S. 2607Senate113th Congress (2013-2015)In Committee

Assisted Living Pilot Program for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury Extension Act

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2 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

July 15, 2014

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

July 15, 2014

SenateIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4504)

July 15, 2014

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

July 15, 2014

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about S. 2607 on the floor

1 Republican1 Democrat

Sen. Cory A. BookerD-NJ · Jul 15, 2014

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce with my colleague Senator Dean Heller, legislation that would extend a critical and innovative program for our nation's veterans. Senator Heller and I urge…

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce with my colleague Senator Dean Heller, legislation that would extend a critical and innovative program for our nation's veterans. Senator Heller and I urge our colleagues to consider The Assisted Living Program for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury Extension, AL-TBI, Act which authorizes the continuation of a Veterans Health Administration program that provides intensive care and rehabilitation to veterans with severe brain injuries.

Thanks to this program, veterans with traumatic brain injuries more quickly re-adjust to their day-to-day lives--from making dinner for others, to fixing a faucet, to doing yard work. AL-TBI consists of privately run group homes around the country where veterans are immersed in therapies for movement, memory, speech, and gradual community reintegration. Veterans in these homes benefit from 24-hour team-based care. There are about twenty of these homes in New Jersey that have yielded impressive results. Nationally, several dozen veterans have been rehabilitated from severe injuries that are notoriously difficult to treat.

This program is working to help a generation of veterans with traumatic brain injuries and so many older veterans that have been suffering for decades. Since 2001, more than 265,000 U.S. troops suffered traumatic brain injuries, according to the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center. While most were mild concussions, over 26,000 men and women veterans suffered from moderate or severe head wounds. Advances in medicine keep alive soldiers with head wounds that might have killed them in previous conflicts. However, the ability to cure these injuries has not kept pace. Innovative, effective programs must be supported by Congress in order to give our veterans the care they need and deserve.

But unfortunately, as the program nears the end of its 5-year authorization, veterans across the country are being told that they need to prepare to move out of the facilities in September. I have heard from a veteran in New Jersey, who was told he will need to be out of the program on September 15 and worries he will be out on the street. He has made tremendous gains with the AL-TBI program. He has rekindled his relationship with his son. He is able to do basic math again. But, he has a lot more to do to get his independence back. We cannot leave him and other veterans like him out in the cold.

The VA offers no alternative program that replicates the comprehensiveness of the rehabilitative care, the benefit of providing care in a residential setting, and the positive impact on veterans of sustained, longer-term care.

This is a proven program that does not require new funds, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to join Senator Heller and myself in supporting this critical piece of legislation for our Nation's veterans.

Sen. Cory A. BookerD-NJ · Jul 15, 2014

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce with my colleague Senator Dean Heller, legislation that would extend a critical and innovative program for our nation's veterans. Senator Heller and I urge…

Sen. John CornynR-TX · Jul 15, 2014

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

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Introduced in SenateIssued July 15, 2014

113th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 2607

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 15, 2014

Mr. Booker (for himself and Mr. Heller) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

To extend and modify the pilot program of the Department of Veterans Affairs on assisted living services for veterans with traumatic brain injury, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Assisted Living Pilot Program for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury Extension Act.

Findings

Congress finds the following:

(1)

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a generation of veterans with traumatic brain injuries.

(2)

Since 2001, more than 265,000 members of the Armed Forces have suffered traumatic brain injuries.

(3)

Since 2001, more than 26,000 members of the Armed Forces have suffered moderate or severe head wounds.

(4)

Advances in medicine have kept members of the Armed Forces alive who have suffered head wounds that might have killed them in previous conflicts.

(5)

The pilot program of the Department of Veterans Affairs to assess the effectiveness of providing assisted living services to eligible veterans to enhance the rehabilitation, quality of life, and community integration of such veterans required by section 1705(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110–181; 38 U.S.C. 1710C note) has provided to veterans who have moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries, often coupled with other significant physical and psychological challenges, a level of comprehensive, coordinated care in residential facilities across the United States since 2008.

(6)

The model of care practiced under the pilot program specified in paragraph (5) has yielded impressive results and helped rehabilitate dozens of veterans from severe injuries that are notoriously difficult to treat.

(7)

The Department of Veterans Affairs does not offer to veterans any alternatives to the pilot program specified in paragraph (5) that replicate—

(A)

the comprehensiveness of the rehabilitative care provided under such program;

(B)

the benefit of providing care under such program in a residential setting; and

(C)

the significant positive impact on veterans of the sustained, longer-term care provided under such program.

Extension and modification of pilot program on assisted living services for veterans with traumatic brain injury

(a)

Extension of program

Subsection (a) of section 1705 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110–181; 38 U.S.C. 1710C note) is amended by striking a five-year and inserting an eight-year.

(b)

Modification of locations

Subsection (b) of such section is amended—

(1)

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

(2)

by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following new paragraphs:

(1)

In general

The pilot program shall be carried out at locations selected by the Secretary for purposes of the pilot program.

(2)

Located in same region as polytrauma centers

Of the locations selected under paragraph (1), at least one location shall be in each health care region of the Veterans Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs that contains a polytrauma center of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(c)

Modification of report requirements

Subsection (e) of such section is amended to read as follows:

(e)

Reports

(1)

Annual report

(A)

In general

Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of the Assisted Living Pilot Program for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury Extension Act, and not later than September 30 each year thereafter until 2018, 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 program.

(B)

Elements

Each report submitted under subparagraph (A) shall include the following:

(i)

The number of individuals that participated in the pilot program during the year preceding the submission of the report.

(ii)

The number of individuals that successfully completed the pilot program during the year preceding the submission of the report.

(iii)

The degree to which pilot program participants and family members of pilot program participants were satisfied with the pilot program.

(iv)

The interim findings and conclusions of the Secretary with respect to the success of the pilot program and recommendations for improvement.

(2)

Final report

(A)

In general

Not later than 60 days after the completion of the pilot program, 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 final report on the pilot program.

(B)

Elements

The final report required by subparagraph (A) shall include the following:

(i)

A description of the pilot program.

(ii)

An assessment of the utility of the activities under the pilot program in enhancing the rehabilitation, quality of life, and community reintegration of veterans with traumatic brain injury, including complex mild traumatic brain injury.

(iii)

Such recommendations as the Secretary considers appropriate regarding improving the pilot program.

(d)

Modification of definitions

(1)

Community-based brain injury residential rehabilitative care services

Such section is further amended—

(A)

in the section heading, by striking assisted living and inserting community-based brain injury residential rehabilitative care;

(B)

in subsection (c), in the subsection heading, by striking assisted living and inserting community-Based brain injury residential rehabilitative care;

(C)

by striking assisted living each place it appears, and inserting community-based brain injury rehabilitative care; and

(D)

in subsection (f)(1), by striking and personal care and inserting rehabilitation, and personal care.

(2)

Eligible veteran

Subsection (f)(3) of such section is amended—

(A)

in subparagraph (C), by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon;

(B)

in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(E)

has a traumatic brain injury that is classified as complex-mild to severe.

(e)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2015 $46,000,000 to carry out the pilot program under section 1705 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110–181; 38 U.S.C. 1710C note), as amended by this section. The amount so authorized to be appropriated shall be available for obligation for the three-year period beginning on the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(f)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall take effect on October 1, 2014.