S.O.S. Veterans Caregivers Act
Bill: H.R.6596 | Sponsor: Rep. Ruiz, Raul (D-CA)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Support our Services to Veterans Caregivers Act or the S.O.S. Veterans Caregivers Act
This bill expands eligibility for assistance under the Department of Veterans Affairs Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. Specifically, the bill expands eligibility for such assistance to caregivers of veterans who have a serious illness that was incurred or aggravated during active military, naval, or air service. Under current law, such assistance is already provided to caregivers of veterans who sustained serious injuries in the course of their military, naval, or air service.
The bill also requires the provision of an annual multidimensional assessment to measure burdens felt by family caregivers who are designated as the primary providers of personal care services to such veterans.

To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify that caregivers for 
veterans with serious illnesses are eligible for assistance and support 
 services provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Support Our Services to Veterans 
Caregivers Act'' or the ``S.O.S. Veterans Caregivers Act''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO SERVICES PROVIDED TO CAREGIVERS OF VETERANS.

    (a) Caregivers of Veterans With Serious Illnesses.--Paragraph 
(2)(B) of section 1720G(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 
by inserting ``illness or'' after ``serious'' each place it appears.
    (b) Assessing Caregiver and Veteran Burden and Satisfaction.--
            (1) Survey.--Paragraph (3)(A)(ii) of such section is 
        amended--
                    (A) in subclause (V), by striking ``; and'' and 
                inserting a semicolon;
                    (B) in subclause (VI)(bb), by striking the period 
                at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subclause:
                    ``(VII) not less than annually, a multidimensional 
                assessment to measure, in both objective and subjective 
                terms, the burden and strain felt by the family 
                caregiver.''.
            (2) Reports.--Section 101(c)(2)(B) of the Caregivers and 
        Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-
        163; 38 U.S.C. 1720G note) is amended--
                    (A) in clause (ii), by striking ``; and'' and 
                inserting a semicolon;
                    (B) in clause (iii), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new clause:
                            ``(iv) a description of the satisfaction 
                        experienced by caregivers and veterans with 
                        respect to such program, including any findings 
                        regarding whether such program reduces the 
                        burden and strain felt by caregivers.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to services provided after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
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