HR-1496 : Still Just a Bill

Directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), beginning January 1, 2016, to provide assistance to qualified veterans to obtain child care so that such veterans can receive health care services at a VA health care facility during the time such a veteran requires travel to and return from such facility.

Defines "qualified veteran" as a veteran who is the primary caretaker of a child and is: (1) receiving from the VA regular mental health care services, intensive mental health care services, or other intensive health care services such that the VA determines that providing assistance to the veteran to obtain child care would improve the veteran's access to such services, or (2) in need of regular or intensive mental health care services from the VA and, but for lack of child care services, would receive such health care services from the VA.

Includes among child care assistance under this Act:

• stipends for the payment of child care offered by licensed child care centers which shall be modeled after the VA's Child Care Subsidy Program;
• direct provision of child care at an on-site VA facility;
• payments to private child care agencies; and
• collaboration with facilities or programs of other federal departments or agencies.

Directs the VA to carry out this Act using funds made available to the VA facility that provides the health care services for which the child care assistance is provided.