,i  #aae? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #gjag  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,octob] #b1 #bjah,ms4 
,ku/] ( ,new ,hamp%ire 7= h]self1 ,mr4  
,poliqu91 ,mr4 ,mooney ( ,we/ ,virg9ia1 
,mr4 ,gian=te1 ,mr4 ,we/]man1 ,ms4      
,%ea-,port]1 & ,mr4 ,wel*7 introduc$ !  
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to !          
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a    
,,bill  ,to direct ! ,secret>y (        
,vet]ans ,affairs to c>ry out a         
demon/ration program to exp& !          
availability ( telem$ic9e s]vices =     
vet]ans liv+ 9 rural areas ) c]ta9 m5tal
 heal? disord]s1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 
,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !   
,enhanc+ ,vet]ans' ,exp]i5ce )          
,teleheal? ,s]vices ,act or ! e,v,e,t,s 
,act4  #b4 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs
 demon/ration program on exp&$          
availability ( telem$ic9e s]vices =     
c]ta9 vet]ans 9 rural areas  7a7        
,demon/ration program ,beg9n+ n lat] ?an
 #ahj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t (   
?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans        

,affairs %all c>ry out a demon/ration   
program to exp& telem$ic9e s]vices =    
eligible vet]ans4 ,"u ! pilot program1  
all eligible vet]ans :o opt to          
p>ticipate 9 ! program may *oose to     
receive cognitive !rapy or prolong$     
exposure !rapy2 :i* %all be deliv]$     
remotely via video call+ te*nology ?r\gh
 no less ?an #ab episodes ( c>e p]      
vet]an or a great] numb] ( episodes1 z  
det]m9$ by ! vet]an's provid]4  7b7     
,in/ructions = provid]s ,! ,secret>y    
%all create & di/ribute to ,network     
,directors ( ,vet]ans ,integrat$        
,s]vices ,networks1 ,m$ical ,c5t]       
,directors & ,m$ical ,provid]s :o may   
enc\nt] eligible vet]ans in/ructions    
describ+ ! program & ! responsibilities 
( ea* ,dep>tm5t m$ical facility 9       
furni%+ c>e to eligible vet]ans "u !    
program4 ,su* in/ructions %all--  7#a7  
cle>ly def9e ! responsibilities ( !     
s5ior executives ( ,dep>tm5t m$ical     
facilities p>ticipat+ 9 ! demon/ration  
program2  7#b7 cle>ly def9e             

responsibilities ( ea* ,dep>tm5t m$ical 
provid] at ,dep>tm5t m$ical c5t]s       
p>ticipat+ 9 ! demon/ration program ^:  
duties entail provid+ m5tal heal? c>e to
 eligible vet]ans2  7#c7 provide requir$
 tra9+ & education on m5tal heal?       
treatm5ts t h sub/antial evid5ce        
support+ _! use 9 telem$ic9e = ea*      
provid] & vet]an p>ticipat+ 9 !         
demon/ration program2  7#d7 def9e       
eligible models ( c>e coord9ation       
,dep>tm5t m$ical facilities & p>ticipat+
 provid]s may use to furni% telem$ic9e  
s]vices "u ! demon/ration program1      
includ+ recomm5dations = select+ a model
 ( c>e coord9ation2 &  7#e7 cle>ly def9e
 ov]sight & acc\ntability requirem5ts = 
s5ior executives ( ! ,dep>tm5t :o are   
responsible = ov]see+ ! program1 includ+
 ! ,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration1 !     
,national ,c5t] = ,,ptsd1 & any o!r     
relevant (fice4  7c7 ,outrea* to        
eligible vet]ans ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans   
,affairs m$ical provid]s & m$ical       
facilities p>ticipat+ 9 ! demon/ration  

