Deborah Sampson Act

Deborah Sampson Act

This bill implements or expands various programs related to health care and benefits for women veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

TITLE I--VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

(Sec. 101) The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) must establish the Office of Women's Health for the purpose of providing a central office for monitoring and encouraging the activities of VHA with respect to the provision, evaluation, and improvement of women veterans' health care services. At a minimum, this section requires at least one designated women's health primary care provider at each medical center and at each community-based outpatient clinic.

The Office of Women's Health must ensure that each VA medical facility holds a public forum for women veterans at least biannually. Additionally, each VA medical facility must convene a focus group of women veterans at least quarterly to discuss harassment at such facilities.

(Sec. 102) This section requires the VA to expand the capabilities of the Women Veterans Call Center by including a text messaging capability.

(Sec. 103) The VA must publish a website providing information for women veterans about the benefits and services available to them.

(Sec. 104) This section requires the VA to report on requirements to retrofit existing VA medical facilities with fixtures, materials, and other outfitting measures to support the provision of care to women veterans.

(Sec. 105) The VA must establish a policy under which the environment of care standards and inspections at VA medical centers include certain elements, including a requirement for the frequency of inspections and a remediation plan.

(Sec. 106) This section authorizes an appropriation for the VA Women Veterans Health Care Mini-Residency Program to provide opportunities for participation in such program for primary care and emergency clinicians.

(Sec. 107) The VA must establish a training module for community providers (non-VA health care providers) that is specific to women veterans.

TITLE II--MEDICAL CARE

(Sec. 201) This section requires the VA to ensure that women's health primary care services are available at every VA medical center and community-based outpatient clinic during regular business hours. Additionally, the VA must conduct a study, interviewing women veterans and employees, to assess the need for and use of extended hours as a means of reducing barriers to care.

(Sec. 202) This section expands eligibility for the treatment program for veterans with psychological trauma caused by sexual abuse or harassment that occurred during active military service. Specifically, the section expands eligibility to former members of the Armed Forces who were discharged or released from service under a condition that is not honorable, but is not dishonorable or a discharge by court-martial. Additionally, such former members and veterans are eligible for trauma that occurred while on duty, regardless of their duty status or the line of duty determination (determination made regarding whether the member was assaulted while in the line of duty).

(Sec. 203) The Readjustment Counseling Service of the VHA must implement a program to provide reintegration and readjustment services in group retreat settings to specified individuals (e.g., veterans and dependents), including cohorts of certain women veterans who are eligible for readjustment counseling services.

(Sec. 204) This section increases from 7 to 14 the number of days that the VA may furnish health care services, including post-delivery care, to the newborn child of a woman veteran who delivered the child in a VA facility, another facility pursuant to a VA contract for such services, or another location if the child is delivered prior to arrival at a facility. Additionally, the section provides that the VA is authorized to furnish transportation (e.g., via ambulance or air ambulance) for the newborn to receive such health care services. If the child is in need of additional care, the VA may furnish such care and transportation for more than 14 days.

The VA must directly reimburse an entity for such health care services or transportation services, unless such services are covered by an established agreement or contract. Where appropriate, the VA is authorized to provide reimbursement for the 14 day allotment of health care or transportation services furnished to a newborn child between May 5, 2010, and the date of enactment of this bill.

TITLE III--REPORTS AND OTHER MATTERS

Subtitle A--Reports

This subtitle requires the VA to report on and study various issues related to the provision of health care and other benefits for women veterans. Additionally, the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans must include in its biennial report an assessment of the effects of intimate partner violence on women veterans.

Subtitle B--Other Matters

(Sec. 321) This section requires the VA to establish a policy to end harassment and sexual assault, including sexual and gender-based harassment, at its facilities. The VA must also designate points of contact to receive reports of harassment and sexual assault at each VA facility, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), National Cemetery Administration locations, regional benefits offices, and at the Central Office of the VA. Additionally, the VA must establish a policy for addressing harassment and sexual assault at facilities and the VISN.

The intake process for veterans at VA medical facilities must include a survey regarding whether such veterans feels safe in the facility.

(Sec. 322) This section authorizes an appropriation for FY2020 under the Supportive Services for Veterans Families program to provide assistance to organizations that focus on assisting very low-income women veterans and their families who are occupying permanent housing.

(Sec. 323) This section requires the VA to complete an analysis of programs that provide assistance to women veterans who are homeless or precariously housed to identify areas for improvement in such programs.

(Sec. 324) This section requires the VA to establish a partnership with at least one nongovernmental organization to provide legal services to women veterans. The partnership must focus on the 10 highest unmet needs of women veterans as identified by the Community Homelessness Assessment, Local Education and Networking Groups (CHALENG) survey.

(Sec. 325) This section requires the VA to implement a program to assist veterans who have experienced or are experiencing intimate partner violence or sexual assault in accessing VA benefits.

(Sec. 326) The VA must consult with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to conduct a national baseline study to examine the scope of the problem of intimate partner violence and sexual assault among veterans and spouses or intimate partners of veterans.

In addition, the VA must consult with DOJ and the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a national task force to develop a comprehensive national program to address intimate partner violence and sexual assault among veterans by integrating VA facilities, services, and benefits into existing networks of community-based intimate partner violence and sexual assault services.