#aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session  ,s4   
#bhg  ,,an ,,act  ,to amend title #ch1  
,united ,states ,code1 to improve       
assistance to homeless veterans1 and for
 other purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this
 ,act may be cited as the ,helping      
,homeless ,veterans ,act of #bjac4  #b4 
,expansion of definition of homeless    
veteran for purposes of benefits under  
the laws administered by the ,secretary 
of ,veterans ,affairs ,section #bjjb7a7 
of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is 
amended by striking in section #ajc7;a7 
of the ,mc,kinney-,vento ,homeless      
,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4         
#aacjb7;a77 and inserting in subsection 
7a7 or 7b7 of section #ajc of the       
,mc,kinney-,vento ,homeless ,assistance 
,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aacjb74  #c4       
,improvements to grant program for      
comprehensive service programs for      
homeless veterans  7a7 ,modification of 
authority ,to provide capital           
improvement grants for programs that    
assist homeless veterans ,subsection 7a7

 of section #bjaa of title #ch1 ,united 
,states ,code1 is amended1 in the matter
 before paragraph 7#a7-- 7#a7 by        
striking or modifying and inserting 1   
modifying1 or maintaining2 and  7#b7 by 
inserting privately1 safely1 and        
securely1 before the following4  7b7    
,requirement that recipients of grants  
meet physical privacy1 safety1 and      
security needs of homeless veterans     
,subsection 7f7 of such section is      
amended by adding at the end the        
following new paragraph3  7#f7 ,to meet 
the physical privacy1 safety1 and       
security needs of homeless veterans     
receiving services through the project4 
4  #d4 ,increased per diem payments for 
transitional housing assistance that    
becomes permanent housing for homeless  
veterans ,section #bjab7;a77#b7 of title
 #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is         
amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating         
subparagraphs 7,b7 through 7,d7 as      
subparagraphs 7,c7 through 7,e71        
respectively2  7#b7 in subparagraph     

7,c71 as redesignated1 by striking in   
subparagraph 7,d7 and inserting in      
subparagraph 7,e72  7#c7 in subparagraph
 7,d71 as redesignated1 by striking     
under subparagraph 7,b7 and inserting   
under subparagraph 7,c72  7#d7 in       
subparagraph 7,e71 as redesignated1 by  
striking in subparagraphs 7,b7 and 7,c7 
and inserting in subparagraphs 7,c7 and 
7,d72 and  7#e7 in subparagraph 7,a7--  
7,a7 by striking ,the rate and inserting
 ,except as otherwise provided in       
subparagraph 7,b71 the rate2 and  7,b7  
by striking under subparagraph 7,b7 and 
all that follows through the end and    
inserting the following3 8under         
subparagraph 7,c74  7,b7 7i7 ,except as 
provided in clause 7ii71 in no case may 
the rate determined under this paragraph
 exceed the rate authorized for ,state  
homes for domiciliary care under        
subsection 7a77#a77;,a7 of section #agda
 of this title1 as the ,secretary may   
increase from time to time under        
subsection 7c7 of that section4  7ii7   

,in the case of services furnished to a 
homeless veteran who is placed in       
housing that will become permanent      
housing for the veteran upon termination
 of the furnishing of such services to  
such veteran1 the maximum rate of per   
diem authorized under this section is   
#aej percent of the rate described in   
clause 7i74  4  #e4 ,authorization of   
per diem payments for furnishing care to
 dependents of certain homeless veterans
 ,subsection 7a7 of section #bjab of    
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended by adding at the end the        
following new paragraph3  7#d7 ,services
 for which a recipient of a grant under 
section #bjaa of this title 7or an      
entity described in paragraph 7#a77 may 
receive per diem payments under this    
subsection may include furnishing care  
for a dependent of a homeless veteran   
who is under the care of such homeless  
veteran while such homeless veteran     
receives services from the grant        
recipient 7or entity74  4  #f4          

,requirement for ,department of         
,veterans ,affairs to assess            
comprehensive service programs for      
homeless veterans  7a7 ,in general ,not 
later than one year after the date of   
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
assess and measure the capacity of      
programs for which entities receive     
grants under section #bjaa of title #ch1
 ,united ,states ,code1 or per diem     
payments under section #bjab or #bjfa of
 such title4  7b7 ,assessment at        
national and local levels ,in assessing 
and measuring under subsection 7a71 the 
,secretary shall develop and use tools  
to examine the capacity of programs     
described in such subsection at both the
 national and local level in order to   
assess the following3 7#a7 ,whether     
sufficient capacity exists to meet the  
needs of homeless veterans in each      
geographic area4  7#b7 ,whether existing
 capacity meets the needs of the        
subpopulations of homeless veterans     

