Veterans' Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitative Services' Improvements Act of 2011

Veterans' Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitative Services' Improvements Act of 2011 - Includes within a program of individualized rehabilitation and reintegration plans for veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI): (1) the goal of maximizing the individual's independence and quality of life, and (2) improving such veterans' behavioral and mental health functioning.

Requires the inclusion of rehabilitative services in a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) comprehensive program of long-term care for veterans' TBI that has residential, community, and home-based components utilizing interdisciplinary treatment teams.

[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1855 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1855

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the provision of 
 rehabilitative services for veterans with traumatic brain injury, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 11, 2011

 Mr. Walz of Minnesota (for himself and Mr. Bilirakis) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the provision of 
 rehabilitative services for veterans with traumatic brain injury, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Traumatic Brain Injury 
Rehabilitative Services' Improvements Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. REHABILITATIVE SERVICES FOR VETERANS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN 
              INJURY.

    (a) Rehabilitation Plans and Services.--Section 1710C of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting before the semicolon 
        the following: ``with the goal of maximizing the individual's 
        independence and quality of life'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by inserting after ``improving'' the 
                        following: ``(and sustaining improvement in)'';
                            (ii) by inserting ``behavioral,'' after 
                        ``cognitive'';
                            (iii) by inserting ``and mental health'' 
                        after ``functioning''; and
                            (iv) by inserting ``, quality of life,'' 
                        after ``independence'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``rehabilitative 
                services and'' before ``rehabilitative components''; 
                and
                    (C) in paragraph (3)--
                            (i) by striking ``treatments'' the first 
                        place it appears and inserting ``services''; 
                        and
                            (ii) by striking ``treatments and'' the 
                        second place it appears; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(h) For purposes of this section, and sections 1710D and 1710E of 
this title, the term `rehabilitative services' includes--
            ``(1) rehabilitative services, as defined in section 
        1701(8) of this title;
            ``(2) services (which may be of ongoing duration) to 
        sustain, and prevent loss of, functional gains that have been 
        achieved; and
            ``(3) any other services or supports that may contribute to 
        maximizing an individual's independence and quality of life.''
    (b) Program.--Section 1710D(a) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by inserting ``and rehabilitative services'' after 
        ``long-term care''; and
            (2) by striking ``treatment''.
    (c) Cooperative Agreements.--Section 1710E(a) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting ``, including rehabilitative 
services,'' after ``medical services''.
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