PUBLIC LAW 104-262—OCT. 9, 1996 110 STAT. 3197 SEC. 324. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. (a) EXTENSION OF ANNUAL REPORT REQUIREMENT. — Section 107(a) of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 (Public Law 102- 585; 106 Stat. 4947) is amended by striking out "Not later than 38 USC 1710 January 1, 1993, January 1, 1994, and January 1, 1995" and note. inserting in lieu thereof "Not later than January 1 of 1993 and each year thereafter through 1998". (b) REPORT ON HEALTH CARE AND RESEARCH. — Section 107(b) of such Act is amended— (1) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting "(including information on the number of inpatient stays and the number of outpatient visits through which such services were provided)" after "facility"; and (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: "(5) A description of the actions taken by the Secretary to foster and encourage the expansion of such research.". Subtitle C—Readjustment Counseling and Mental Health Care SEC. 331. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR READJUSTMENT COUNSEL- ING AND CERTAIN RELATED COUNSELING SERVICES. (a) EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY.—Subsection (a) of section 1712A is amended to read as follows: "(a)(1)(A) Upon the request of any veteran referred to in subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall furnish counseling to the veteran to assist the veteran in readjusting to civilian life. Such counseling may include a general mental and psychological assessment of the veteran to ascertain whether such veteran has mental or psychological problems associated with readjustment to civilian life. "(B) Subparagraph (A) applies to the following veterans: "(i) Any veteran who served on active duty— "(I) in a theater of combat operations (as determined by the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of Defense) during the Vietnam era; or "(IT) after May 7, 1975, in an area at a time during which hostilities occurred in that area. "(ii) Any veteran (other than a veteran covered by clause (i)) who served on active duty during the Vietnam era who seeks or is furnished such counseling before January 1, 2000. "(2)(A) Upon the request of any veteran (other than a veteran covered by paragraph (1)) who served in the active military, naval, or air service in a theater of combat operations (as so determined) during a period of war, or in any other area during a period in which hostilities (as defined in subparagraph (B)) occurred in such area, the Secretary may furnish counseling to the veteran to assist the veteran in readjusting to civilian life. "(B) For the purposes of subparagraph (A), the term 'hostilities' means an armed conflict in which the members of the Armed Forces are subjected to danger comparable to the danger to which members of the Armed Forces have been subjected in combat with enemy armed forces during a period of war, as determined by the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of Defense.".
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