Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 120.djvu/3443

 120 STAT. 3412

Deadline.

PUBLIC LAW 109–461—DEC. 22, 2006

through telehealth linkages with facilities of the Veterans Health Administration. (b) PLAN.—Not later than July 1, 2007, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a plan to implement the requirement in subsection (a). The plan shall specify which facilities of the Readjustment Counseling Service will have the capabilities described in subsection (a) as of the end of each of fiscal years 2007, 2008, and 2009. SEC. 206. STRATEGIC PLAN FOR LONG-TERM CARE.

Deadline.

38 USC 3104 note.

VerDate 14-DEC-2004

(a) PUBLICATION.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall publish a strategic plan for the provision of long-term care by the Department of Veterans Affairs. (b) POLICIES AND STRATEGIES.—The plan published under subsection (a) shall contain policies and strategies for— (1) the delivery of care in domiciliaries, residential treatment facilities, and nursing homes and for seriously mentally ill veterans; (2) maximizing the use of State veterans homes; (3) locating domiciliary units as close to patient populations as feasible; and (4) identifying freestanding nursing homes as an acceptable care model. (c) DATA.—The plan published under subsection (a) shall include data on— (1) the provision of care of catastrophically disabled veterans; and (2) the geographic distribution of catastrophically disabled veterans. (d) NONINSTITUTIONAL LONG-TERM CARE OPTIONS.—The plan published under subsection (a) shall address the spectrum of noninstitutional long-term care options, including each of the following: (1) Respite care. (2) Home-based primary care. (3) Geriatric evaluation. (4) Adult day health care. (5) Skilled home health care. (6) Community residential care. (e) ADDITIONAL MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The plan published under subsection (a) shall provide— (1) cost and quality comparison analyses of all the different levels of long-term care for veterans; (2) detailed information about geographic distribution of services and gaps in care; and (3) specific plans for working with Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies to expand the availability of such care. SEC. 207. BLIND REHABILITATION OUTPATIENT SPECIALISTS.

12:05 Jul 13, 2007

(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following findings: (1) There are approximately 135,000 blind veterans throughout the United States, including approximately 35,000 who are enrolled with the Department of Veterans Affairs. An aging veteran population and injuries incurred in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom are increasing the number of blind veterans.

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