PUBLIC LAW 104-262—OCT. 9, 1996 110 STAT. 3203 "(1) may compete for the award of funding from amounts appropriated for the Department of Veterans Affairs medical and prosthetics research account; and "(2) shall receive priority in the award of funding from such account insofar as funds are awarded to projects and activities relating to mental illness. "(g) The Under Secretary for Health shall ensure that at least three centers designated under this section emphasize research into means of improving the quality of care for veterans suffering from mental illness through the development of community-based alternatives to institutional treatment for such illness. "(h) The Under Secretary for Health shall ensure that information produced by the research, education and training, and clinical activities of centers established under this section that may be useful for other activities of the Veterans Health Administration is disseminated throughout the Veterans Health Administration. Such dissemination shall be made through publications, through programs of continuing medical and related education provided through regional medical education centers under subchapter VI of chapter 74 of this title, and through other means. Such programs of continuing medical education shall receive priority in the award of funding. "(i) The official within the central office of the Veterans Health Administration responsible for mental health and behavioral sciences matters shall be responsible for supervising the operation of the centers established pursuant to this section and shall provide for ongoing evEduation of the centers and their compliance with the requirements of this section. "(j)(l) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Depart- Appropriation ment of Veterans Affairs for the basic support of the research authorization. and education and training activities of centers established pursuant to this section amounts as follows: "(A) $3,125,000 for fiscal year 1998. "(B) $6,250,000 for each of fiscal years 1999 through 2001. "(2) In addition to funds appropriated for a fiscal year pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in paragraph (1), the Under Secretary for Health shall allocate to such centers from other funds appropriated for that fiscal year generally for the Department of Veterans Affairs medical care account and the Department of Veterans Affairs medical and prosthetics research account such amounts as the Under Secretary for Health determines appropriate to carry out the purposes of this section.". (2) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 73 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 7319, as added by section 321(a)(2), the following new item: "7320. Centers for mental illness research, education, and clinical activities.". (b) ANNUAL REPORTS.— Not later than February 1 of each of 38 USC 7320 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs note, shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the status and activities during the previous fiscal year of the centers for mental illness research, education, and clinical activities established pursuant to section 7320 of title 38, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)). Each such report shall include the following: (1) A description of the activities carried out at each center and the funding provided for such activities. 29-194O-96 -5:QL3Part5
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