Chairman Michaud, Ranking Member Miller, thank you for holding this important hearing today. AMVETS is pleased to provide our views on H.R. 3051, the Heroes at Home Act of 2007, and H.R. 6153, the Veterans Medical Personnel Recruitment and Retention Act of 2008.

H.R. 3051 will establish two separate programs. First it will provide training and certification of family care givers for veterans and members of the armed forces with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Once a family member has been deemed eligible for the certification they also become eligible for compensation for the care they provide. H.R. 3051 will also establish a DoD- VA demonstration project to test the feasibility of using telehealth care to care for servicemembers and veterans who have or could have TBI.

TBI is the signature wound of the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Identifying, treating, and caring for servicemembers who have TBI ranks at the top of AMVETS’ priorities; therefore, AMVETS fully supports H.R. 3051, which will provide training and certification for family members of servicemembers who are affected by the unique nature of TBI. Family members are a natural choice for caring for patients who need daily in-home care. Because of the desire to help, family members will become caregivers. Providing them with the proper training and certification will give them the confidence they need to fully care for their loved one and reduce VA’s need to provide additional home health care.

H.R. 3051 will also broaden the use of telehealth and telemental health services.  VA is a national leader in the development and use of telehealth programs.  Nearly 200,000 veterans have been seen this year by specialists from the convenience of their local CBOC. Evaluating, diagnosing and treating mental health conditions related to TBI through telehealth will improve the lives of our servicemembers who have sustained head injuries. AMVETS supports the provision that will establish the telehealth and telemental health demonstration project. It is critical that VA and DoD make every effort to make receiving treatment for our servicemembers and veterans as convenient and as effective as possible, and the use of telehealth will ensure that veterans in remote locations or veterans who may have trouble traveling any distance will receive the attention and care they need and deserve.

H.R. 6153, the “Veterans’ Medical Personnel Recruitment and Retention Act of 2008” would give the Department of Veterans Affairs an enhanced ability to recruit and retain nurses and other critical health care professionals at VA facilities. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest direct provider of health care services in the nation and adequate staffing is necessary to provide the care our veterans deserve. It is for this reason that AMVETS wholly supports H.R. 6153.

Critical shortages of health care professionals, such as registered nurses (RN), registered nurse anesthetists, physical and occupational therapists, speech pathologists, pharmacists, and physicians make it difficult to fill positions in the best of circumstances. Add to this the difference between VA compensation and private sector salaries and it becomes evident why the VA is understaffed.

One recruitment and retention tool in H.R. 6153 would be to increase pay for critical jobs. Currently VA medical professionals’ salaries are not in line with what other facilities can pay. This has resulted in understaffed hospitals. By increasing the limitation on special pay for nurse executives from $25, 000 to $100,000, for example, the VA has a tool to recruit new professionals as well as provide retention incentives for those already employed by VA facilities.

Another recruitment tool provided for in H.R. 6153 is limits on mandatory overtime and more flexible work schedules. It also improved education assistance programs and loan repayment plans. Combined with increases pay for certain positions, these tools would expand VA’s ability to recruit and retain employees which would translate into improved care for our nations’ veterans. AMVETS wholly supports H.R. 6153.

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my testimony. I will be happy to answer any questions regarding our opinion on these matters.