Halle P's List: Legislation on PTSD and Vietnam

• Would establish a supportive housing program for very low-income veterans, with housing assistance financed by HUD and supportive services financed by VA.
• Would establish a supportive housing program for very low-income veterans, with housing assistance financed by HUD and supportive services financed by VA.
• In Committee
• Would establish a supportive housing program for very low-income veterans, with housing assistance financed by HUD and supportive services financed by VA.
• Action: In Committee
• Would establish a supportive housing program for very low-income veterans, with housing assistance financed by HUD and supportive services financed by VA.
• Would establish a supportive housing program for very low-income veterans, with housing assistance financed by HUD and supportive services financed by VA.
• Would establish a supportive housing program for very low-income veterans, with housing assistance financed by HUD and supportive services financed by VA.
• Committee
• Would establish a supportive housing program for very low-income veterans, with housing assistance financed by HUD and supportive services financed by VA.
• In Committee
• Would establish a supportive housing program for very low-income veterans, with housing assistance financed by HUD and supportive services financed by VA.
• In Committee
• In Committee
• In Committee
• In Committee
• In Committee
• Would establish a supportive housing program for very low-income veterans, with housing assistance financed by HUD and supportive services financed by VA.
• Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2007
• Introduced by: Michael Michaud (D-ME)
• Committee
• Passed House July 30, 2007
• voice vote)
• Expands and extend authority for the Incarcerated Veterans’ Transition Program (IVTP)
• to assist incarcerated veterans in their reentry to the community.
• Authorizes the VA to make financial assistance available to nonprofit organizations to facilitate their provision of supportive services for very low-income veterans in permanent housing.
• Provides for permanent authority for domiciliary services for homeless veterans and enhances the VA’s capacity to provide domiciliary care for women veterans.

  • domiciliary= an institutional home for aged and disabled veterans who cannot care for themselves.
• Reduces from 60 to 30 the number of days required for homeless veterans to be enrolled for and receive care in a VA program in order to be eligible for dental services.
• Homes for Heroes Act of 2007
• Introduced by: Al Green (D-TX)
• Action: House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity conducted a hearing on Affordable Housing needs of America’s Low Income Veterans on December 5, 2007; H.R. 3329 was discussed during the hearing.
• Would establish a supportive housing program for very low-income veterans, with housing assistance financed by HUD and supportive services financed by VA.
• Veterans Homelessness Prevention Act
• In Committee
• n Committee
• ction: In Committee
• In Committee
• In Committee
• : In Committee
• Action: In Committee
• Would authorize a pilot housing program within the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development with the goal of preventing at-risk veterans and veterans’ families from falling into homelessness.
• Homes for Heroes Act of 2007
• Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation Act of 2007
• Action: Reported out of Committee in July. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders
• Expands and extend authority for the Incarcerated Veterans’ Transition Program (IVTP)
• Authorizes the VA to make financial assistance available to nonprofit organizations to facilitate their provision of supportive services for very low-income veterans in permanent housing.
• Provides for permanent authority for domiciliary services for homeless veterans and enhance the VA’s capacity to provide domiciliary care for women veterans.
• Repeals authority for adjustments to per diem payments to homeless veteran service centers for receipt of other sources of income.
• Makes grant funds available to maintain adequate staffing for services in homeless veteran service centers.
• Requires VA to conduct a demonstration program to identify veterans at risk of becoming homeless after discharge or separation from the armed ser
• vices and provides referral and counseling services to help prevent such veterans from becoming homeless.
• Enhanced Opportunities for Formerly Homeless Veterans Residing in Permanent Housing Act of 2007
• Action
• o enhance the functioning and integration of formerly homeless veterans who reside in permanent housing.
• Veterans Homelessness Prevention Act
• Would authorize a pilot housing program within the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development with the goal of preventing at-risk veterans and veterans’ families from falling into homelessness.

54 more annotations...

• Parity legislation helps people with mental illness
• Congress took a historic step when, as part of the financial bailout package, it passed legislation prohibiting insurers from discriminating against people with mental illness and addictive disorders.
• his is great news for the 113 million Americans who faced unequal treatment under insurance plans that apply tougher benefit limits or higher copayments for mental illness
• than they do for medical and surgical conditions.
• For decades, science has been gradually lifting the curtain on mental illness and addiction, making effective treatment available for many disorders.
• he bill's passage may prove unexpectedly well-timed. With the economy in trouble, there will undoubtedly be more need for mental health services. Research shows that economic recessions lead to more family stress, suicides, drug abuse among teenagers and binge drinking.
• Leaders in both houses had been vigorously discussing the bill for months, and had largely approved it.
• Mental illness has long been a target for discriminatory practices in private insurance markets.
• A Brandeis University survey of private health plans found that more than 90 percent had special annual limits on outpatient mental health and addiction treatment, and 40 percent required substantial copayments
• The new federal law improves on the 1996 one in a variety of ways. First, it applies to addictions as well as mental health. Addictions are one area where the public and the patient benefit considerably from treating the problem. Successful treatment should reduce crime, car accidents and emergency room use, all of which impose costs on society.
• Second, the new law prohibits a wider range of discriminatory practices, such as the use of special limits on the number of days or visits per treatment episode or per year. Those changes should improve access and reduce the cost for many of the millions suffering from these disorders.
• The bill applies only to people with private insurance, but sets a good precedent for mental health coverage in any future expansion of coverage to the uninsured
• it's critical that many more people now have better mental health coverage to weather good times and bad.

11 more annotations...