Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Helping Heroes Act of 2023”.
Helping Heroes Act of 2023
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs for veteran families, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Appointment of family coordinators to medical centers of Department of Veterans Affairs; Establishment of Family Support Program
In general— Subchapter I of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new sections (and conforming the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter accordingly):
“1709D. Appointment of family coordinators to medical centers
“(a) Appointment of family coordinators—The Secretary shall appoint not fewer than one family coordinator to each medical center of the Department. Each family coordinator shall be responsible for assessing the needs of families of eligible veterans located in the geographic area served by each such medical center and connecting such families with appropriate supportive services.
“(b) Qualifications
“(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), to be eligible for an appointment under subsection (a), an individual shall—
“(A) be a social worker licensed, registered, or certified in accordance with the requirements of any State; and
“(B) have earned a graduate degree in social work or a related field.
“(2) The Secretary may waive the qualification requirements described in paragraph (1), as the Secretary determines appropriate.
“(c) Duties—Each family coordinator appointed pursuant to subsection (a) shall be responsible for—
“(1) assessing the needs of families of eligible veterans located in the geographic area served by the medical center to which such family coordinator is appointed using evidence-based strategies;
“(2) building positive relationships with such families;
“(3) referring eligible veterans to local, State, and Federal entities that support such families, as the family coordinator determines appropriate;
“(4) developing and maintaining a list of—
“(A) supportive services offered by the medical center to which such family coordinator is appointed; and
“(B) supportive services offered at reduced or no cost by non-Department facilities located in the geographic area served by such medical center; and
“(5) developing and maintaining on a publicly available Internet website of the Department a list of supportive services available to eligible veterans located in such geographic area who are enrolled in the patient enrollment system under section 1705(a) of this title.
“(d) Outreach—The Secretary shall conduct outreach to ensure that the following are informed of family coordinators at each medical center of the Department:
“(1) Eligible veterans who are enrolled in such patient enrollment system.
“(2) Employees of the Department.
“(3) State, local, and Federal entities to which a family coordinator may refer an eligible veteran pursuant to subsection (c)(3).
“(e) Definitions—In this section:
“(1) The term “eligible veteran” means a disabled veteran (as defined in section 4211 of this title) with a service-connected disability rated at 70 percent or more.
“(2) The term “supportive services” has the meaning given such term in section 1709E of this title.
“1709E. Family Support Program
“(a) Establishment
“(1) There is established in the Department a program to be known as the “Family Support Program” (in this section referred to as the “Program”) under which the Secretary shall furnish supportive services to eligible veterans, eligible children, and family members of eligible veterans.
“(2) To carry out the Program, the Secretary shall—
“(A) provide supportive services through medical centers of the Department;
“(B) collaborate with relevant State, local, and Federal entities to provide supportive services; and
“(C) engage in other activities in support of the Program, as the Secretary determines appropriate.
“(3)
“(A) The Secretary may carry out the Program by entering into contracts with or awarding grants to eligible entities to provide supportive services to eligible veterans, eligible children, and family members of eligible veterans.
“(B) The Secretary shall offer to any such eligible entity awarded a contract or grant under subparagraph (A) training and technical assistance regarding the planning, development, and provision of supportive services.
“(b) Eligible entities—To be eligible to enter into a contract with, or receive a grant provided by the Secretary under subsection (a)(3)(A), an entity shall be a public or non-profit entity that is not an entity of the Department.
“(c) Applications—An eligible entity desiring a contract or grant under such subsection shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form and containing such information and assurances as the Secretary determines appropriate, which shall include—
“(1) a description of each supportive service proposed to be provided to eligible veterans, eligible children, and family members of eligible veterans; and
“(2) evidence of a capacity to serve families of veterans in a manner that is trauma-informed and culturally and linguistically appropriate.
“(d) Oversight by Secretary—As a condition of being awarded a contract or grant under such subsection, an eligible entity shall agree to permit the Secretary to conduct oversight regarding—
“(1) the use of funds provided under such contract or grant; and
“(2) the quality of supportive services to be provided pursuant to such contract or grant.
“(e) Public notice—The Secretary shall publish the requirements for eligibility for a contract or grant under this section on a publicly available Internet website of the Department.
“(f) Coordination with other programs of the Department—The Secretary shall share best practices with, and facilitate referrals of, eligible veterans, eligible children, and family members of eligible veterans, as appropriate, from the Program to other programs of the Department, including the program described in section 1720G(b) of this title.
