House Amendment 1221


PAG LIN




     1  1    Amend House File 234 as follows:
     1  2 #1.  Page 1, line 2, by striking the words <AND
     1  3 VETERANS WELLNESS>.
     1  4 #2.  Page 1, line 4, by striking the words <and
     1  5 Veterans Wellness>.
     1  6 #3.  Page 2, by striking lines 22 through 27.
     1  7 #4.  Page 3, by inserting after line 1 the
     1  8 following:
     1  9    <Sec.    .  MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS == VETERANS.
     1 10    1.  The division of mental health and disability
     1 11 services of the department of human services and the
     1 12 division of behavioral health of the department of
     1 13 public health shall coordinate with the Iowa
     1 14 department of veterans affairs to maximize access to
     1 15 mental health and substance abuse treatment for
     1 16 veterans.
     1 17    2.  The department of veterans affairs shall expand
     1 18 the veterans counseling program implemented in
     1 19 accordance with section 35.12 to include all of the
     1 20 following:
     1 21    a.  Provision of mental health and substance abuse
     1 22 treatment services specially designed to meet the
     1 23 needs of veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and
     1 24 Afghanistan.
     1 25    b.  A contract with the department of human
     1 26 services for services under the veterans counseling
     1 27 program to be provided at each of the four state
     1 28 mental health institutes.
     1 29    c.  Incorporation of financial or service need
     1 30 eligibility provisions to target veterans with the
     1 31 most significant unmet needs while remaining within
     1 32 the funding available.
     1 33    d.  Coordination of benefits provided under the
     1 34 counseling program with those provided to veterans
     1 35 through the Equality in Health Care Coverage and
     1 36 Veterans Wellness Act enacted by this Act.
     1 37    3.  a.  Notwithstanding section 35D.18, the balance
     1 38 of the Iowa veterans home annual appropriations or
     1 39 revenues in excess of $1,000,000 that remains
     1 40 unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal
     1 41 year beginning July 1, 2008, shall be transferred to a
     1 42 veterans home account which shall be created in the
     1 43 veterans trust fund.
     1 44    b.  There is appropriated from the veterans home
     1 45 account in the veterans trust fund to the department
     1 46 of veterans affairs for the fiscal year beginning July
     1 47 1, 2009, and ending June 30, 2010, $1,000,000, to be
     1 48 used for expansion of the veterans counseling program
     1 49 in accordance with this section.
     1 50    4.  This section of this Act, being deemed of
     2  1 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.>
     2  2 #5.  Title page, line 3, by inserting after the
     2  3 word <services> the following:  <and veterans
     2  4 services, providing an appropriation, and providing an
     2  5 effective date>.
     2  6 #6.  By renumbering as necessary.
     2  7
     2  8
     2  9                               
     2 10 TYMESON of Madison
     2 11 HF 234.305 83
     2 12 jp/nh/11726

                              -1-