,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bccf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,january #bd1 #bjah,mr4 ,tester introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to carry out a pilot program on providing intensive community care coordination and supportive services to veteran families who lack adequate access to services1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,supporting ,veteran ,families ,act of #bjah4 #b4 ,pilot program on community care coordination and supportive services for veteran families who lack access to services 7a7 ,pilot program required ,commencing not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall carry out a pilot program with community partners to assess the feasibility and advisability of providing intensive community care coordination and supportive services to veteran families who lack adequate access to services furnished by the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs or other entities of ,federal1 ,state1 and local governments4 7b7 ,community care coordination and supportive services described ,for purposes of the pilot program1 intensive community care coordination and supportive services are services provided by a community partner to improve the well-being and address the needs of veteran families who live in rural or underserved areas or who otherwise lack access to adequate services furnished by the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 the ,federal ,government1 or ,state and local governments4 ,intensive community care coordination and supportive services may include the following3 7#a7 ,care coordination and case management services4 7#b7 ,outreach services4 7#c7 ,assistance in obtaining any benefits from the ,department which the veteran may be eligible to receive1 including the following3 7,a7 ,vocational and rehabilitation counseling4 7,b7 ,employment and training services4 7,c7 ,educational assistance4 7,d7 ,health care services4 7#d7 ,assistance in obtaining and coordinating the provision of other public benefits or available services provided by the ,federal ,government1 ,state or local governments1 or other community partners1 including the following3 7,a7 ,marriage counseling4 7,b7 ,services for children4 7,c7 ,suicide prevention4 7,d7 ,substance abuse awareness and treatment4 7,e7 ,mental health awareness and treatment4 7,f7 ,financial counseling4 7,g7 ,employment assistance4 7,h7 ,transportation services4 7,i7 ,child care4 7,j7 ,housing counseling4 7,k7 ,preparing and updating family care plans4 7,l7 ,development of strategies for living with a veteran with post traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury4 7,m7 ,accessing emergency financial assistance through philanthropic efforts4 7,n7 ,such other services as may be appropriate to improve the well-being and address the unique needs of veteran families who live in rural or underserved areas or otherwise lack access to adequate services furnished by the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 the ,federal ,government1 or ,state and local governments4 7#e7 ,providing direct services1 described in paragraph 7#d71 that are necessary to address the needs of the veteran families but are otherwise unavailable through existing public or private programs4 7c7 ,agreements and grants 7#a7 ,agreements ,the ,secretary shall carry out the pilot program by entering into partnership agreements with community partners to provide intensive community care coordination and supportive services4 7#b7 ,grants 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall1 using a competitive and merit-based process1 award grants to community partners with whom the ,secretary has entered into agreements under paragraph 7#a74 7,b7 ,use of funds ,the amounts of grants awarded under subparagraph 7,a7 shall be used to provide intensive community care coordination and supportive services under the pilot program and to assess service delivery efficiencies4 7,c7 ,locations ,the ,secretary may award grants under subparagraph 7,a7 on an individual location basis and may award grants for the provision of certain services at locations that also provide other services4 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs to carry out the pilot program #e1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjah1 #bjai1 and #bjbj4 7e7 ,report 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #cdj days before the completion of the pilot program1 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 results of the pilot program4 7#b7 ,contents ,the report required by paragraph 7#a7 shall include the following3 7,a7 ,the number of veteran families served under the pilot program4 7,b7 ,the number of veteran families who received service linkages or referrals under the pilot program4 7,c7 ,a description and assessment of the effectiveness and achievements of the pilot program with respect to services and treatments and mitigation of risks1 including risks relating to homelessness1 unemployment1 and suicide4 7f7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,community partner ,the term community partner means a private nonprofit organization4 7#b7 ,veteran family ,the term veteran family means a family with respect to which the head of the household or the spouse of the head of the household is a veteran4 ,a family that consists of a single individual who is a veteran shall be considered a veteran family4