located in each geographic area4  7#c7  
,the amount of capacity that recipients 
of grants under sections #bjaa and #bjfa
 and per diem payments under section    
#bjab of such title have to provide     
services for which the recipients are   
eligible to receive per diem under      
section #bjab7;a77#b77;,b77ii7 of title 
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 as added by 
section #d7e77;,b74  7c7 ,use of        
information ,the ,secretary shall use   
the information collected under this    
section as follows3 7#a7 ,to set        
specific goals to ensure that programs  
described in subsection 7a7 are         
effectively serving the needs of        
homeless veterans4  7#b7 ,to assess     
whether programs described in subsection
 7a7 are meeting goals set under        
paragraph 7#a74  7#c7 ,to inform funding
 allocations for programs described in  
subsection 7a74  7#d7 ,to improve the   
referral of homeless veterans to        
programs described in subsection 7a74   
7d7 ,report ,not later than #ahj days   

after the date on which the assessment  
required by subsection 7b7 is completed1
 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 such       
assessment and such recommendations for 
legislative and administrative action as
 the ,secretary may have to improve the 
programs and per diem payments described
 in subsection 7a74  #g4 ,expansion of  
,department of ,veterans ,affairs       
authority to provide dental care to     
homeless veterans  7a7 ,in general      
,section #bjfb7;b7 of title #ch1 ,united
 ,states ,code1 is amended to read as   
follows3  7b7 ,eligible veterans  7#a7  
,subsection 7a7 applies to a veteran    
who-- 7,a7 is enrolled for care under   
section #agje7;a7 of this title2 and    
7,b7 for a period of #fj consecutive    
days1 is receiving-- 7i7 assistance     
under section #h7o7 of the ,united      
,states ,housing ,act of #aicg 7#db     

,u4,s4,c4 #adcg;f7o772 or  7ii7 care    
7directly or by contract7 in any of the 
following settings3 7,i7 ,a domiciliary 
under section #agaj of this title4      
7,,ii7 ,a therapeutic residence under   
section #bjcb of this title4  7,,iii7   
,community residential care coordinated 
by the ,secretary under section #agcj of
 this title4  7,,iv7 ,a setting for     
which the ,secretary provides funds for 
a grant and per diem provider4  7,v7 ,a 
setting-- 7aa7 in which the veteran is  
receiving transitional housing          
assistance2  7bb7 for which funding is  
not provided for transitional housing   
assistance under the laws administered  
by the ,secretary2  7cc7 for which the  
,secretary receives verification from   
the provider of care that the veteran is
 receiving care for a period of #fj     
consecutive days2 and  7dd7 from which  
the ,secretary determines that the      
veteran cannot reasonably access        
comparable dental services at no cost   
and in a reasonable period of time4     

7#b7 ,for purposes of paragraph 7#a71 in
 determining whether a veteran has      
received assistance or care for a period
 of #fj consecutive days1 the ,secretary
 may disregard breaks in the continuity 
of assistance or care for which the     
veteran is not responsible4  4  7b7     
,effective date ,the amendment made by  
subsection 7a7 shall take effect on the 
date that is one year after the date of 
the enactment of this ,act4  #h4        
,partnerships with public and private   
entities to provide legal services to   
homeless veterans and veterans at risk  
of homelessness  7a7 ,in general        
,chapter #bj of title #ch1 ,united      
,states ,code1 is amended by inserting  
after section #bjbb the following new   
section3  #bjbb;,a4 ,partnerships with  
public and private entities to provide  
legal services to homeless veterans and 
veterans at risk of homelessness  7a7   
,partnerships authorized ,subject to the
 availability of funds for that purpose1
 the ,secretary may enter into          

partnerships with public or private     
entities to fund a portion of the       
general legal services specified in     
subsection 7c7 that are provided by such
 entities to homeless veterans and      
veterans at risk of homelessness4  7b7  
,locations ,the ,secretary shall ensure 
that1 to the extent practicable1        
partnerships under this section are made
 with entities equitably distributed    
across the geographic regions of the    
,united ,states1 including rural        
communities1 tribal lands of the ,united
 ,states1 ,native ,americans1 and tribal
 organizations 7as defined in section   
#cgfe of title #ch1 ,united ,states     
,code74  7c7 ,legal services ,legal     
services specified in this subsection   
include legal services provided by      
public or private entities that address 
the needs of homeless veterans and      
veterans at risk of homelessness as     
follows3 7#a7 ,legal services related to
 housing1 including eviction defense and
 representation in landlord-tenant      

cases4  7#b7 ,legal services related to 
family law1 including assistance in     
court proceedings for child support1    
divorce1 and estate planning4  7#c7     
,legal services related to income       
support1 including assistance in        
obtaining public benefits4  7#d7 ,legal 
services related to criminal defense1   
including defense in matters symptomatic
 of homelessness1 such as outstanding   
warrants1 fines1 and driver's license   
revocation1 to reduce recidivism and    
facilitate the overcoming of reentry    
obstacles in employment or housing4  7d7
 ,consultation ,in developing and       
carrying out partnerships under this    
section1 the ,secretary shall1 to the   
extent practicable1 consult with public 
and private entities-- 7#a7 for         
assistance in identifying and contacting
 organizations capable of providing the 
legal services described in subsection  
7c72 and  7#b7 to coordinate appropriate
 outreach relationships with such       
organizations4  7e7 ,reports ,the       

