Such a relocation may be carried out only after the end of the 30day period beginning on the date on which the Secretary notifies the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the proposed relocation, of the circumstances making it necessary, and of the reason for the selection of the new site for the center.

(2)(A) Not later than April 1, 1988, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the Secretary's evaluation of the effecI tiveness in helping to meet the readjustment needs of veterans who served on active duty during the Vietnam era of the readjustment counseling and mental health services provided pursuant to this section (and of outreach efforts with respect to such counseling and services). Such report shall give particular attention, in light of the I results of the study required by section 102 of the Veterans' Health Care Amendments of 1983 (Public Law 98-160) to the provision of such counseling and services to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and to the diagnosis and treatment of such disorder.

(B) The report required by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph e shall include

(i) the opinion of the Secretary with respect to (I) the extent to which the readjustment needs of veterans who served on active duty during the Vietnam era remain unmet, and (II) the extent to which the provision of readjustment counseling services under this section in centers is needed to meet such needs; and

(ii) in light of the opinion submitted pursuant to clause (i) of this subparagraph, such recommendations for amendments to this subsection and for other legislative and administrative action as the Secretary considers appropriate.

F

(3)(A) The Secretary, after considering the recommendations of the Under Secretary for Health, shall submit to such committees a report setting forth a national plan for all centers in existence on January 1, 1988. Such national plan shall set forth the Secretary's proposals as to each such center for a period (to be determined by the Secretary) of not less than 12 months beginning on the date of the submission of the report. The plan shall include, as to each center, whether the Secretary proposes to relocate the center to a gen*eral Department facility, relocate the center to a new location away from a general Department facility, expand the center in the same location, or close the center. The plan shall also set forth any proposal of the Secretary to open additional centers.

(B) The plan shall include the Secretary's evaluation as to how, in light of each of the criteria described in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph, the proposal set forth in the plan for each center covered by the plan would ensure the continued availability and effective furnishing of readjustment counseling services to eligible veterans needing such services in the geographic area served by that center.

(C) The Secretary shall make the evaluation described in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph with respect to any center in light of the following:

(i) The distribution of Vietnam-era veterans in the geographic area served by the center and the relationships be

tween the location of such center and the general Department facility and such distribution.

(ii) The distance between the center and the general Department facility.

(iii) The availability of other entities (such as State, local, or private outreach facilities) which provide assistance to Vietnam-era veterans in the area served by the center.

(iv) The availability of transportation to, and parking at, the center and the general Department facility.

(v) The availability, cost, and suitability of the space at the general Department facility.

(vi) The overall cost impact of the proposed closure or relocation, including a comparison of the recurring nonpersonnel costs of providing readjustment counseling to the same estimated number of veterans at the center and the general Department facility.

(vii) The workload trends over the two previous fiscal years, and projected over the next fiscal year (or longer), at the center.

(viii) Such other factors as the Secretary determines to be relevant to making the evaluation described in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph.

(D) For the purposes of this paragraph, the term "general Department facility" means a Department facility which is not a center and at which readjustment counseling would be furnished in a particular geographic area upon the closure or relocation of a center.

(4) After submitting the plan required by paragraph (3) of this subsection, the Secretary may submit to the committees a revision to such plan in order to modify the proposal set forth in the plan as to any center. Any such revision shall include, with respect to each center addressed in the revision, a description of the Secretary's evaluation of the matters specified in paragraphs (3)(B) and (3)(C) of this subsection.

(5) For purposes of determining a period of time under paragraph (1)(B) of this subsection, if the national plan (or a revision to the national plan) is submitted to the committees during the 121-day period beginning 60 days before and ending 60 days after the final day of a session of the Congress, it shall be deemed to have been submitted on the sixty-first day after the final day of such session. [(h) Repealed. P.L. 102–83, §4(b).]

(i) For the purposes of this section:

(1) The term "center" means a facility (including a Resource Center designated under subsection (h)(3)(A) of this section) which is operated by the Department for the provision of serv ices under this section and which (A) is situated apart from Department general health-care facilities, or (B) was so situated but has been relocated to a Department general healthcare facility.

