3) NOTIFICATION.—When possible, the Secretary shall 
notify each individual listed in the Registry of significant 
developments in research on the health consequences of mili-
tary service in the Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation 
Iraqi Freedom theaters of operations. 
SEC. 1705. PILOT PROGRAM ON ASSISTED LIVING SERVICES FOR VET-
ERANS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM.—Beginning not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs, in collaboration with the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury 
Center of the Department of Defense, shall carry out a five-year 
pilot program to assess the effectiveness of providing assisted living 
services to eligible veterans to enhance the rehabilitation, quality 
of life, and community integration of such veterans. 
(b) PROGRAM LOCATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The pilot program shall be carried out 
at locations selected by the Secretary for purposes of the pilot 
program. Of the locations so selected— 
(A) at least one location shall be in each health care 
region of the Veterans Health Administration of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs that contains a polytrauma 
center of the Department of Veterans Affairs; and 
(B) any location other than a location described in 
subparagraph (A) shall be in an area that contains a high 
concentration of veterans with traumatic brain injuries, 
as determined by the Secretary. 
(2) SPECIAL
CONSIDERATION
FOR
VETERANS
IN
RURAL 
AREAS.—The Secretary shall give special consideration to pro-
viding veterans in rural areas with an opportunity to partici-
pate in the pilot program. 
(c) PROVISION OF ASSISTED LIVING SERVICES.— 
(1) AGREEMENTS.—In carrying out the pilot program, the 
Secretary may enter into agreements for the provision of
H. R. 4986—490 
assisted living services on behalf of eligible veterans with a 
provider participating under a State plan or waiver under 
title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.). 
(2) STANDARDS.—The Secretary may not place, transfer, 
or admit a veteran to any facility for assisted living services 
under the pilot program unless the Secretary determines that 
the facility meets such standards as the Secretary may pre-
scribe for purposes of the pilot program. Such standards shall, 
to the extent practicable, be consistent with the standards 
of Federal, State, and local agencies charged with the responsi-
bility of licensing or otherwise regulating or inspecting such 
facilities. 
(d) CONTINUATION OF CASE MANAGEMENT AND REHABILITATION 
SERVICES.—In carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary shall— 
(1) continue to provide each veteran who is receiving 
assisted living services under the pilot program with rehabilita-
tive services; and 
(2) designate employees of the Veterans Health Administra-
tion of the Department of Veterans Affairs to furnish case 
management services for veterans participating in the pilot 
program. 
(e) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the comple-
tion 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 paragraph (1) shall 
include the following: 
(A) A description of the pilot program. 
(B) An assessment of the utility of the activities under 
the pilot program in enhancing the rehabilitation, quality 
of life, and community reintegration of veterans with trau-
matic brain injury. 
(C) Such recommendations as the Secretary considers 
appropriate regarding the extension or expansion of the 
pilot program. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘assisted living services’’ means services of 
a facility in providing room, board, and personal care for and 
supervision of residents for their health, safety, and welfare. 
(2) The term ‘‘case management services’’ includes the 
coordination and facilitation of all services furnished to a vet-
eran by the Department of Veterans Affairs, either directly 
or through a contract, including assessment of needs, planning, 
referral (including referral for services to be furnished by the 
Department, either directly or through a contract, or by an 
entity other than the Department), monitoring, reassessment, 
and followup. 
(3) The term ‘‘eligible veteran’’ means a veteran who— 
(A) is enrolled in the patient enrollment system of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs under section 1705 
of title 38, United States Code; 
(B) has received hospital care or medical services pro-
vided by the Department of Veterans Affairs for a traumatic 
brain injury;
H. R. 4986—491 
(C) is unable to manage routine activities of daily 
living without supervision and assistance, as determined 
by the Secretary; and 
(D) could reasonably be expected to receive ongoing 
services after the end of the pilot program under this 
section under another program of the Federal Government 
or through other means, as determined by the Secretary. 
SEC. 1706. PROVISION OF AGE-APPROPRIATE NURSING HOME CARE. 
(a) FINDING.—Congress finds that young veterans who are 
injured or disabled through military service and require long-term 
care should have access to age-appropriate nursing home care. 
