selected under subsection (c) in which such individual 
agrees to serve a period of obligated service for the Vet-
erans Health Administration in the field of psychiatric 
medicine, as determined by the Secretary. 
(e) LOAN REPAYMENTS.— 
(1) AMOUNTS.—Subject to paragraph (2), a 
loan repayment under this section may consist of 
payment of the principal, interest, and related ex-
penses of a loan obtained by an individual who is 
participating in the pilot program for all educational 
expenses (including tuition, fees, books, and labora-
tory expenses) of such individual relating to edu-
cation described in subsection (a)(1). 
(2) LIMIT.—For each year of obligated service 
that an individual who is participating in the pilot 
program agrees to serve under subsection (d), the 
Secretary may pay not more than $60,000 in loan 
repayment on behalf of such individual. 
(f) BREACH.— 
(1) LIABILITY.—An individual who participates 
in the pilot program and fails to satisfy the period 
of obligated service under subsection (d) shall be lia-
ble to the United States, in lieu of such obligated 
service, for the amount that has been paid or is pay-
able to or on behalf of the individual under the pilot 
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program, reduced by the proportion that the number 
of days served for completion of the period of obli-
gated service bears to the total number of days in 
the period of obligated service of such individual. 
(2) REPAYMENT PERIOD.—Any amount of dam-
ages that the United States is entitled to recover 
under this subsection shall be paid to the United 
States not later than one year after the date of the 
breach of the agreement. 
(g) REPORT.— 
(1) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than two years 
after the date on which the pilot program under sub-
section (a) commences, the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate 
and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
House of Representatives a report on the pilot pro-
gram. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) The number of individuals who partici-
pated in the pilot program. 
(B) The locations in which such individuals 
were employed by the Department, including 
how many such locations were rural or urban 
locations. 
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(C) An assessment of the quality of the 
work performed by such individuals in the 
course of such employment. 
(D) The number of psychiatrists the Sec-
retary determines is needed by the Department 
in the future. 
(3) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date on which the pilot program terminates 
under subsection (i), the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate 
and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
House of Representatives an update to the report 
submitted under paragraph (1). 
(h) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall prescribe 
regulations to carry out this section, including standards 
for qualified loans and authorized payees and other terms 
and conditions for the making of loan repayments. 
(i) TERMINATION.—The authority to carry out the 
pilot program shall expire on the date that is three years 
after the date on which the Secretary commences the pilot 
program. 
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SEC. 
7. 
PUBLIC-PRIVATE 
CONTRIBUTIONS 
FOR 
ADDI-
TIONAL 
EDUCATIONAL 
ASSISTANCE 
FOR 
GRADUATE DEGREES RELATING TO MENTAL 
HEALTH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3317 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(f) GRADUATE DEGREE IN MENTAL HEALTH.—(1) 
As part of the Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhance-
ment Program carried out under this section, the Sec-
retary shall carry out a program under which the Sec-
retary and a college or university that enters into an 
agreement described in subsection (a) may make contribu-
tions pursuant to this subsection with respect to the full 
cost of established charges of a veteran described in para-
graph (2). 
‘‘(2) A veteran described in this paragraph is a vet-
eran who— 
‘‘(A) is eligible for the program under sub-
section (a); 
‘‘(B) holds a bachelor’s degree; 
‘‘(C) is pursuing an advanced degree in mental 
health at an institution of higher learning that par-
ticipates in the program under subsection (a); and 
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‘‘(D) is pursuing such a degree with the inten-
tion of seeking employment as a mental health pro-
fessional in the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
‘‘(3) In determining the intention of a veteran under 
paragraph (2)(D), the Secretary may not require the vet-
eran to enter into any binding agreement with respect to 
such intention. 
‘‘(4) In determining the amount of matching con-
tributions pursuant to subsection (d)(1) for assistance 
provided under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) substitute ‘66 percent’ for ‘up to 50 per-
cent’; and 
‘‘(B) substitute ‘34 percent’ for ‘an equal per-
centage’. 
‘‘(5) In accordance with section 7406 of this title, the 
Secretary may establish residencies and internships at 
medical facilities of the Department for veterans partici-
pating in the program under subsection (a). 
‘‘(6) If the Secretary employs a veteran who partici-
pates in the program under subsection (a) as a mental 
health professional following such participation, to the 
maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure 
that— 
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‘‘(A) the veteran is employed in a rural area or 
an area that the Secretary determines is in greatest 
need of mental health professionals; and 
‘‘(B) the veteran is employed in a position that 
directly relates to the treatment of veterans rather 
than a research position. 
‘‘(7) In this subsection, the term ‘advanced degree 
in mental health’ means a master’s degree, doctoral de-
gree, or other graduate or professional degree that the 
Secretary determines would lead an individual to be em-
ployed as any of the following positions: 
‘‘(A) Psychiatrist. 
‘‘(B) Psychologist. 
‘‘(C) Mental health nurse. 
‘‘(D) Nurse assistant. 
‘‘(E) Physician assistant. 
‘‘(F) Pharmacist. 
‘‘(G) Social worker. 
‘‘(H) Licensed professional mental health coun-
selor. 
‘‘(I) Licensed marriage and family therapist. 
‘‘(J) Addiction therapist. 
‘‘(K) Occupational therapist. 
‘‘(L) Recreational therapist. 
‘‘(M) Vocational rehabilitation therapist. 
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