Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Homeless Veterans Prevention Act of 2015”.
Homeless Veterans Prevention Act of 2015
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the provision of services for homeless veterans, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Increased per diem payments for transitional housing assistance that becomes permanent housing for homeless veterans
Section 2012(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
by redesignating subparagraphs (B) through (D) as subparagraphs (C) through (E), respectively;
in subparagraph (C), as redesignated, by striking “in subparagraph (D)” and inserting “in subparagraph (E)”;
in subparagraph (D), as redesignated, by striking “under subparagraph (B)” and inserting “under subparagraph (C)”;
in subparagraph (E), as redesignated, by striking “in subparagraphs (B) and (C)” and inserting “in subparagraphs (C) and (D)”; and
in subparagraph (A)—
by striking “The rate” and inserting “Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (B), the rate”; and
by striking “under subparagraph (B)” and all that follows through the end and inserting the following: “under subparagraph (C).
“(B)
“(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), in no case may the rate determined under this paragraph exceed the rate authorized for State homes for domiciliary care under subsection (a)(1)(A) of section 1741 of this title, as the Secretary may increase from time to time under subsection (c) of that section.
“(ii) 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 veteran, the maximum rate of per diem authorized under this section is 150 percent of the rate described in clause (i).”
Sec. 3 Authorization of per diem payments for furnishing care to dependents of certain homeless veterans
Subsection (a) of section 2012 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(4) Services for which a recipient of a grant under section 2011 of this title (or an entity described in paragraph (1)) 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 (or entity).”
Sec. 4 Partnerships with public and private entities to provide legal services to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness
In general— Chapter 20 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2022 the following new section:
“2022A. Partnerships with public and private entities to provide legal services to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness
“(a) Partnerships authorized—Subject to the availability of funds for that purpose, the Secretary may enter into partnerships with public or private entities to fund a portion of the general legal services specified in subsection (c) that are provided by such entities to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness.
“(b) Locations—The Secretary shall ensure that, to the extent practicable, partnerships under this section are made with entities equitably distributed across the geographic regions of the United States, including rural communities and tribal lands.
“(c) 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 follows:
“(1) Legal services related to housing, including eviction defense and representation in landlord-tenant cases.
“(2) Legal services related to family law, including assistance in court proceedings for child support, divorce, and estate planning.
“(3) Legal services related to income support, including assistance in obtaining public benefits.
“(4) Legal services related to criminal defense, including defense in matters symptomatic of homelessness, such as outstanding warrants, fines, and driver's license revocation, to reduce recidivism and facilitate the overcoming of reentry obstacles in employment or housing.
“(d) Consultation—In developing and carrying out partnerships under this section, the Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, consult with public and private entities—
“(1) for assistance in identifying and contacting organizations described in subsection (c); and
“(2) to coordinate appropriate outreach relationships with such organizations.
“(e) 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 partnerships.”
Clerical amendment— The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 20 of such title is amended by adding after the item relating to section 2022 the following new item:
Sec. 5 Expansion of Department of Veterans Affairs authority to provide dental care to homeless veterans
Subsection (b) of section 2062 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
“(b) Eligible veterans
“(1) Subsection (a) applies to a veteran who—
“(A) is enrolled for care under section 1705(a) of this title; and
“(B) for a period of 60 consecutive days, is receiving—
“(i) assistance under section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)); or
“(ii) care (directly or by contract) in any of the following settings:
“(I) A domiciliary under section 1710 of this title.
“(II) A therapeutic residence under section 2032 of this title.
“(III) Community residential care coordinated by the Secretary under section 1730 of this title.
“(IV) A setting for which the Secretary provides funds for a grant and per diem provider.
“(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), in determining whether a veteran has received assistance or care for a period of 60 consecutive days, the Secretary may disregard breaks in the continuity of assistance or care for which the veteran is not responsible.”
Sec. 6 Repeal of sunset on authority to carry out program of referral and counseling services for veterans at risk for homelessness who are transitioning from certain institutions
Sec. 7 Extension of authority for financial assistance for supportive services for very low-Income veteran families in permanent housing
In general— Paragraph (1) of section 2044(e) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph (F):
“(F) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2016.”
Training entities for provision of supportive services— Paragraph (3) of such section is amended by inserting “and 2015” after “through 2012”.
Sec. 8 Requirement for Department of Veterans Affairs to assess comprehensive service programs for homeless veterans
In general— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall assess and measure the capacity of programs for which entities receive grants under section 2011 of title 38, United States Code, or per diem payments under section 2012 or 2061 of such title.
Assessment at national and local levels— In assessing and measuring under subsection (a), 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 following:
Whether sufficient capacity exists to meet the needs of homeless veterans in each geographic area.
Whether existing capacity meets the needs of the subpopulations of homeless veterans located in each geographic area.
The amount of capacity that recipients of grants under sections 2011 and 2061 and per diem payments under section 2012 of such title have to provide services for which the recipients are eligible to receive per diem under section 2012(a)(2)(B)(ii) of title 38, United States Code, as added by section 3(5)(B).
Use of information— The Secretary shall use the information collected under this section as follows:
To set specific goals to ensure that programs described in subsection (a) are effectively serving the needs of homeless veterans.
To assess whether programs described in subsection (a) are meeting goals set under paragraph (1).
To inform funding allocations for programs described in subsection (a).
To improve the referral of homeless veterans to programs described in subsection (a).
Report— Not later than 180 days after the date on which the assessment required by subsection (b) is completed, 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 (a).
Sec. 9 Requirement for Comptroller General to study Department of Veterans Affairs homeless veterans programs
In general— Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall complete a study of programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs that provide assistance to homeless veterans.
Elements— The study required by subsection (a) shall include the following:
An assessment of whether programs described in subsection (a) are meeting the needs of veterans who are eligible for assistance provided by such programs.
A review of recent efforts of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve the privacy, safety, and security of female veterans receiving assistance from such programs.