Veterans’ Access to Child Care Act

Veterans' Access to Child Care Act

This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide child care assistance to an eligible veteran who is actively participating in treatment by attending appointments for any period that the veteran (1) receives covered health care services at a VA facility, and (2) is required to travel to and return from such facility for the receipt of such services.

The bill defines covered health care services to mean regular mental health care services, intensive mental health care services, health care services related to substance or drug abuse counseling, intensive health care services related to physical therapy for a service-connected disability, emergency mental health care services, or such other intensive health care services that the VA determines would be more accessible to veterans if child care assistance is provided.

The term eligible veteran is defined as a veteran who is the primary caretaker of a child and who is (1) receiving covered health care services from the VA, or (2) needs and would receive such services from the VA but for the lack of child care.

The bill provides for various types of child care assistance, as the VA considers appropriate. Such child care shall not be provided by any center or agency that employs a person who has been convicted of a sex crime, a crime involving a child victim, a violent crime, or a drug felony.

The bill requires the VA to inform eligible veterans of the available child care assistance.

The VA must post an easily accessible notice on a VA website describing the child care assistance benefit and eligibility requirements.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov