Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Helping Heroes Act of 2023”.
Helping Heroes Act of 2023
A BILL
To improve services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs for veteran families, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Definitions
In this Act:
Department— The term Department means the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Disabled veteran— The term disabled veteran has the meaning given that term in section 4211 of title 38, United States Code.
Eligible child— The term eligible child, with respect to an eligible veteran, means an individual who—
is a ward, child (including stepchild), grandchild, or sibling (including stepsibling or halfsibling) of the eligible veteran; and
is less than 18 years of age.
Eligible veteran— The term eligible veteran means a disabled veteran who has a service-connected disability rated at 70 percent or more.
Family Coordinator— The term Family Coordinator means an individual placed at a medical center of the Department pursuant to section 3.
Family Support Program— The term Family Support Program means the program established under section 4.
Non-Department provider— The term non-Department provider means a public or non-profit entity that is not an entity of the Department.
Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Supportive services— The term supportive services means services that address the social, emotional, and mental health, career-readiness, and other needs of eligible children, including—
wellness services, including mental, emotional, behavioral, and physical health and nutritional counseling and assistance;
peer-support programs for children;
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) that eligible children may be eligible to receive;
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.);
sports and recreation;
after-school care and summer learning opportunities;
dependent care, including home and community-based services;
other resources for low-income families;
assistance transitioning from active duty in the Armed Forces to veteran status; and
any other services or activities the Secretary considers appropriate to support the needs of eligible children.
Sec. 3 Requirements for Family Coordinators
In general— Not later than three years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall—
place at each medical center of the Department not fewer than one Family Coordinator; and
ensure adequate staffing and resources at each such medical center to ensure Family Coordinators are able to carry out their duties.
Family Coordinators—
Employment— Each Family Coordinator placed at a medical center of the Department under subsection (a) shall be employed full-time by the Department as a Family Coordinator and shall have no other duties in addition to the duties of a Family Coordinator.
Qualifications—
In general— To qualify to be a Family Coordinator under subsection (a), an individual shall—
be a social worker licensed, registered, or certified in accordance with the requirements of any State; and
have a graduate degree in social work or a related field.
Waiver— The Secretary may waive the qualifications required by subparagraph (A) to permit individuals in other professions to serve as Family Coordinators.
Duties— Each Family Coordinator shall—
assess the needs of the families of veterans using evidence-based strategies;
build positive relationships with such families;
refer veterans to local, State, and Federal resources that support veterans and their families;
develop and maintain a list of—
supportive services offered by the medical center at which the Family Coordinator is placed; and
supportive services offered at reduced or no cost by non-Department providers located in the catchment area of such medical center; and
develop and maintain on an internet website a list of family resources that shall be made available for all veterans in the catchment area of such medical center who are enrolled in the patient enrollment system of the Department established and operated under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code.
Sec. 4 Establishment of Family Support Program
In general— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a program to be known as the Family Support Program to provide and coordinate the provision of supportive services to eligible veterans and eligible children.
Implementation of Family Support Program— To carry out the Family Support Program, the Secretary shall—
provide supportive services through medical centers of the Department;
collaborate with relevant Federal agencies to provide supportive services;
provide funding to non-Department providers pursuant to subsection (c); and
engage in any other activities the Secretary considers appropriate.
Funding to non-Department providers—
In general— The Secretary may enter into contracts and award grants to provide funding to eligible non-Department providers to participate in the Family Support Program.
Eligibility—
In general— The Secretary shall establish and make publicly available the criteria for a non-Department provider to be eligible to participate in the Family Support Program.
Criteria— The criteria required by subparagraph (A) shall include requirements for a non-Department provider—
to provide a description of—
each supportive service proposed to be provided to eligible children; and
the demonstrated record of the non-Department provider in providing such supportive service;
to demonstrate the ability to serve families of veterans in a manner that is trauma-informed and culturally and linguistically appropriate; and
to agree to oversight by the Secretary regarding—
the use of funds provided by the Department under this subsection; and
the quality of supportive services provided.
Notice— The Secretary shall promptly provide to eligible non-Department providers selected by the Secretary to participate in the Family Support Program notice of the award of funds under this subsection to ensure such providers have sufficient time to prepare to provide supportive services under the Family Support Program.
Authorized activities— Funds provided under this subsection shall be used to provide supportive services.
Training— For each non-Department provider selected by the Secretary to participant in the Family Support Program, the Secretary shall offer training and technical assistance regarding the planning, development, and provision of supportive services under the Family Support Program.
Coordination with other department of veterans affairs programs— The Secretary shall share best practices with and facilitate referrals of eligible veterans and their families, as appropriate, from the Family Support Program to other programs of the Department, such as the program of support services for caregivers of veterans under section 1720G(b) of title 38, United States Code.
Reporting requirements—
Annual report— Not later than one year after the date of the commencement of the Family Support Program, and annually thereafter, each non-Department provider in receipt of funds under the Family Support Program shall submit to the Secretary a report describing the supportive services carried out with such funds during the year covered by such report.
Reports to Congress—
Report on additional resources— Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the potential need for additional resources for family members of eligible veterans other than eligible children.
Report on progress—
In general— Not later than one year after the commencement of the Family Support Program, 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 progress of the Family Support Program.
Contents— The report required by clause (i) shall include—
the number of eligible veterans and eligible children who received supportive services under the Family Support Program;
the demographic data of eligible veterans and family members, including—
the relationship to the eligible veteran;
age;
race;
ethnicity;
gender identity;
sexual orientation;
disability; and
English proficiency and whether a language other than English is spoken at home;
a summary of the supportive services carried out under the Family Support Program and the costs to the Department of such supportive services; and
an assessment, measured by a survey of participants, of whether participation in the Family Support Program resulted in positive outcomes for eligible veterans and eligible children.
Sec. 5 Outreach on availability of services
The Secretary shall conduct an outreach program to ensure eligible veterans who are enrolled in the patient enrollment system of the Department established and operated under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code, employees of the Department, and potential State, local, and Federal entities are informed of the Family Support Program and the availability of Family Coordinators.
Sec. 6 Transition assistance
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall include information regarding supportive services available for 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 curriculum offered by the Department.
Sec. 7 Survey
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 their families to identify and better understand the needs of such disabled veterans and their families.
Content— The survey required under subsection (a) shall include questions with respect to—
the types and quality of support disabled veterans receive from the children of such disabled veterans; and
the unmet needs of such children.
Sec. 8 Nondiscrimination
Programs or activities receiving funds under this Act may not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, or age.
Sec. 9 Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such funds as may be necessary to carry out this Act.