article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Care Improvement Act of 2011''. SEC. 2. REPORT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF POLYTRAUMA REHABILITATION CENTER OR POLYTRAUMA NETWORK SITE OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IN SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO AND EL PASO, TEXAS, REGION. (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings: (1) The military population of the southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, region has grown greatly since the United States has been involved in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and members of the Armed Forces returning from such operations to such region will require care at polytrauma centers as a result of their involvement with such operations. (2) The population at Fort Bliss in Texas and New Mexico is expected to grow from 9,300 members of the Armed Forces in 2005 to an estimated 33,400 members of the Armed Forces by 2012 because of the ongoing expansion of Fort Bliss. (3) Traumatic brain injury has become known as one of the signature wounds of service in the Armed Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan because of its high occurrence among veterans of such service. Many members of the Armed Forces returning to the El Paso, Texas, and southern New Mexico region from overseas service in the Armed Forces are expected to suffer from traumatic brain injury or other forms of injury requiring treatment at a polytrauma rehabilitation center or polytrauma network site. (4) A recent RAND Corporation study estimates that as many as 20 percent of the veterans who served in the Armed Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan have a traumatic brain injury as a result of such service, and many of these veterans require ongoing care for mild, moderate, or severe traumatic brain injury. (5) The Department of Veterans Affairs recommends that all veterans experiencing a polytraumatic injury be referred to a polytrauma rehabilitation center or polytrauma network site of the Department. (6) The polytrauma system of care of the Department includes 4 polytrauma rehabilitation centers and 21 polytrauma network sites, none of which are located within 300 miles driving distance of Fort Bliss, White Sands Missile Range, or Holloman Air Force Base. (7) The large military population in the southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, region necessitates a new polytrauma rehabilitation center or polytrauma network site of the Department to deal with the significant hardships veterans residing in such region require. (b) Report.-- (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report on the feasibility and advisability of establishing a polytrauma rehabilitation center or polytrauma network site of the Department of Veterans Affairs in the southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, region that is within a reasonable driving distance of Fort Bliss, White Sands Missile Range, and Holloman Air Force Base. (2) Requirements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A) An assessment of the adequacy of existing Department facilities in the southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, region to address matters that are otherwise addressed by polytrauma rehabilitation centers and polytrauma network sites of the Department. (B) A comparative assessment of the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs for individuals with traumatic brain injuries in urban areas with the effectiveness of such programs for individuals with traumatic brain injuries in rural and frontier communities. (C) An assessment of whether therapies that can prevent or remediate the development of secondary neurologic conditions related to traumatic brain injury can be interrupted by stress caused by living in an urban area. (D) The relation of high cost of living to the recovery of veterans and the impact on their families in comparison to recovery in an area where there is a lower cost of living. (3) Locations.--In preparing the report required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider and evaluate various locations for the potential location of a new polytrauma rehabilitation center or polytrauma network site. One location receiving such consideration and evaluation shall be the Fort Bayard Medical Center in Grant County, New Mexico. (4) Consultation.--In preparing the report required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult with appropriate State and local government agencies in the southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, region.
summary: Southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Care Improvement Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to report to Congress on the feasibility and advisability of establishing a Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center or Polytrauma Network Site of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in the southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, region that is within a reasonable driving distance of Fort Bliss, White Sands Missile Range, and Holloman Air Force Base. Requires the Fort Bayard Medical Center in Grant County, New Mexico, to be evaluated as a potential location for such a Center or Site.