H.R. 2898

Wounded Warrior Caregiver Assistance Act

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I

111th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2898

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 16, 2009

Mrs. Halvorson introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide support services for family caregivers of disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Wounded Warrior Caregiver Assistance Act.

2.

Support Services for Family Caregivers

(a)

In general

Chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

1786.

Support services for family caregivers

(a)

Training

The Secretary shall make available interactive training sessions for family caregivers and individuals who provide such caregivers support under this chapter or through the aging network (including respite care providers, nursing care providers, and counselors). Such training shall—

(1)

be made available both in person and on an Internet website;

(2)

incorporate telehealth technologies to the extent practicable; and

(3)

teach techniques, strategies, and skills for caring for a disabled veteran, including, at a minimum, effective methods of—

(A)

caring for a veteran—

(i)

with post-traumatic stress disorder or a traumatic brain injury; and

(ii)

who was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom; and

(B)

recording details regarding the health of the veteran.

(b)

Access to support services

The Secretary shall provide family caregivers with information concerning public, private, and non-profit agencies that offer support to such caregivers. In providing such information, the Secretary shall—

(1)

collaborate with the Assistant Secretary for Aging of the Department of Health and Human Services in order to provide family caregivers access to Aging and Disability Resource Centers under the Administration on Aging of the Department of Health and Human Services; and

(2)

contract with a private entity to provide family caregivers with an Internet-based service that contains—

(A)

a directory of services available at the county level;

(B)

message boards and other similar tools that provide family caregivers with the ability to interact with each other and disabled veterans for the purpose of fostering peer support and creating support networks; and

(C)

comprehensive information explaining health-related topics and issues relevant to the needs of disabled veterans and family caregivers.

(c)

Information and outreach

The Secretary shall conduct outreach to inform disabled veterans and the families of such veterans of the services under this section. Such outreach shall include the following:

(1)

Public service announcements.

(2)

Brochures and pamphlets.

(3)

Full use of Internet-based outreach methods, including—

(A)

participating on social networking websites;

(B)

methods designed specifically for rural families; and

(C)

establishing a web page on the Internet website of the Department that—

(i)

is dedicated to caregiver support; and

(ii)

contains interactive elements, including providing information based on the location of the person using the web page.

(d)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

The term aging network has the meaning given that term in section 102(5) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3002(5)).

(2)

The term caregiver services means noninstitutional extended care (as used in section 1701(6) of this title), including homemaker and home health aid services.

(3)

The term family caregiver means an individual who—

(A)

is a member of the family (including parents, spouses, children, siblings, step-family members, and extended family members) of a disabled veteran;

(B)

provides caregiver services to such veteran for such disability; and

(C)

may or may not reside with such veteran.

.

(b)

Clerical amendment

The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

1786. Support services for family caregivers.

.

3.

Counseling and mental health services for family caregivers

(a)

In general

Section 1782 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in the section heading, by striking immediate; and

(2)

in subsection (c)—

(A)

in paragraph (1), by striking ; or and inserting a semicolon;

(B)

by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and

(C)

by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph (2):

(2)

a family caregiver as defined in section 1786 of this title; or

.

(b)

Clerical amendment

The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 1782 and inserting the following new item:

1782. Counseling, training, and mental health services for family members.

.

4.

Respite care to assist family caregivers

Section 1720B of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a), by striking title. and inserting title or who receives care from a family caregiver as defined in section 1786 of this title.; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(d)

In furnishing respite care services under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that such services—

(1)

fulfill the needs of the veteran receiving care; and

(2)

are appropriate for the veteran (including by taking the age of the veteran into account when selecting the respite care provided to such veteran).

.