,i  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #cdii  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,novemb] #ad1         
#bjac,mrs4 ,kirkpatrick 7= h]self1 ,mr4 
,de,fazio1 ,mr4 ,h9ojosa1 ,ms4 ,br[nley 
( ,cali=nia1 ,mr4 ,b>b]1 ,mrs4          
,napolitano1 ,mr4 ,grijalva1 ,mrs4      
,*ri/5s51 ,ms4 ,s9ema1 ,mr4 ,mi*aud1    
,mr4 ,rahall1 ,mr4 ,l[5?al1 ,ms4 ,ku/]1 
,mrs4 ,davis ( ,cali=nia1 ,ms4          
,%ea-,port]1 ,mr4 ,honda1 ,mr4 ,eny>t1 &
 ,mr4 ,mc,nerney7 introduc$ ! foll[+    
bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on   
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
provide = advance appropriations = c]ta9
 in=mation te*nology acc\nts ( !        
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 to       
include m5tal heal? pr(essionals 9 tra9+
 programs ( ! ,dep>tm5t1 & = o!r        
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,rural ,vet]ans ,m5tal     
,heal? ,c>e ,improvem5t ,act4  #b4      
,advance appropriations = acc\nts =     
heal?-relat$ in=mation te*nology = !    
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  7a7      

,advance appropriations = in=mation     
te*nology acc\nts ,section #aag7;c7 (   
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$
 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+3  7#d7       
,acc\nts1 includ+ subacc\nts ( !        
,acc\nts ref]r$ to 9 p>agraphs 7#a7     
?r\gh 7#c71 provid+ funds = in=mation   
te*nology4  4  7b7 ,effective date ,!   
am5dm5t made by subsection 7a7 %all take
 effect on ,octob] #a1 #bjad1 & %all    
apply ) respect to fiscal ye>s beg9n+ on
 or aft] t date4  #c4 ,inclusion ( m5tal
 heal? pr(essionals 9 ! education &     
tra9+ program = heal? p]sonnel ( !      
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  7a7 ,9   
g5]al ,9 c>ry+ out ! education & tra9+  
program requir$ "u section #gcjb7;a77#a7
 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 !    
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all      
include education & tra9+ ( m>riage &   
family !rapi/s & lic5s$ pr(essional     
m5tal heal? c\nselors4  7b7 ,fund+ ,!   
,secret>y %all apportion fund+ = !      
education & tra9+ program equally among 
! pr(essions includ$ 9 ! program4  #d4  

,provision ( m5tal heal? s]vices =      
families ( c]ta9 vet]ans at facilities (
 ! ,dep>tm5t  7a7 ,provision ( m5tal    
heal? s]vices at ,dep>tm5t facilities   
,subsection 7e7 ( section #cjd ( !      
,c>egiv]s & ,vet]ans ,omnibus ,heal?    
,s]vices ,act ( #bjaj 7#ch ,u4,s4,c4    
#agab;,a note2 ,public ,law #aaa-afc7 is
 am5d$-- 7#a7 by /rik+ pe] outrea* & pe]
 support s]vices & ins]t+ s]vices2 &    
7#b7 by /rik+ ,! ,secret>y %all c>ry out
 ! s]vices & ins]t+ 8,! ,secret>y %all  
c>ry out--  7#a7 ! s]vices  2  7#c7 by  
/rik+ ! p]iod at ! end & ins]t+ 2 &2 &  
7#d7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new      
p>agraph3  7#b7 ! m5tal heal? s]vices   
requir$ by subsection 7a77#b7 at or     
?r\gh ,dep>tm5t m$ical c5t]s4  4  7b7   
,def9ition ( m5tal heal? s]vices ,su*   
section is fur!r am5d$ by /rik+         
subsection 7f7 & ins]t+ ! foll[+3  7f7  
,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,m5tal 
heal? s]vices ,! t]m m5tal heal? s]vices
 includes outpati5t m5tal heal?c>e      
ref]r$ to 9 section #ag4ch7;a77#a77;i7 (

 title #ch1 ,code ( ,f$]al ,regulations 
7z 9 effect on ! day be=e ! date (      
enactm5t ( ?is ,act74  7#b7 ,vet c5t] ,!
 t]m vet c5t] means a c5t] = readju/m5t 
c\nsel+ & relat$ m5tal heal? s]vices =  
vet]ans "u section #agab;,a ( title #ch1
 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  4  #e4 ,report on
 provision ( telem$ic9e s]vices  7a7 ,9 
g5]al ,n lat] ?an #abj days aft] ! date 
( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y (  
,vet]ans ,affairs %all submit to !      
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'      
,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a  
report on ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,issues t may  
be imp$+ ! provision by ! ,dep>tm5t (   
,vet]ans ,affairs ( telem$ic9e s]vices =
 vet]ans1 includ+ ! foll[+3 7,a7        
,/atutory or regulatory re/rictions4    
7,b7 ,lic5sure or cr$5tial+ issues = any
 provid] practic+ telem$ic9e ) vet]ans  
:o live 9 a diff]5t ,/ate ?an ! provid]4
  7,c7 ,limit$ broadb& access 9 rural   
areas4  7,d7 ,limit$ in=mation te*nology
 res\rces or capabilities4  7,e7 ,long  

di/ances vet]ans mu/ travel to access a 
facility or cl9ic ) telem$ic9e          
capabilities4  7,f7 ,insuffici5t        
liability protection = provid]s4  7,g7  
,reimbursem5t issues fac$ by provid]s4  
7,h7 ,travel limitations = provid]s t   
are unaffiliat$ ) ! ,dep>tm5t & are     
p>ticipat+ or seek+ to p>ticipate 9 a   
telem$ic9e program ( ! ,dep>tm5t4  7#b7 
,actions tak5 to address ! issues       
id5tifi$ 9 p>agraph 7#a74  7#c7 ,an     
update on ef=ts by ! ,dep>tm5t to c>ry  
out ! initiative ( teleconsultation = ! 
provision ( remote m5tal heal? &        
traumatic bra9 injury assessm5ts requir$
 by section #agji;,a ( title #ch1 ,unit$
 ,/ates ,code4  7#d7 ,an update on ef=ts
 by ! ,dep>tm5t to (f] tra9+            
opportunities 9 telem$ic9e to m$ical    
resid5ts1 z requir$ by section #ajh7;b7 
( ! ,janey ,ensm+] ,act 7,public ,law   
#aab-aed2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #gdjf note74    
7#e7 ,an update on ef=ts by ! ,dep>tm5t 
to1 9 p>tn]%ip ) prim>y c>e provid]s1   
in/all video cam]as & in/rum5ts to      

monitor weight1 blood pressure1 & o!r   
vital /ati/ics 9 ! homes ( pati5ts4  7b7
 ,telem$ic9e def9$ ,9 ?is section1 ! t]m
 telem$ic9e means ! use by a heal? c>e  
provid] ( telecommunications to assi/ 9 
! diagnosis or treatm5t ( a pati5t's    
m$ical condition4