,,ii #aag? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ecdh ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,decemb] #ba1 #bjbb ,mr4 ,da9es 7= himself & ,ms4 ,lummis7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to am5d title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to exp& access to ! ,vet]ans ,community ,c>e ,program ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to include c]ta9 vet]ans seek+ m5tal heal? or sub/ance-use s]vices & toxic-expos$ vet]ans1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,protect+ ,vet]an ,community ,c>e ,act4 #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,on ,june #f1 #bjah1 ! ,john ,s4 ,mc,cain ,,iii1 ,daniel ,k4 ,akaka1 & ,samuel ,r4 ,johnson ,,va ,ma9ta9+ ,int]nal ,sy/ems & ,/r5g!n+ ,integrat$ ,outside ,networks ,act ( #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-ahb7 79 ?is section ref]r$ to z ! ,,va ,,mission ,act7 became law4 7#b7 ,congressional int5t ) ! ,,va ,,mission ,act 0 to re=m & replace ! program "u section #aja ( ! ,vet]ans ,access1 ,*oice1 & ,acc\ntability ,act ( #bjad 7,public ,law #aac-adf2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #agja note7 to ensure access ( vet]ans to community heal? c>e provid]s4 7#c7 ,! eligibility /&>ds e/abli%$ by ! ,,va ,,mission ,act 7 n meant to be us$ to limit heal? c>e options = vet]ans or to be appli$ to community provid]s1 :i* w\ld result 9 r$uc$ heal? c>e options4 7#d7 ,_m vet]ans d n h access to a m$ical facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 9 _! community & ea* m$ical facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t may n be able to adequately address ! specific heal? c>e ne$s ( a p>ticul> vet]an4 7#e7 ,x 0 ! int5t ( ,congress 9 ! ,,va ,,mission ,act t all m$ical s]vices1 includ+ m5tal heal? treatm5ts & in/itutional ext5d$ c>e s]vices = m5tal heal?1 7 to be available to vet]ans 9 ! community4 7#f7 ,! ,dep>tm5t is limit+ access ( vet]ans to community c>e = m5tal heal? treatm5ts4 7#g7 ,despite ! be/ ef=ts ( ! ,dep>tm5t1 vet]an suicide rema9s at significant levels ?r\gh\t ! ,unit$ ,/ates4 7#h7 ,no vet]an %\ld h to wait #cj days = m5tal heal? s]vices to be approv$ by ! ,dep>tm5t4 7#i7 ,teleheal? appo9tm5ts repres5t a valuable complem5t>y heal? c>e option = und]s]v$ vet]ans1 b d n (f] ! same quality ( c>e z 9-p]son visits to facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t or 9 ! community4 #c4 ,expansion ( ,vet]ans ,community ,c>e ,program to include access to m5tal heal? or sub/ance-use s]vices = vet]ans unable to timely access ,m5tal ,heal? ,resid5tial ,treatm5t ,programs 7a7 ,9 g5]al ,section #agjc ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$-- 7#a7 9 subsection 7d7-- 7,a7 9 p>agraph 7#a7-- 7i7 9 subp>agraph 7,d71 by /rik+ 2 or & ins]t+ a semicolon2 7ii7 9 subp>agraph 7,e71 by /rik+ ! p]iod at ! end & ins]t+ 2 or2 & 7iii7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new subp>agraph3 7,f7 9 ! case ( resid5tial m5tal heal? or sub/ance-use s]vices1 ! cov]$ vet]an-- 7i7 meets ! crit]ia ( ! ,dep>tm5t = priority admission to a ,m5tal ,heal? ,resid5tial ,rehabilitation ,treatm5t ,program ( ! ,dep>tm5t & ! ,dep>tm5t is unable to accommodate su* priority admission2 or 7ii7 has contact$ ! ,dep>tm5t to reque/ su* s]vices f a ,m5tal ,heal? ,resid5tial ,rehabilitation ,treatm5t ,program ( ! ,dep>tm5t & ! ,dep>tm5t is n able to furni% su* s]vices 9 a mann] ?an complies ) ! access /&>ds ( ! ,dep>tm5t = specialty c>e provid$ "u ?is section by a heal? c>e provid] specifi$ 9 subsection 7c74 2 & 7,b7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new p>agraph 7#d73 7#d7 ,9 ! case ( a cov]$ vet]an entitl$ to m5tal heal? or sub/ance-use s]vices "u p>agraph 7#a77;,f71 ! ,secret>y %all ensure t ref]ral ( a vet]an to an alt]nate ,m5tal ,heal? ,resid5tial ,rehabilitation ,treatm5t ,program ( ! ,dep>tm5t does n take prec$5ce ov] timely access to su* s]vices "u ?is section pursuant to su* p>agraph unless su* ref]ral is reque/$ by ! cov]$ vet]an4 2 7#b7 by r$esignat+ subsection 7o7 z subsection 7p72 & 7#c7 by ins]t+ aft] subsection 7n7 ! foll[+ new subsection 7o73 7o7 ,m9imum /&>ds = resid5tial m5tal heal? or sub/ance-,use s]vices 7#a7 ,subject to p>agraph 7#b71 9 furni%+ resid5tial m5tal heal? or sub/ance-use