(2) The term "Department general health-care facility" means a health-care facility which is operated by the Department for the furnishing of health-care services under this chapter, not limited to services provided through the program established under this section.

Added P.L. 96–22, § 103(a)(1), June 13, 1979, 93 Stat. 48, §612A; mended P.L. 96-128, § 501(b), Nov. 28, 1979, 93 Stat. 987; P.L. 7-72, § 104(a)(1), (b), Nov. 3, 1981, 95 Stat. 1049; P.L. 98-160, 101, Nov. 21, 1983, 97 Stat. 993; P.L. 99–166, §§ 105, 106, Dec. 1985, 99 Stat. 944, 945; P.L. 99-272, §§ 19011(d)(4), 19012(c)(3), pr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 379, 382; P.L. 99-576, § 204, § 702(6), Oct. 8, 1986, 100 Stat. 3255, 3302; P.L. 100–322, § 107(a)–(e), May 20, 988, 102 Stat. 494-496; P.L. 100-687, § 1501(a), Nov. 18, 1988, 02 Stat. 4132; P.L. 102-25, §334(d), Apr. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 89; ›.L. 102–54, § 14(b)(11), June 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 283; renumbered 1712A and amended P.L. 102-83, §§ 4(a)(3), (4), (b)(1), (2)(E), (6), (a), (c)(1), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 404-406; P.L. 102-405, 302(c)(1), Oct. 9, 1992, 106 Stat. 1984; P.L. 104-262, §§ 101(d)(5), 31, Oct. 9, 1996, 110 Stat. 3180, 3197.)

1712B. Counseling for former prisoners of war

The Secretary may establish a program under which, upon the equest of a veteran who is a former prisoner of war, the Secretary, vithin the limits of Department facilities, furnishes counseling to uch veteran to assist such veteran in overcoming the psychological ffects of the veteran's detention or internment as a prisoner of

var.

Added P.L. 99-166, § 107(a), Dec. 3, 1985, 99 Stat. 945, § 612B; reumbered § 1712B and amended P.L. 102-83, §§ 4(a)(3), (4), (b)(1), 2)(E), 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 404-406.)

1713. Medical care for survivors and dependents of certain veterans

(a) The Secretary is authorized to provide medical care, in acordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, for(1) the spouse or child of a veteran who has a total disability, permanent in nature, resulting from a service-connected disability,

(2) the surviving spouse or child of a veteran who (A) died as a result of a service-connected disability, or (B) at the time of death had a total disability permanent in nature, resulting from a service-connected disability, and

(3) the surviving spouse or child of a person who died in the active military, naval, or air service in the line of duty and not due to such person's own misconduct,

who are not otherwise eligible for medical care under chapter 55 of title 10 (CHAMPUS).

(b) In order to accomplish the purposes of subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary shall provide for medical care in the same or similar manner and subject to the same or similar limitations as medical care is furnished to certain dependents and survivors of active duty and retired members of the Armed Forces under chapter 55 of title 10 (CHAMPUS), by—

(1) entering into an agreement with the Secretary of Defense under which that Secretary shall include coverage for such medical care under the contract, or contracts, that Secretary enters into to carry out such chapter 55, and under which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall fully reimburse the Sec

retary of Defense for all costs and expenditures made for the purposes of affording the medical care authorized pursuant to this section; or

(2) contracting in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary shall prescribe for such insurance, medical service, or health plans as the Secretary deems appropriate.

In cases in which Department medical facilities are equipped to provide the care and treatment, the Secretary is also authorized to carry out such purposes through the use of such facilities not being utilized for the care of eligible veterans.

(c) For the purposes of this section, a child between the ages of eighteen and twenty-three (1) who is eligible for benefits under subsection (a) of this section, (2) who is pursuing a full-time course of instruction at an educational institution approved under chapter 36 of this title, and (3) who, while pursuing such course of instruction, incurs a disabling illness or injury (including a disabling illness or injury incurred between terms, semesters, or quarters or during a vacation or holiday period) which is not the result of such child's own willful misconduct and which results in such child's inability to continue or resume such child's chosen program of edu cation at an approved educational institution shall remain eligible for benefits under this section until the end of the six-month period beginning on the date the disability is removed, the end of the twoyear period beginning on the date of the onset of the disability, or the twenty-third birthday of the child, whichever occurs first.