(b) REQUIREMENT
TO
PROVIDE
AGE-APPROPRIATE
NURSING 
HOME CARE.—Section 1710A of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new sub-
section (c): 
‘‘(c) The Secretary shall ensure that nursing home care provided 
under subsection (a) is provided in an age-appropriate manner.’’. 
SEC. 1707. EXTENSION OF PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY FOR HEALTH CARE 
FOR VETERANS OF COMBAT SERVICE DURING CERTAIN 
PERIODS OF HOSTILITIES AND WAR. 
Subparagraph (C) of section 1710(e)(3) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(C) in the case of care for a veteran described in paragraph 
(1)(D) who— 
‘‘(i) is discharged or released from the active military, 
naval, or air service after the date that is five years before 
the date of the enactment of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, after a period of 
five years beginning on the date of such discharge or 
release; or 
‘‘(ii) is so discharged or released more than five years 
before the date of the enactment of that Act and who 
did not enroll in the patient enrollment system under sec-
tion 1705 of this title before such date, after a period 
of three years beginning on the date of the enactment 
of that Act; and’’. 
SEC. 1708. SERVICE-CONNECTION AND ASSESSMENTS FOR MENTAL 
HEALTH CONDITIONS IN VETERANS. 
(a) PRESUMPTION OF SERVICE-CONNECTION FOR MENTAL ILL-
NESS IN PERSIAN GULF WAR VETERANS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1702 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘(a) PSYCHOSIS.—’’ before ‘‘For the 
purposes’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(b) MENTAL ILLNESS.—For purposes of this chapter, any vet-
eran of the Persian Gulf War who develops an active mental illness 
(other than psychosis) shall be deemed to have incurred such dis-
ability in the active military, naval, or air service if such veteran 
develops such disability— 
‘‘(1) within two years after discharge or release from the 
active military, naval, or air service; and
H. R. 4986—492 
‘‘(2) before the end of the two-year period beginning on 
the last day of the Persian Gulf War.’’. 
(2) HEADING AMENDMENT.—The heading of such section 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 1702. Presumptions: psychosis after service in World War 
II and following periods of war; mental illness 
after service in the Persian Gulf War’’. 
(3) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at the 
beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended by striking 
the item relating to section 1702 and inserting the following 
new item: 
‘‘1702. Presumptions: psychosis after service in World War II and following periods 
of war; mental illness following service in the Persian Gulf War.’’. 
(b) PROVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS FOR CERTAIN 
VETERANS.—Section 1712A(a) of such title is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)(B), by adding at the end the following 
new clause: 
‘‘(iii) Any veteran who served on active duty— 
‘‘(I) in a theater of combat operations (as determined 
by the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of 
Defense) during a period of war after the Persian Gulf 
War; or 
‘‘(II) in combat against a hostile force during a period 
of hostilities (as defined in paragraph (2)(B)) after 
November 11, 1998.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) Upon request of a veteran described in paragraph (1)(B)(iii), 
the Secretary shall provide the veteran a preliminary general 
mental health assessment as soon as practicable after receiving 
the request, but not later than 30 days after receiving the request.’’. 
SEC. 1709. MODIFICATION OF REQUIREMENTS FOR FURNISHING OUT-
PATIENT 
DENTAL 
SERVICES 
TO 
VETERANS 
WITH 
SERVICE-CONNECTED DENTAL CONDITIONS OR DISABIL-
ITIES. 
Section 1712(a)(1)(B)(iii) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘90 days after such discharge’’ and inserting 
‘‘180 days after such discharge’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘90 days from the date of such veteran’s 
subsequent discharge’’ and inserting ‘‘180 days from the date 
of such veteran’s subsequent discharge’’; and 
(3) by striking ‘‘90 days after the date of correction’’ and 
inserting ‘‘180 days after the date of correction’’. 
SEC. 1710. CLARIFICATION OF PURPOSE OF OUTREACH SERVICES PRO-
GRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) CLARIFICATION OF INCLUSION OF MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL 
GUARD
AND RESERVE
IN PROGRAM.—Subsection (a)(1) of section 
6301 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
‘‘, or from a reserve component,’’ after ‘‘active military, naval, or 
air service’’. 
(b) DEFINITION OF OUTREACH.—Subsection (b) of such section 
is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as paragraphs 
(2) and (3), respectively; and