3 1 ing health and health-related services from sources outside 2 the Veterans' Administration, not at Veterans' Administra3 tion expense, when such services are reasonably necessary in 4 the treatment of veterans eligible for care under chapter 17 5 of this title. In carrying out this section, the Administrator 6 shall place particular emphasis on the needs of veterans with 7 service-connected disabilities rated at 50 per centum or more 8 and veterans age sixty-five or older.". 9 (b) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 73 10 is amended by adding after the item relating to section 4119 11 the following: 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 "4120. Referrals and arrangements for community services.". ALCOHOL TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION SEC. 3. (a) Section 620A is amended (1) by amending paragraph (1) of subsection (a) to read as follows: "(1)(A) The Administrator, in furnishing hospital, nursing home and domiciliary care, and medical and rehabilitative services under this chapter, may contract for care and treatment and rehabilitative services in 20 halfway houses, at such per diem rates as the Adminis 23 trator shall by regulation prescribe consistent with pre vailing rates in the community. "(B) For the purposes of this section, the term 'halfway house' means a treatment facility not under the direct jurisdiction of the Administrator, offering a S 2514 IS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 4 community based, peer group oriented, residential pro gram of treatment and rehabilitation for alcohol or drug dependence or abuse disabilities, which provides food, lodging, and supportive services in a drug- and alcohol-free environment for veterans recovering from active alcohol or drug abuse. "(C) The maximum period for one treatment episode under the authority established by paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection shall be limited to sixty days."; (2) by redesignating paragraph (2) of subsection (a) as paragraph (D); (3) by striking out subsection (e); (4) by redesignating all subsections, paragraphs, clauses, and cross-references accordingly; and (5) by adding at the end the following new sub section: "(b) The Administrator shall prescribe regulations, not 18 later than twelve months after the date of enactment of this 19 Act 20 21 “(1) to establish maximum periods of treatment and rehabilitation for alcohol or drug dependence or 22 abuse disabilities of a veteran eligible for care under this chapter consistent with the average periods of such treatment and rehabilitation experienced in pro 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 5 grams not administered by the Veterans' Administra tion, to include specific maximum periods for— "(A) detoxification to stabilize the veteran's condition; "(B) acute inpatient care and treatment; "(C) additional extended care and treatment in cases involving multiple and complex diagnoses; and "(D) outpatient care and treatment including appropriate referral services under section 4120 of this title; and "(2) to ensure that individual treatment plans are developed, implemented, and monitored (including at least one year of followup monitoring after discharge from inpatient care and treatment) for each veteran receiving care for alcohol or drug dependence or abuse disabilities."; (6) in paragraph (5) of subsection (a) (as redesig 19 nated by paragraph (3) of this subsection), by striking 20 out "authorized by this section" and inserting in lieu 21 thereof “authorized by the amendment made by section 2 2 2 2 22 23 104 of Public Law 96-22 (93 Stat. 50)". (b) Not later than September 30, 1984, and on Septem 24 ber 30 of each subsequent year, the Administrator shall 25 submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate 6 1 and House of Representatives a comprehensive survey of all 2 Veterans' Administration alcohol and drug treatment and re3 habilitation programs, identifying by facility, the number of 4 beds involved, the number of patients and episodes of care 5 (whether inpatient-acute, inpatient-rehabilitation, or outpa6 tient), the specific treatment modalities employed, average 7 lengths of stay, and staffing requirements, together with a 8 national summary of such information. The third such report 9 shall contain in addition information on the effectiveness of 10 the care and treatment furnished to veterans for alcohol or 11 drug dependence or abuse disabilities in light of the regula12 tions promulgated and implemented under subsection (b) of 13 section 620A (as amended by this section), including informa14 tion on the use of differential diagnosis, case-management 15 treatment, lengths of stay, discharge planning, methods of 16 monitoring the use of halfway houses under the authority of 17 section 620A, and referral and followup programs. 18 (c) The section heading of section 620A and the item 19 relating to such section in the table of sections at the begin20 ning of chapter 17 are each amended by striking out the 21 semicolon and "pilot program”. 22 23 MEDICAL AND REHABILITATIVE DEVICES SEC. 4. Section 601(6)(A)(i) is amended by inserting 24 "devices for the hearing-impaired in the case of any veteran S 2514 IS 7 1 who is totally deaf (including telecaptioning television decod 2 ers)," after "prosthetic appliances,". 3 4 POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER SEC. 5. (a) Section 4101 is amended by adding at the 5 end thereof the following new subsection: 6 "(g)(1) The Administrator shall establish in the Mental 7 Health and Behavioral Sciences Service of the Department 8 of Medicine and Surgery a position to be known as Associate 9 Director for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (hereinafter in 10 this subsection referred to as "Associate Director") and shall 11 appoint an individual to serve in such position. The rate of 12 basic pay of the Associate Director shall not be less than the 13 minimum rate of basic pay payable for a position in chief 14 grade under the physician and dentist schedule set out in 15 section 4107(b)(1). 16 "(2) The Associate Director shall develop policies, pro17 vide guidance, and coordinate the provision of services for the 18 treatment of Vietnam veterans with posttraumatic stress dis19 order, including care furnished in inpatient posttraumatic 20 stress disorder units. 21 "(3) The Associate Director shall coordinate, by medical 22 region, inpatient care for eligible veterans suffering from 222263 23 posttraumatic stress disorder, and shall take steps to ensure 24 that the provision of such care includes the use of treatment 25 plans, referral procedures, and posttreatment followup care. |