article: SECTION 1. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS SEXUAL TRAUMA COUNSELING PROGRAM. (a) Extension of Period of Authority To Provide Sexual Trauma Counseling.--Subsection (a) of section 1720D of title 38, United States Code, is amended-- (1) by striking out ``December 31, 1995,'' in paragraph (1) and inserting in lieu thereof ``December 31, 1998,''; and (2) by striking out ``December 31, 1994,'' in paragraph (3) and inserting in lieu thereof ``December 31, 1998,''. (b) Period of Eligibility To Seek Counseling.--(1) Such subsection is further amended-- (A) by striking out paragraph (2); and (B) by redesignating paragraph (3) (as amended by subsection (a)(2)) as paragraph (2). (2) Section 102(b) of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-585; 106 Stat. 4946; 38 U.S.C. 1720D note) is repealed. (c) Repeal of Limitation on Period of Receipt of Counseling.-- Section 1720D of title 38, United States Code, is further amended-- (1) by striking out subsection (b); and (2) by redesignating subsections (c), (d), and (e) as subsections (b), (c), and (d), respectively. (d) Increased Priority of Care.--Section 1712(i) of title 38, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in paragraph (1)-- (A) by inserting ``(A)'' after ``To a veteran''; and (B) by inserting ``, or (B) who is eligible for counseling under section 1720D of this title, for the purposes of such counseling'' before the period at the end; and (2) in paragraph (2)-- (A) by striking out ``, (B)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``or (B)''; and (B) by striking out ``, or (C)'' and all that follows through ``such counseling''. (e) Program Revision.--(1) Section 1720D of title 38, United States Code, is further amended-- (A) by striking out ``woman'' in subsection (a)(1); (B) by striking out ``women'' in subsection (b)(2)(C) and in the first sentence of subsection (c), as redesignated by subsection (c); and (C) by striking out ``women'' in subsection (c)(2), as so redesignated, and inserting in lieu thereof ``individuals''. (2)(A) The heading of such section is amended to read as follows: ``Sec. 1720D. Counseling for sexual trauma''. (B) The item relating to such section in the table of sections at the beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended to read as follows: ``1720D. Counseling for sexual trauma.''. (f) Information on Counseling by Telephone.--(1) Paragraph (1) of section 1720D(c) of title 38, United States Code, as redesignated by subsection (c) of this section, is amended by striking out ``may'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``shall''. (2) In providing information on counseling available to veterans through the information system required under section 1720D(c)(1) of title 38, United States Code (as amended by this section), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure-- (A) that the telephone system described in such section is operated by Department of Veterans Affairs personnel who are trained in the provision to persons who have experienced sexual trauma of information about the care and services relating to sexual trauma that are available to veterans in the communities in which such veterans reside, including care and services available under programs of the Department (including the care and services available under section 1720D of such title) and from non-Department agencies or organizations; (B) that such personnel are provided with information on the care and services relating to sexual trauma that are available to veterans and the locations in which such care and services are available; (C) that such personnel refer veterans seeking such care and services to appropriate providers of such care and services (including care and services that are available in the communities in which such veterans reside); (D) that the telephone system is operated in a manner that protects the confidentiality of persons who place telephone calls to the system; and (E) that the telephone system operates at all times. (3) The Secretary shall ensure that information about the availability of the telephone system is visibly posted in Department medical facilities and is advertised through public service announcements, pamphlets, and other means. (4) Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the operation of the telephone system required under section 1720D(c)(1) of title 38, United States Code (as so amended). The report shall set forth the following: (A) The number of telephone calls placed to the system during the period covered by the report, with a separate display of (i) the number of calls placed to the system from each State (as such term is defined in section 101(20) of title 38, United States Code) during that period, and (ii) the number of persons who placed more than one call to the system during that period. (B) The types of sexual trauma described to personnel operating the system by persons placing calls to the system. (C) A description of the difficulties, if any, experienced by persons placing calls to the system in obtaining care and services for sexual trauma in the communities in which such persons live, including care and services available from the Department and from non-Department agencies and organizations. (D) A description of the training provided to the personnel operating the system. (E) The recommendations and plans of the Secretary for the improvement of the system. (5) The Secretary shall commence operation of the telephone system required under section 1720D(c)(1) of title 38, United States Code (as so amended), not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. SEC. 2. REPORT RELATING TO DETERMINATIONS OF SERVICE CONNECTION FOR SEXUAL TRAUMA. (a) Report.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report containing the Secretary's assessment of-- (1) the difficulties that veterans encounter in obtaining from the Department of Veterans Affairs determinations that disabilities relating to sexual trauma resulting from events that occurred during active duty are service-connected disabilities; and (2) the extent to which Department personnel fail to make determinations that such disabilities are service-connected disabilities. (b) Recommendations.--The Secretary shall include in the report the Secretary's recommendations for actions to be taken to respond in a fair manner to the difficulties described in the report and to eliminate failures to make determinations that such disabilities are service-connected disabilities. (c) Definition.--In this section, the term ``sexual trauma'' means the immediate and long-term physical or psychological trauma resulting from rape, sexual assault, aggravated sexual abuse (as such term is described in section 2241 of title 18, United States Code), sexual harassment, or other act of sexual violence. (d) Deadline for Report.--The report required by this section shall be submitted not later than June 30, 1994. SEC. 3. COORDINATORS OF WOMEN'S SERVICES. (a) Requirement of Full-time Service.--Section 108 of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-585; 106 Stat. 4948; 38 U.S.C. 1710 note) is amended-- (1) by inserting ``(a)'' before ``The Secretary''; and (2) by adding at the end the following: ``(b) Each official who serves in the position of coordinator of women's services under subsection (a) shall so serve on a full-time basis.''. (b) Additional Responsibilities.--Subsection (a) of such section (as designated by subsection (a) of this section) is further amended-- (1) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6); and (2) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new paragraph (5): ``(5) Facilitating communication between women veterans coordinators under the jurisdiction of such regional coordinator and the Under Secretary for Health and the Secretary.''. (c) Support for Women's Services Coordinators.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall take appropriate actions to ensure that-- (1) sufficient funding is provided to each Department of Veterans Affairs facility in order to permit the coordinator of women's services to carry out the responsibilities of the coordinator at the facility; (2) sufficient clerical and communications support is provided to each such coordinator for that purpose; and (3) each such coordinator has direct access to the Director or Chief of Staff of the facility to which the coordinator is assigned.
summary: Amends the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 and Federal veterans' benefits provisions to: (1) extend through December 31, 1998, the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide sexual trauma counseling at Department facilities as well as through non-Department providers; (2) remove a requirement that veterans seek such counseling within a specified period after discharge; (3) remove the current one-year limit on the length of such counseling; (4) make the provision of such counseling equal in priority to the provision of Department outpatient services; (5) authorize the Department to provide such counseling to all veterans (currently, only women); and (6) require (current law authorizes) the provision of a 24-hour toll-free telephone number for the provision of sexual trauma crisis counseling. Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make certain reports with respect to: (1) the operation of the telephone hotline; and (2) the difficulties veterans encounter in obtaining from the Department determinations that disabilities relating to sexual trauma are service-connected. Modifies responsibilities of Department coordinators of women's services. Requires the Secretary to ensure that such coordinators are provided sufficient resources to carry out such responsibilities.