House Amendment 1292


PAG LIN




     1  1    Amend House File 234 as follows:
     1  2 #1.  By striking everything after the enacting
     1  3 clause and inserting the following:
     1  4    <Sec.    .  MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS == VETERANS.
     1  5    1.  The division of mental health and disability
     1  6 services of the department of human services and the
     1  7 division of behavioral health of the department of
     1  8 public health shall coordinate with the Iowa
     1  9 department of veterans affairs to maximize access to
     1 10 mental health and substance abuse treatment for
     1 11 veterans.
     1 12    2.  The department of veterans affairs shall expand
     1 13 the veterans counseling program implemented in
     1 14 accordance with section 35.12 to include all of the
     1 15 following:
     1 16    a.  Provision of mental health and substance abuse
     1 17 treatment services specially designed to meet the
     1 18 needs of veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and
     1 19 Afghanistan.
     1 20    b.  A contract with the department of human
     1 21 services for services under the veterans counseling
     1 22 program to be provided at each of the four state
     1 23 mental health institutes.
     1 24    c.  Incorporation of financial or service need
     1 25 eligibility provisions to target veterans with the
     1 26 most significant unmet needs while remaining within
     1 27 the funding available.
     1 28    d.  Coordination of benefits provided under the
     1 29 counseling program with those provided to veterans
     1 30 through the Equality in Health Care Coverage and
     1 31 Veterans Wellness Act enacted by this Act.
     1 32    3.  a.  Notwithstanding section 35D.18, the balance
     1 33 of the Iowa veterans home annual appropriations or
     1 34 revenues in excess of $1,000,000 that remains
     1 35 unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal
     1 36 year beginning July 1, 2008, shall be transferred to a
     1 37 veterans home account which shall be created in the
     1 38 veterans trust fund.
     1 39    b.  There is appropriated from the veterans home
     1 40 account in the veterans trust fund to the department
     1 41 of veterans affairs for the fiscal year beginning July
     1 42 1, 2009, and ending June 30, 2010, $1,000,000, to be
     1 43 used for expansion of the veterans counseling program
     1 44 in accordance with this section.
     1 45    4.  This section of this Act, being deemed of
     1 46 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.>
     1 47 #2.  Title page, by striking lines 1 through 3 and
     1 48 inserting the following:  <An Act relating to veterans
     1 49 services, providing an appropriation, and providing an
     1 50 effective date>.
     2  1
     2  2
     2  3                               
     2  4 TYMESON of Madison
     2  5 HF 234.202 83
     2  6 jp/sc/11729

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