PILOT PROGRAM ON ASSISTANCE FOR CHILD CARE FOR CERTAIN VETERANS RECEIVING HEALTH CARE.

SEC. 205. PILOT PROGRAM ON ASSISTANCE FOR CHILD CARE FOR CERTAIN VETERANS RECEIVING HEALTH CARE.(a) Pilot Program Required.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of providing, subject to subsection (b), assistance to qualified veterans described in subsection (c) to obtain child care so that such veterans can receive health care services described in subsection (c).(b) Limitation on Period of Payments.—Assistance may only be provided to a qualified veteran under the pilot program for receipt of child care during the period that the qualified veteran—(1) receives the types of health care services described in subsection (c) at a facility of the Department; and(2) requires travel to and return from such facility for the receipt of such health care services.(c) Qualified Veterans.—For purposes of this section, a qualified veteran is a veteran who is—(1) the primary caretaker of a child or children; and(2)(A) receiving from the Department—(i) regular mental health care services;(ii) intensive mental health care services; or(iii) such other intensive health care services that the Secretary determines that provision of assistance to the veteran to obtain child care would improve access to such health care services by the veteran; or(B) in need of regular or intensive mental health care services from the Department, and but for lack of child care services, would receive such health care services from the Department.(d) Locations.—The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program in no fewer than three Veterans Integrated Service Networks selected by the Secretary for purposes of the pilot program.124 STAT. 1145(e) Duration.—The pilot program shall be carried out during the 2-year period beginning on the date of the commencement of the pilot program.(f) Forms of Child Care Assistance.—(1) In general.—Child care assistance under this section may include the following:(A) Stipends for the payment of child care offered by licensed child care centers (either directly or through a voucher program) which shall be, to the extent practicable, modeled after the Department of Veterans Affairs Child Care Subsidy Program established pursuant to section 630 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 2002 (Public Law 107–67; 115 Stat. 552).(B) Direct provision of child care at an on-site facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs.(C) Payments to private child care agencies.(D) Collaboration with facilities or programs of other Federal departments or agencies.(E) Such other forms of assistance as the Secretary considers appropriate.(2) Amounts of stipends.—In the case that child care assistance under this section is provided as a stipend under paragraph (1)(A), such stipend shall cover the full cost of such child care.(g) Report.—Not later than 6 months after the completion of the pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the pilot program. The report shall include the findings and conclusions of the Secretary as a result of the pilot program, and shall include such recommendations for the continuation or expansion of the pilot program as the Secretary considers appropriate.(h) Authorization of Appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out the pilot program $1,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 and 2011.