Deborah Sampson Act

Deborah Sampson Act This bill implements or expands various programs related to health care and benefits for women veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). TITLE I--VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (Sec. 101) The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) must establish the Office of Women's Health for the purpose of providing a central office for monitoring and encouraging the activities of VHA with respect to the provision, evaluation, and improvement of women veterans' health care services. At a minimum, this section requires at least one designated women's health primary care provider at each medical center and at each community-based outpatient clinic. The Office of Women's Health must ensure that each VA medical facility holds a public forum for women veterans at least biannually. Additionally, each VA medical facility must convene a focus group of women veterans at least quarterly to discuss harassment at such facilities. (Sec. 102) This section requires the VA to expand the capabilities of the Women Veterans Call Center by including a text messaging capability. (Sec. 103) The VA must publish a website providing information for women veterans about the benefits and services available to them. (Sec. 104) This section requires the VA to report on requirements to retrofit existing VA medical facilities with fixtures, materials, and other outfitting measures to support the provision of care to women veterans. (Sec. 105) The VA must establish a policy under which the environment of care standards and inspections at VA medical centers include certain elements, including a requirement for the frequency of inspections and a remediation plan. (Sec. 106) This section authorizes an appropriation for the VA Women Veterans Health Care Mini-Residency Program to provide opportunities for participation in such program for primary care and emergency clinicians. (Sec. 107) The VA must establish a training module for community providers (non-VA health care providers) that is specific to women veterans. TITLE II--MEDICAL CARE (Sec. 201) This section requires the VA to ensure that women's health primary care services are available at every VA medical center and community-based outpatient clinic during regular business hours. Additionally, the VA must conduct a study, interviewing women veterans and employees, to assess the need for and use of extended hours as a means of reducing barriers to care. (Sec. 202) This section expands eligibility for the treatment program for veterans with psychological trauma caused by sexual abuse or harassment that occurred during active military service. Specifically, the section expands eligibility to former members of the Armed Forces who were discharged or released from service under a condition that is not honorable, but is not dishonorable or a discharge by court-martial. Additionally, such former members and veterans are eligible for trauma that occurred while on duty, regardless of their duty status or the line of duty determination (determination made regarding whether the member was assaulted while in the line of duty). (Sec. 203) The Readjustment Counseling Service of the VHA must implement a program to provide reintegration and readjustment services in group retreat settings to specified individuals (e.g., veterans and dependents), including cohorts of certain women veterans who are eligible for readjustment counseling services. (Sec. 204) This section increases from 7 to 14 the number of days that the VA may furnish health care services, including post-delivery care, to the newborn child of a woman veteran who delivered the child in a VA facility, another facility pursuant to a VA contract for such services, or another location if the child is delivered prior to arrival at a facility. Additionally, the section provides that the VA is authorized to furnish transportation (e.g., via ambulance or air ambulance) for the newborn to receive such health care services. If the child is…