S.Amdt. 2136

1. Adds SEC. 703. TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR FAMILY CAREGIVER PERSONAL CARE ATTENDANTS FOR VETERANS AND MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY at the end of title VII

   Adds a section

   Inserted: SEC. 703. TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR FAMILY CAREGIVER PERSONAL CARE ATTENDANTS FOR VETERANS AND MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY.

   Inserted: (a) Program on Training and Certification of Family Caregiver Personal Care Attendants.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a program on training and certification of family caregivers of veterans and members of the Armed Forces with traumatic brain injury as personal care attendants of such veterans and members.

   Inserted: (b) Location.--The program required by subsection (a) shall be located in each of the polytrauma centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs designated as a Tier I polytrauma center.

   Inserted: (c) Training Curricula.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, in collaboration with the Secretary of Defense, develop curricula for the training of personal care attendants described in subsection (a). Such curricula shall incorporate applicable standards and protocols utilized by certification programs of national brain injury care specialist organizations.

   Inserted: (2) Use of existing curricula.--In developing the curricula required by paragraph (1), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, to the extent practicable, utilize and expand upon training curricula developed pursuant to section 744(b) of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (Public Law 109-364; 120 Stat. 2308).

   Inserted: (d) Program Participation.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall determine the eligibility of a family member of a veteran or member of the Armed Forces for participation in the program required by subsection (a).

   Inserted: (2) Basis for determination.--A determination made under paragraph (1) shall be based on the clinical needs of the veteran or member of the Armed Forces concerned, as determined by the physician of such veteran or member.

   Inserted: (e) Eligibility for Compensation.--A family caregiver of a veteran or member of the Armed Forces who receives certification as a personal care attendant under this section shall be eligible for compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for care provided to such veteran or member.

   Inserted: (f) Costs of Training.--

   Inserted: (1) Training of families of veterans.--Any costs of training provided under the program under this section for family members of veterans shall be borne by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

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   Inserted: (2) Training of families of members of the armed forces.--The Secretary of Defense shall reimburse the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for any costs of training provided under the program under this section for family members of members of the Armed Forces. Amounts for such reimbursement shall be derived from amounts available for Defense Health Program for the TRICARE program.

   Inserted: (g) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to require or permit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to deny reimbursement for health care services provided to a veteran with a brain injury to a personal care attendant who is not a family member of such veteran.

   Original wording

   At the end of title VII, add the following:

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As printed