(d) Notwithstanding section 1086(d)(1) of title 10 or any other provision of law, any spouse, surviving spouse, or child who, after losing eligibility for medical care under this section by virtue of becoming entitled to hospital insurance benefits under part A of title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395c et seq.), has exhausted any such benefits shall become eligible for medical care under this section and shall not thereafter lose such eligibility under this section by virtue of becoming again eligible for such hospital insurance benefits.

(Added P.L. 93-82, § 103(b), Aug. 2, 1973, 87 Stat. 181, §613 amended P.L. 94-581, § 104, §210(a)(4), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat 2845, 2862; P.L. 96-151, § 205(a), Dec. 20, 1979, 93 Stat. 1094; P.L 97-72, § 105, Nov. 3, 1981, 95 Stat. 1050; P.L. 97–251, §5(a), Sept 8, 1982, 96 Stat. 716; renumbered § 1713 and amended P.L. 10283, §§ 4(a)(3), (4), (b)(1), (2)(B), (E), 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat 404-406; P.L. 102-190, §704(b)(2), Dec. 5, 1991, 105 Stat. 1402

§ 1714. Fitting and training in use of prosthetic appliances,

seeing-eye dogs

(a) Any veteran who is entitled to a prosthetic appliance shall be furnished such fitting and training, including institutional training. in the use of such appliance as may be necessary, whether in a Department facility or other training institution, or by outpatient treatment, including such service under contract, and including travel and incidental expenses (under the terms and conditions set forth in section 111 of this title) to and from such veteran's home to such hospital or training institution.

(b) The Secretary may provide seeing-eye or guide dogs trained for the aid of the blind to veterans who are entitled to disability compensation, and may pay travel and incidental expenses (under the terms and conditions set forth in section 111 of this title) to and from their homes and incurred in becoming adjusted to such seeing-eye or guide dogs. The Secretary may also provide such veterans with mechanical or electronic equipment for aiding them in overcoming the handicap of blindness.

P.L. 85-857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1143, §614; P.L. 93-82, § 103(b), Aug. 2, 1973, 87 Stat. 181; P.L. 94-581, §210(a)(5), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2862; P.L. 96-151, §201(c), Dec. 20, 1979, 93 Stat. 1093; renumbered § 1714 and amended P.L. 102-83, §§ 4(a)(3), (4), (b)(1), (2)(E), 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 404-406.)

1715. Tobacco for hospitalized veterans

The Secretary may furnish tobacco to veterans receiving hospital For domiciliary care.

(P.L. 85-857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1143, §615; renumbered §1715 and amended P.L. 102-83, §§ 4(b)(1), (2)(E), 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 404-406.)

1716. Hospital care by other agencies of the United States

When so specified in an appropriation or other Act, the Secretary may make allotments and transfers to the Departments of Health and Human Services (Public Health Service), the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Interior, for disbursement by them under the various headings of their appropriations, of such amounts as are necessary for the care and treatment of veterans entitled to hospitalization from the Department under this chapter. The amounts to be charged the Department for care and treatment of veterans in hospitals shall be calculated on the basis of a per diem rate approved by the Office of Management and Budget.

(P.L. 85-857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1143, §616; P.L. 94-581, §202(g), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2856; P.L. 97-295, §4(95)(A), Oct. 12, 1982, 96 Stat. 1313; renumbered § 1716 and amended P.L. 10283, §§ 4(a)(3), (4), (b)(1), (2)(E), 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 404406.)

$1717. Home health services; invalid lifts and other devices

(a)(1) As part of medical services furnished to a veteran under section 1710(a) of this title, the Secretary may furnish such home health services as the Secretary finds to be necessary or appropriate for the effective and economical treatment of the veteran's disability.

(2) Improvements and structural alterations may be furnished as part of such home health services only as necessary to assure the continuation of treatment for the veteran's disability or to provide access to the home or to essential lavatory and sanitary facilities. The cost of such improvements and structural alterations (or the amount of reimbursement therefor) under this subsection may not