“(g) Annual report for contract or grant recipients—Any eligible entity awarded a contract or grant under this section shall, not later than one year after the date of the award of such contract or grant, and annually thereafter during the period covered by such contract or grant, submit to the Secretary a report that describes the supportive services provided during the year covered by such report.
“(h) Outreach—The Secretary shall conduct outreach to ensure that the following are informed of the supportive services available under the Program:
“(1) Eligible veterans who are enrolled in the patient enrollment system under section 1705(a) of this title.
“(2) Employees of the Department.
“(3) State, local, and Federal entities with which the Secretary collaborates pursuant to subsection (a)(2)(B).
“(i) Definitions—In this section:
“(1) The terms “eligible child” means an individual who—
“(A) is a ward, child (including stepchild), grandchild, or sibling (including stepsibling or halfsibling) of an eligible veteran; and
“(B) is less than 18 years of age.
“(2) The term “eligible veteran” has the meaning given such term in section 1709D of this title.
“(3) The term “supportive services” means services that address social, emotional, mental health, career-readiness, or other needs, including—
“(A) in the case of an eligible child—
“(i) peer-support programs;
“(ii) assistance completing college admission and financial aid applications, including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid described in section 483(a) of the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1090), and accessing veterans’ education benefits (as defined under section 480(c)(2) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1087vv)) to which such eligible child may be entitled; and
“(iii) after-school care and summer learning opportunities;
“(B) in the case of an eligible veteran, assistance transitioning from active duty in the Armed Forces to veteran status;
“(C) assistance with accessing workforce development programs, including programs providing the activities authorized under section 129 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3164), and programs of vocational rehabilitation services, including programs authorized under title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 720 et seq.);
“(D) wellness services, including mental, emotional, behavioral, and physical health and nutritional counseling and assistance;
“(E) sports and recreation activities;
“(F) dependent care, including home and community-based services;
“(G) resources for low-income families; and
“(H) any other services or activities the Secretary considers appropriate to address such needs.”
Reporting requirements—
Report on potential additional veteran family needs— Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs commences the Family Support Program established under section 1709E of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the potential need for additional resources for family members of eligible veterans who are not eligible children.
Report on Family Support Program— Not later than one year after such date, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on the progress of such Family Support Program that includes the following:
The number of eligible veterans, eligible children, and family members of eligible veterans who received supportive services under such Family Support Program.
The demographic data of eligible veterans and family members of eligible veterans, including—
with respect to family members of eligible veterans, the relationship to the eligible veteran;
age;
race;
ethnicity;
gender;
disability, where applicable; and
proficiency in the English language and whether a language other than English is spoken at home.
A summary of the supportive services carried out under such Family Support Program and the costs to the Department of Veterans Affairs of such supportive services.
An assessment, measured by a survey of participants in such Family Support Program, of whether participation in such Family Support Program resulted in positive outcomes for eligible veterans, eligible children, and family members of eligible veterans.
Authorization of appropriations— There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as may be necessary to carry out sections 1709D and 1709E of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).
Deadlines—
Family coordinator appointments— The Secretary shall make the appointments required under section 1709D of such title, as added by such subsection, not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Date Family Support Program fully operational— The Secretary shall ensure that the Family Support Program established under section 1709E of such title, as added by such subsection, is fully operational not later one year after such date.
Sec. 3 Survey on needs of disabled veterans and families of disabled veterans
In general— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for five years, the Secretary shall conduct a survey of disabled veterans and families of disabled veterans to identify and better understand the needs of such disabled veterans and such families.
Content of survey— Such survey shall include questions regarding—
the types and quality of support disabled veterans receive from the children of such disabled veterans; and
the unmet needs of such children.
Report on survey— Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Secretary completes each such survey, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate and the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report that includes the findings of each such survey.
Sec. 4 Inclusion of information regarding supportive services in Transition Assistance Program of Department of Defense
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall include information regarding supportive services available to members of the Armed Forces who are being separated from active duty and their families, including mental health and other services for children, in the Transition Assistance Program of the Department of Defense under sections 1142 and 1144 of title 10, United States Code.
Sec. 5 Discrimination prohibited
Programs or activities receiving funds authorized to be appropriated under section 2(c) of this Act may not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, disability status, or age.
Sec. 6 Definitions
In this Act:
The term “disabled veteran” has the meaning given such term in section 4211 of title 38, United States Code.
The terms “eligible veteran” and “eligible child” have the meaning given such terms in sections 1709D and 1709E of such title, respectively, as added by section 2(a).
The term “supportive services” has the meaning given such term in section 1709E of such title, as added by such section.