H1626B2728A04275 NES:JMT 05/01/24 #90 A04275
AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE BILL NO. 1626
Sponsor: REPRESENTATIVE KAUFER
Printer's No. 2728
Amend Bill, page 1, line 2, by inserting after "Statutes,"
in Department of Military Affairs, establishing the PA
VETConnect Program;
Amend Bill, page 1, lines 6 and 7, by striking out all of
said lines and inserting
Section 1. Title 51 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
ยง 714 . PA VETConnect Program .
(a) Establishment.--The PA VETConnect Program is
established.
(b) Participants.--The program may include Federal agencies,
State agencies, county directors of veterans affairs, veterans'
service organizations, accredited postsecondary educational and
technical institutions, the health care provider community,
businesses and nonprofit organizations.
(c) Purpose.--The program shall:
(1) Improve the health and well-being of veterans and
the families of veterans through referrals, community
engagement and consistent network communication.
(2) Organize participants under subsection (b) to
cooperate with network partners to provide for proactive
solutions to address the problems faced by veterans.
(d) Requirements.--Program requirements shall be determined
by the department and information shall be disseminated to the
greatest extent possible on how to best navigate and utilize
available resources to improve the health and well-being of
veterans and the families of veterans.
(e) Duties of department.--The department shall develop and
administer the program, which shall contain a mission statement
that shall be clearly communicated to network advocates,
partners and participants under subsection (b). The department
shall:
(1) Coordinate with Federal agencies, State agencies,
county directors of veterans affairs, veterans' service
organizations, accredited postsecondary educational and
technical institutions, the health care provider community,
businesses and nonprofit organizations, identified by the
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department, that provide programs, initiatives, reintegration
outreach and related services to veterans and the families of
veterans.
(2) Provide Pennsylvania Salutes You for Your Service
information to recently separated service members.
(3) Provide information regarding program initiatives,
resources, training opportunities, veterans' service
organizations and services available to be utilized by
individuals or groups who support veterans and their families
as volunteers and offer outreach and support for veterans.
(4) Coordinate with county directors of veterans affairs
by providing information of veterans who request support for
Federal and State benefits and programs.
(5) Coordinate with veterans' service officers from
veterans' service officer grant programs or other veterans'
service officers to assist veterans in applying for Federal
veteran benefits.
Section 2. Part V heading of Title 51 is amended to read:
Amend Bill, page 1, line 10, by striking out "2" and
inserting
3
Amend Bill, page 3, line 17, by striking out "3" and
inserting
4
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