Veterans’ Access to Child Care Act

“1730B. Child care assistance for veterans receiving mental health care and other intensive health care services

“(a) In general—The Secretary shall provide child care assistance to an eligible veteran for any period that the veteran—

“(1) receives covered health care services at a facility of the Department; and

“(2) is required travel to and return from such facility for the receipt of such health care services.

“(b) Child Care Assistance

“(1) Child care assistance provided under this section may include any of the following:

“(A) A stipend for the payment of child care offered by a licensed child care center (either directly or through a voucher program) which shall be, to the extent practicable, modeled after the Department of Veterans Affairs Child Care Subsidy Program established pursuant to section 590 of title 40.

“(B) Direct provision of child care at an on-site facility of the Department.

“(C) A payment made directly to a private child care agency.

“(D) A collaboration with a facility or program of another Federal department or agency.

“(E) Such other form of assistance as the Secretary considers appropriate.

“(2) In the case that child care assistance under this section is provided as a stipend under paragraph (1)(A), such stipend shall cover the full cost of such child care.

“(c) Definitions—In this section:

“(1) The term eligible veteran means a veteran who—

“(A) is the primary caretaker of a child or children; and

“(B) is—

“(i) receiving covered health care services from the Department; or

“(ii) in need of covered health care services, and but for lack of child care services, would receive such covered health care services from the Department.

“(2) The term covered health care services means—

“(A) regular mental health care services;

“(B) intensive mental health care services; or

“(C) such other intensive health care services that the Secretary determines that provision of assistance to the veteran to obtain child care would improve access to such health care services by the veteran.”