program %all in=m eligible vet]ans ( !  
opportunity to p>ticipate 9 !           
demon/ration program & provide su*      
vet]ans ) in=mation on h[ to p>ticipate 
9 su* program4  7d7 ,/udy ( ! ,program  
,= ! duration ( ! demon/ration program1 
! ,secret>y %all collect & record data  
reg>d+ ! heal? ( vet]ans :o receive     
m$ical c>e "u ! program1 includ+ ev5ts1 
treatm5ts1 satisfaction survey results1 
drop\t rates1 & outcomes1 & make su*    
data available = analysis by qualifi$   
indep5d5t rese>*]s4  7e7 ,duration ,n   
lat] ?an ?ree ye>s & n soon] ?an two    
ye>s aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is act1 !
 ,secret>y %all decide :e!r to cont9ue1 
exp& or discont9ue ! demon/ration       
program & report t decision to !        
,committees on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !   
,s5ate & ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives4  7f7
 ,assessm5t ( ! program ,n lat] ?an two 
ye>s aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is     
,act1 ! ,secret>y %all submit to !      
,committees on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !   
,s5ate & ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives an     

assessm5t ( ! demon/ration program1 :i* 
%all include--  7#a7 an analysis ( !    
program prep>$ by qualifi$ indep5d5t    
rese>*]s2  7#b7 ! numb] ( vet]ans :o    
p>ticipat$ 9 ! program1 brok5 d[n by    
,/ate ( resid5ce & prim>y ,dep>tm5t     
m$ical c5t]2  7#c7 ! av]age & m$ian     
numb] ( telem$ic9e episodes ( c>e p]    
vet]an2 &  7#d7 ! recomm5dations ( !    
,secret>y reg>d+ :e!r ! program %\ld be 
ext5d$ or exp&$4  7g7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is
 section3 7#a7 ,! t]m qualify+ rural    
areas means an area t--  7,a7 is )9 "o  
(-- 7i7 ! six ,/ates p>ticipat+ 9 !     
,telem$ic9e ,outrea* = ,,ptsd pilot     
program1 z ( ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is  
,act1 ,s\? ,c>ol9a1 ,i[a1 ,arkansas1    
,d5v]1 ,colorado1 ,cali=nia1 & ,wa%+ton2
 &  7ii7 ! #aj ,/ates id5tifi$ z hav+ ! 
highe/ conc5trations ( vet]ans liv+ 9   
rural areas by ! #bjag report ( ! ,c5sus
 ,bureau's ,am]ican ,community ,survey  
entitl$1 ,vet]ans 9 ,rural ,am]ica3     
#bjaa-bjae2 &  7,b7 qualifies z rural "u
 ! def9ition ( rural provid$ 9 ! #bjaf  

,c5sus ,bureau docum5t entitl$ ,def9+   
,rural at ! ,u4,s4 ,c5sus ,bureau or    
qualifies z highly rural "u ! mean+ 9   
,public ,law #aac-adf4  7#b7 ,! t]m     
eligible vet]an means a vet]an :o--     
7,a7 has be5 diagnos$ )-- 7i7           
po/-traumatic /ress disord]2 or  7ii7 a 
m5tal heal? disord] designat$ by !      
,secret>y = purposes ( ! demon/ration   
program "u ?is section & publi%$ 9 !    
,f$]al ,regi/]2  7,b7 is enroll$ 9 !    
pati5t enrollm5t sy/em ( ! ,dep>tm5t (  
,vet]ans ,affairs "u section #agje (    
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code2 &  7,c7 
resides )9 a qualify+ rural area4  #c4  
,improvem5t ( access to broadb& int]net 
= rural vet]ans p>ticipat+ 9            
demon/ration program  7a7 ,expansion (  
access to broadb& int]net  7#a7         
,p>tn]%ip agreem5ts ,! ,secret>y may--  
7,a7 seek to ent] into p>tn]%ip         
agreem5ts ) cov]$ private entities to   
exp& access to broadb& int]net1 includ+ 
! expansion ( :ite space te*nology1 =   
eligible vet]ans :o p>ticipate 9 !      

