Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 110 Part 5.djvu/130

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110 STAT. 3204 PUBLIC LAW 104-262—OCT. 9, 1996 (2) A description of the advances made at each of the participating facilities of the center in research, education and training, and chnical activities relating to mental illness in veterans. (3) A description of the actions taken by the Under Secretary for Health pursuant to subsection (h) of that section (as so added) to disseminate information derived from such activities throughout the Veterans Health Administration. (4) The Secretary evaluations of the effectiveness of the centers in fulfilling the purposes of the centers. 38 USC 7320 (c) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall note. designate at least one center under section 7320 of title 38, United States Code, not later than January 1, 1998. SEC. 335. COMMITTEE ON CARE OF SEVERELY CHRONICALLY MENTALLY ILL VETERANS. (a) ESTABLISHMENT. —Subchapter II of chapter 73 is amended by adding after section 7320, as added by section 334(a)(1), the following new section:

    • § 7321. Committee on Care of Severely Chronically Mentally

HI Veterans "(a) The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Health, shall establish in the Veterans Health Administration a Committee on Care of Severely Chronically Mentally 111 Veterans. The Under Secretary shall appoint employees of the Department with expertise in the care of the chronically mentally ill to serve on the committee. "(b) The committee shall assess, and carry out a continuing assessment of, the capability of the Veterans Health Administration to meet effectively the treatment and rehabilitation needs of mentally ill veterans whose mental illness is severe and chronic and who are eligible for health care furnished by the Department, including the needs of such vetergins who are women. In carrying out that responsibility, the committee shall— "(1) evaluate the care provided to such veterans through the Veterans Health Administration; "(2) identify systemwide problems in caring for such veterans in facilities of the Veterans Health Administration; "(3) identify specific facilities within the Veterans Health Administration at which program enrichment is needed to improve treatment and rehabilitation of such veterans; and "(4) identify model programs which the committee considers to have been successful in the treatment and rehabilitation of such veterans and which should be implemented more widely in or through facilities of the Veterans Health Administration. "(c) The committee shall— "(1) advise the Under Secretary regarding the development of policies for the care and rehabilitation of severely chronically mentally ill veterans; and "(2) make recommendations to the Under Secretary— "(A) for improving programs of care of such veterans at specific facilities and throughout the Veterans Health Administration; "(B) for establishing special programs of education and training relevant to the care of such veterans for employees of the Veterans Health Administration;