---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 7330A"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "7330A"
heading: "Epilepsy centers of excellence"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/7330A"
units:
  - "Part V — Boards, Administrations, and Services"
  - "Chapter 73 — Veterans Health Administration—organization and Functions"
  - "Subchapter II — General Authority and Administration"
---

# §7330A. Epilepsy centers of excellence

- (a) **Establishment of Centers.—**
  - (1) Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of the [Veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2)’ Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008, the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall designate at least four but not more than six [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) health care facilities as locations for epilepsy centers of excellence for the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1).
  - (2) Of the facilities designated under [paragraph (1)](#a-1), not less than two shall be centers designated under [section 7327 of this title](/usc/38/7327.md).
  - (3) Of the facilities designated under [paragraph (1)](#a-1), not less than two shall be facilities that are not centers designated under [section 7327 of this title](/usc/38/7327.md).
  - (4) Subject to the availability of appropriations for such purpose, the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall establish and operate an epilepsy center of excellence at each location designated under [paragraph (1)](#a-1).
- (b) **Designation of Facilities.—**
  - (1) In designating locations for epilepsy centers of excellence under [subsection (a)](#a), the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall solicit proposals from [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) health care facilities seeking designation as a location for an epilepsy center of excellence.
  - (2) The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) may not designate a facility as a location for an epilepsy center of excellence under [subsection (a)](#a) unless the peer review panel established under [subsection (c)](#c) has determined under that subsection that the proposal submitted by such facility seeking designation as a location for an epilepsy center of excellence is among those proposals that meet the highest competitive standards of scientific and clinical merit.
  - (3) In choosing from among the facilities meeting the requirements of [paragraph (2)](#b-2), the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall also consider appropriate geographic distribution when designating the epilepsy centers of excellence under [subsection (a)](#a).
- (c) **Peer Review Panel.—**
  - (1) The Under [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) for Health shall establish a peer review panel to assess the scientific and clinical merit of proposals that are submitted to the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) for the designation of epilepsy centers of excellence under this section.
  - (2)
    - (A) The membership of the peer review panel shall consist of experts on epilepsy, including post-traumatic epilepsy.
    - (B) Members of the peer review panel shall serve for a period of no longer than two years, except as specified in [subparagraph (C)](#c-2-C).
    - (C) Of the members first appointed to the panel, one half shall be appointed for a period of three years and one half shall be appointed for a period of two years, as designated by the Under [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) at the time of appointment.
  - (3) The peer review panel shall review each proposal submitted to the panel by the Under [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) for Health and shall submit its views on the relative scientific and clinical merit of each such proposal to the Under [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1).
  - (4) The peer review panel shall, in conjunction with the national coordinator designated under [subsection (e)](#e), conduct regular evaluations of each epilepsy center of excellence established and operated under [subsection (a)](#a) to ensure compliance with the requirements of this section.
  - (5) The peer review panel shall not be subject to chapter 10 of title 5.
- (d) **Epilepsy Center of Excellence Defined.—** In this section, the term “epilepsy center of excellence” means a health care facility that has (or in the foreseeable future can develop) the necessary capacity to function as a center of excellence in research, education, and clinical care activities in the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy and has (or may reasonably be anticipated to develop) each of the following:
  - (1) An affiliation with an accredited medical school that provides education and training in neurology, including an arrangement with such school under which medical residents receive education and training in the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy (including neurosurgery).
  - (2) The ability to attract the participation of scientists who are capable of ingenuity and creativity in health care research efforts.
  - (3) An advisory committee composed of [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) and appropriate health care and research representatives of the facility and of the affiliated school or schools to advise the directors of such facility and such center on policy matters pertaining to the activities of the center during the period of the operation of such center.
  - (4) The capability to conduct effectively evaluations of the activities of such center.
  - (5) The capability to assist in the expansion of the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1)’s use of information systems and databases to improve the quality and delivery of care for [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) enrolled within the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1)’s health care system.
  - (6) The capability to assist in the expansion of the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) telehealth program to develop, transmit, monitor, and review neurological diagnostic tests.
  - (7) The ability to perform epilepsy research, education, and clinical care activities in collaboration with [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) medical facilities that have centers for research, education, and clinical care activities on complex multi-trauma associated with combat injuries established under [section 7327 of this title](/usc/38/7327.md).
- (e) **National Coordinator for Epilepsy Programs.—**
  - (1) To assist the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) and the Under [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) for Health in carrying out this section, the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall designate an individual in the [Veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) Health Administration to act as a national coordinator for epilepsy programs of the [Veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) Health Administration.
  - (2) The duties of the national coordinator for epilepsy programs shall include the following:
    - (A) To supervise the operation of the centers established pursuant to this section.
    - (B) To coordinate and support the national consortium of providers with interest in treating epilepsy at [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) health care facilities lacking such centers in order to ensure better access to [state](/usc/38/101.md?p=20)-of-the-art diagnosis, research, clinical care, and education for traumatic brain injury and epilepsy throughout the health care system of the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1).
    - (C) To conduct, in conjunction with the peer review panel established under [subsection (c)](#c), regular evaluations of the epilepsy centers of excellence to ensure compliance with the requirements of this section.
    - (D) To coordinate (as part of an integrated national system) education, clinical care, and research activities within all facilities with an epilepsy center of excellence.
    - (E) To develop jointly a national consortium of providers with interest in treating epilepsy at [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) health care facilities lacking an epilepsy center of excellence in order to ensure better access to [state](/usc/38/101.md?p=20)-of-the-art diagnosis, research, clinical care, and education for traumatic brain injury and epilepsy throughout the health care system of the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1). Such consortium should include a designated epilepsy referral clinic in each [Veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) Integrated Service Network.
  - (3) In carrying out duties under this subsection, the national coordinator for epilepsy programs shall report to the official of the [Veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) Health Administration responsible for neurology.
- (f) **Authorization of Appropriations.—**
  - (1) There are authorized to be appropriated $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2013 for the support of the clinical care, research, and education activities of the epilepsy centers of excellence established and operated pursuant to [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2).
  - (2) There are authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year after fiscal year 2013 such sums as may be necessary for the support of the clinical care, research, and education activities of the epilepsy centers of excellence established and operated pursuant to [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2).
  - (3) The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall ensure that funds for such centers are designated for the first three years of operation as a special purpose program for which funds are not allocated through the [Veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) Equitable Resource Allocation system.
  - (4) In addition to amounts authorized to be appropriated under paragraphs [(1)](#f-1) and [(2)](#f-2) for a fiscal year, the Under [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) for Health shall allocate to such centers from other funds appropriated generally for the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) medical services account and medical and prosthetics research account, as appropriate, such amounts as the Under [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) for Health determines appropriate.
  - (5) In addition to amounts authorized to be appropriated under paragraphs [(1)](#f-1) and [(2)](#f-2) for a fiscal year, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to fund the national coordinator established by [subsection (e)](#e).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 110–387, title IV, § 404(a), Oct. 10, 2008, 122 Stat. 4126; amended Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(225), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4330.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The date of the enactment of the Veterans’ Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–387, which was approved Oct. 10, 2008.

### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (c)(5). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted “chapter 10 of title 5.” for “the Federal Advisory Committee Act.”