demon/ration program "u section #b2     
7,b7 ent] into p>tn]%ip agreem5ts1 :5   
appropriate1 ) ! ,secret>y (            
,agriculture1 ! ,*airman ( ! ,f$]al     
,communications ,commission1 & ! heads (
 o!r appropriate ,f$]al entities to     
assi/ cov]$ private entities ) :i* !    
,secret>y has ent]$ into a p>tn]%ip     
agreem5t "u subp>agraph 7,a7 9 ! deliv]y
 ( broadb& int]net to qualify+ rural    
areas1 z su* t]m is def9$ 9 section     
#b7;h77#a72 &  7,c7 provide assi/ance to
 private entities 9 ! deliv]y ( broadb& 
int]net to su* eligible vet]ans by work+
 ) o!r private entities1 includ+        
congressionally *>t]$ vet]an s]vice     
organizations1 to provide necess>y      
infra/ructure & o!r s]vices ne$$ 9 !    
deliv]y ( :ite space te*nology4  7#b7   
,co/ subsidies ,! ,secret>y may pay1 to 
an eligible vet]an p>ticipat+ 9 !       
demon/ration program "u section #c1 an  
am\nt equal to ! co/ ( obta9+ int]net   
access = ! duration ( ! vet]an's        
p>ticipation1 if--  7,a7 ! ,secret>y    

det]m9es ! eligible vet]an has f9ancial 
ne$1 z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y2  7,b7 su*
 vet]an meets eligibility requirem5ts = 
! demon/ration program = ! duration ( ! 
vet]an's p>ticipation 9 ! program2 &    
7,c7 ! vet]an has a s]vice-connect$     
disability rat$ at #ej p]c5t or high]4  
7#c7 ,in=mation %>+  7,a7 ,9 g5]al      
,subject to subp>agraph 7,b71 !         
,secret>y may %>e in=mation ab\t !      
location ( eligible vet]ans p>ticipat+ 9
 ! demon/ration program "u section #b ) 
cov]$ private entities ) :i* ! ,secret>y
 ent]s into a p>tn]%ip agreem5t "u      
p>agraph 7#a7 to aid 9 ! deliv]y (      
broadb& int]net access to su* vet]ans4  
7,b7 ,privacy ,! ,secret>y %all ensure t
 data & in=mation disclos$ to cov]$     
private entities conceals ! id5tity (   
individual vet]ans4 ,prior to !         
disclosure ( any data or in=mation to a 
private entity pursuant to subp>agraph  
7,a71 ! ,secret>y %all ent] into an     
agreem5t ) ! cov]$ private entity t     
prohibits ! entity f disclos+ ! data or 

in=mation to any ?ird p>ty or us+ su*   
data or in=mation = any purpose o!r ?an 
provid+ broadb& access to eligible      
vet]ans p>ticipat+ 9 ! demon/ration     
program4  7#d7 ,cov]$ private entity ,9 
?is subsection1 ! t]m cov]$ private     
entity means a te*nology company or     
int]net s]vice provid] t is work+ to    
exp& int]net access1 includ+ ?r\gh :ite 
space te*nology4  7b7 ,provision (      
private spaces  7#a7 ,p>tn]%ip agreem5t 
au?ority ,! ,secret>y may seek to ent]  
into a p>tn]%ip agreem5t ) private      
entities = ! provision ( private spaces 
describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#c7 ) broadb&      
int]net access = use by eligible vet]ans
 p>ticipat+ 9 ! demon/ration program "u 
section #b4  7#b7 ,pref]5ce ,9 ent]+    
into p>tn]%ip agreem5ts "u p>agraph     
7#a71 ! ,secret>y may give pref]5ce to  
entities ) support s]vices on location  
includ+1 c]tifi$ community behavioral   
heal? cl9ics1 f$]ally qualifi$ heal?    
c5t]s1 & congressionally *>t]$ vet]an   
s]vice organizations4  7#c7 ,private    

spaces ,private spaces describ$ 9 ?is   
p>agraph are private spaces-- 7,a7      
locat$ 9 qualify+ rural areas z def9$ 9 
section #b7;g77#a72 &  7,b7 furni%$1 or 
suitable to be furni%$1 ) electronic    
devices ne$$ = ! deliv]y ( telem$ic9e   
s]vices to vet]ans "u ! demon/ration    
program4