s]vices to cov]$ vet]ans pursuant to subsection 7d77#a77;,f71 ! ,secret>y %all ensure t programs or facilities provid+ su* s]vices "u ?is section meet ! foll[+ /&>ds3 7,a7 ,a treatm5t program or facility mu/ be lic5s$ & accr$it$ by a ,/ate = ! provision ( ! s]vices provid$4 7,b7 ,a treatm5t program mu/ be accr$it$ "u ei!r ! ,jo9t ,commission ,behavioral ,heal? ,/&>ds or ! ,behavioral ,heal? ,/&>ds manual 7resid5tial treatm5t7 ( ! ,commission on ,accr$itation ( ,rehabilitation ,facilities1 or any successor /&>ds or manual4 7#b7 ,if a program or facility to :i* a cov]$ vet]an is to be ref]r$ pursuant to subsection 7d77#a77;,f7 does n meet ! /&>ds specifi$ "u p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,secret>y1 act+ ?r\gh ! director ( ! facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t c>ry+ out ! ref]ral-- 7,a7 %all consid] an alt]nate program or facility2 & 7,b7 may waive su* /&>ds on an individual basis if no o!r alt]nate program or facility is available or su* waiv] is 9 ! be/ int]e/ ( ! vet]an4 4 7b7 ,modification ( access /&>ds ,n lat] ?an #ij days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all develop or am5d exi/+ access /&>ds ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to ensure t access to m5tal heal? c>e "u ! ,vet]ans ,community ,c>e ,program "u section #agjc ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 z am5d$ by subsection 7a71 is n m re/rictive ?an ! access /&>ds = specialty c>e "u su* section4 #d4 ,requirem5t to provide c>e "u ,vet]ans ,community ,c>e ,program = toxic-expos$ vet]ans ,section #agjc7;d77#a7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 z am5d$ by section #b7;a77#a77;,a71 is fur!r am5d$-- 7#a7 9 subp>agraph 7,e71 by /rik+ 2 or & ins]t+ a semicolon2 7#b7 9 subp>agraph 7,f71 by /rik+ ! p]iod at ! end & ins]t+ 2 or2 & 7#c7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new subp>agraph3 7,g7 ! cov]$ vet]an is a toxic-expos$ vet]an4 4 #e4 ,prohibition on c]ta9 limitations on access ( vet]ans to c>e ,section #agjc7n7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new p>agraphs3 7#c7 ,9 apply+ wait times or access /&>ds "u ?is section = purposes ( det]m9+ eligibility ( a cov]$ vet]an = c>e or s]vices "u ?is section1 ! ,secret>y may n det]m9e t ! vet]an is ineligible = su* c>e or s]vices due solely to ! fact t heal? c>e provid]s specifi$ 9 subsection 7c7 are unable to provide su* c>e or s]vices 9 compliance ) su* wait times or access /&>ds4 7#d7 ,if multiple options are available to a cov]$ vet]an = c>e or s]vices "u ?is section1 ! ,secret>y %all p]mit ! vet]an to elect ! option t ! vet]an pref]s4 4 #f4 ,developm5t ( community c>e metrics 7a7 ,9 g5]al ,section #agjc7m77#a7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new subp>agraph3 7,c7 ,! review submitt$ "u subp>agraph 7,a7 %all include1 = ! ye> cov]$ by ! review1 ! foll[+3 7i7 ,! numb] ( in/ances ( c>e or s]vices reque/$4 7ii7 ,! numb] ( su* reque/s t 7 approv$4 7iii7 ,! numb] ( su* reque/s t 7 d5i$4 7iv7 ,! numb] ( appeals "u subsection 7f7 ( su* reque/s t 7 d5i$1 includ+ ! f9al decision ( su* appeal4 7v7 ,! eligibility crit]ia "u :i* ea* eligible vet]an has qualifi$ = c>e or s]vices "u ?is section4 7vi7 ,data ) respect to ! foll[+3 7,i7 ,reque/s = c>e or s]vices relat+ to m5tal heal?4 7,,ii7 ,au?orizations = em]g5cy c>e1 includ+ :e!r transportation = su* c>e 0 requir$ or :e!r fur!r c>e or a hospital /ay 0 requir$4 4 7b7 ,application ,! am5dm5t made by subsection 7a7 %all apply to ea* review conduct$ "u subp>agraph 7,a7 ( su* section aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act4 #g4 ,limitation on modification ( community c>e access /&>ds ,any modification on or aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act by ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs ( ! conditions "u :i* c>e is requir$ to be provid$ "u section #agjc7;d7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 ei!r ?r\gh a modification ( ! designat$ access /&>ds "u p>agraph 7#a77;,d7 ( su* section1 a modification ( ! crit]ia develop$ by ! ,secret>y "u p>agraph 7#a77;,e7 ( su* section1 or o!rwise ?r\gh regulation1 %all n take effect until a jo9t resolution is enact$ approv+ su* modification to ! conditions "u :i* c>e is requir$ to be provid$ "u su* section4