S.Amdt. 3417

SA 3417. Mr. FLAKE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 524, to authorize the Attorney General to award
grants to address the national epidemics of prescription opioid abuse
and heroin use; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of title VII, add the following:

SEC. 705. COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES STUDY ON
VETERANS TREATMENT COURTS AND VETERANS JUSTICE
OUTREACH PROGRAM.

(a) Study and Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the
United States shall--
(1) complete a study on the effectiveness of Veterans
Treatment Courts and the Veterans Justice Outreach Program of
the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
(2) submit to Congress a report on the findings of the
Comptroller General with respect to the study completed under
paragraph (1).
(b) Elements.--As part of the study required by subsection
(a), the Comptroller General shall assess the following:
(1) The extent to which Veterans Treatment Courts--
(A) provide a benefit to veterans with a mental illness or
substance abuse problem; and
(B) provide timely access to services furnished by the
Veterans Health Administration.
(2) The number of Veterans Treatment Courts in operation.
(3) The number of Veterans Treatment Courts in the process
of being established.
(4) What is known about the effectiveness of Veterans
Treatment Courts and what data are reported to the Federal
Government about the use and performance of such courts.
(5) The number of veterans assigned to each Veterans
Justice Outreach Specialist that is assigned to a Veterans
Treatment Court.
(6) The method by which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
allocates the number and location of Veterans Justice
Outreach Specialists and whether such method adequately
ensures appropriate representation in Veterans Treatment
Courts.
(7) To what extent would having additional Veterans Justice
Outreach Specialists--
(A) provide veterans with better access to services
furnished by the Veterans Health Administration; and
(B) allow for the establishment of additional Veterans
Treatment Courts.
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