,secretary may require entities that    
have entered into partnerships under    
this section to submit to the ,secretary
 periodic reports on legal services     
provided to homeless veterans and       
veterans at risk of homelessness        
pursuant to such partnerships4  7f7     
,sunset ,the authority of the ,secretary
 to enter into partnerships under this  
section as described in subsection 7a7  
shall expire on ,december #ca1 #bjaf4  4
  7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of 
sections at the beginning of chapter #bj
 of such title is amended by adding     
after the item relating to section #bjbb
 the following new item3  #bjbb;,a4     
,partnerships with public and private   
entities to provide legal services to   
homeless veterans and veterans at risk  
of homelessness4  4  #i4 ,requests for  
data to evaluate and improve services   
provided to veterans at risk of         
homelessness ,section #bjbb of title    
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended--
 7#a7 by redesignating subsection 7f7 as

 subsection 7g72  7#b7 by inserting     
after subsection 7e7 the following new  
subsection 7f73  7f7 ,requests for data 
,to evaluate and improve services       
provided to veterans at risk of         
homelessness  7#a7 ,the ,secretary shall
 from time to time request from the     
,federal ,bureau of ,investigation1 the 
,bureau of ,prisons1 the ,bureau of     
,justice ,statistics1 and other         
appropriate ,federal law enforcement    
agencies data in the possession of such 
agencies useful for the evaluation and  
improvement of the services provided to 
veterans at risk of homelessness under  
this section and section #bjbc of this  
title4  7#b7 ,such agencies shall make  
reasonable efforts to comply with any   
such request by the ,secretary4  4  #aj4
 ,extension of authority for program of 
referral and counseling services for    
veterans at risk of homelessness who are
 transitioning from certain institutions
 ,section #bjbc of title #ch1 ,united   
,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 by     

striking subsection 7b72  7#b7 in       
subsection 7c77#a71 by striking ,to the 
extent practicable1 the program and     
inserting ,the program2  7#c7 in        
subsection 7d71 by striking ,september  
#cj1 #bjad and inserting ,september #cj1
 #bjag2  7#d7 in subsection 7e77#b71 by 
striking provided under the             
demonstration program2 and  7#e7 by     
redesignating subsections 7c71 7d71 and 
7e7 as subsections 7b71 7c71 and 7d71   
respectively4  #aa4 ,repeal of          
requirement for annual reports on       
assistance to homeless veterans  7a7 ,in
 general ,section #bjfe of title #ch1   
,united ,states ,code1 is hereby        
repealed4  7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the 
table of sections at the beginning of   
chapter #bj of such title is amended by 
striking the item relating to section   
#bjfe4  #ab4 ,extensions of authorities 
7a7 ,treatment and rehabilitation for   
seriously mentally ill and homeless     
veterans ,section #bjca7;b7 of title    
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended  

by striking ,december #ca1 #bjac and    
inserting ,december #ca1 #bjad4  7b7    
,centers for the provision of           
comprehensive services to homeless      
veterans ,section #bjcc7;d7 of such     
title is amended by striking ,december  
#ca1 #bjac and inserting ,december #ca1 
#bjad4  7c7 ,housing assistance for     
homeless veterans ,section #bjda7;c7 of 
such title is amended by striking       
,december #ca1 #bjac and inserting      
,december #ca1 #bjad4  7d7 ,training    
entities for provision of supportive    
services for very low-income veteran    
families in permanent housing ,section  
#bjdd7;e77#c7 of such title is amended  
by striking #bjab and inserting #bjad4  
7e7 ,technical assistance grants for    
nonprofit community-,based groups       
,section #bjfd7;b7 of such title is     
amended by striking #bjab and inserting 
#bjad4  7f7 ,advisory ,committee on     
,homeless ,veterans ,section #bjff7;d7  
of such title is amended by striking    
,december #ca1 #bjac and inserting      

,december #ca1 #bjad4  #ac4 ,extension  
of reduced pension for certain veterans 
covered by ,medicaid plans for services 
furnished by nursing facilities  7a7 ,in
 general ,subsection 7d77#g7 of section 
#eejc of title #ch1 ,united ,states     
,code1 is amended by striking ,november 
#cj1 #bjaf and inserting ,august #ca1   
#bjag4  7b7 ,clerical amendments  7#a7  
,section heading ,the section heading of
 such section is amended to read as     
follows3 ,reduced pension for certain   
hospitalized veterans and certain       
veterans receiving domiciliary1 nursing 
home1 or nursing facility care4  7#b7   
,table of sections ,the table of        
sections at the beginning of chapter #ee
 of such title is amended by striking   
the item relating to section #eejc and  
inserting the following new item3 #eejc4
 ,reduced pension for certain           
hospitalized veterans and certain       
veterans receiving domiciliary1 nursing 
home1 or nursing facility care44        
,passed the ,senate ,november #f1       

#bjac4,secretary