Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 94 Part 2.djvu/906

 94 STAT. 2184

PUBLIC LAW 96-466—OCT. 17, 1980

supplementary equipment and initial stocks and supplies as are determined to be needed by such veteran if such supplementary equipment and initial stocks and supplies, or assistance in acquiring them, are not available through the State program or other sources. 38 USC 1518.

"§ 1518. Personnel training, development, and qualincations "(a) The Administrator shall provide a program of ongoing professional training and development for Veterans' Administration counseling and rehabilitation personnel engaged in providing rehabilitation services under this chapter. The objective of such training shall be to insure that rehabilitation services for disabled veterans are provided in accordance with the most advanced knowledge, methods, and techniques available for the rehabilitation of handicapped persons. For this purpose, the Administrator may employ the services of consultants and may make grants to and contract with public or private agencies (including institutions of higher learning) to conduct such training and development. "(b) The Administrator shall coordinate with the Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration in the Department of Education and the Assistant Secretary for Veterans' Employment in the Department of Labor in planning and carrying out personnel training in areas of mutual programmatic concern. "(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator shall establish such qualifications for personnel providing evaluation and rehabilitation services to veterans under this chapter and for employees performing the functions described in section 1506(e) of this title as the Administrator determines are necessary and appropriate to insure the quality of rehabilitation programs under this chapter. In establishing such qualifications, the Administrator shall take into account the qualifications established for comparable per2^\jSC10letseq. sonnel under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. ch. 16). 38 USC 1519.

Grants or contracts.

"§ 1519. Rehabilitation research and special projects "(a) The Administrator shall carry out an ongoing program of activities for the purpose of advancing the knowledge, methods, techniques, and resources available for use in rehabilitation programs for veterans. For this purpose, the Administrator shall conduct and provide support for the development or conduct, or both the development and conduct, of— "(1) studies and research concerning the psychological, educational, employment, social, vocational, industrial, and economic aspects of the rehabilitation of disabled veterans, including new methods of rehabilitation; and "(2) projects which are designed to increase the resources and potential for accomplishing the rehabilitation of disabled veterans. "(b) For the purpose specified in subsection (a) of this section, the Administrator is authorized to make grants to or contract with public or nonprofit agencies, including institutions of higher learning. "(c) The Administrator shall cooperate with the Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration and the Director of the Institute of Handicapped Research in the Department of Education, the Assistant Secretary for Veterans' Employment in the Department of Labor, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services regarding rehabilitation studies, research, and special projects of mutual programmatic concern.

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