Vets could soon get free child care during medical treatment
House lawmakers have passed a bill to provide free child care for veterans seeking treatment for mental health and other medical issues. (Linda LaBonte Britt/Air Force)
The Veterans Affairs Department could soon provide free child care for veterans undergoing treatment for mental health and other medical issues — a move some lawmakers hope will make it easier for veterans to get help.
The House of Representatives passed a bill Friday that seeks to make permanent an existing pilot program rolled out in 2011. At the time, a VA survey found that more than 10 percent of veterans had to cancel or reschedule VA appointments because they lacked child care, and one-third said they were interested in child care services.
The Veterans’ Access to Child Care Act calls for the VA to provide child care on site, pay veterans a stipend for the full cost of child care at licensed facilities, pay the facilities directly or collaborate with other agencies.
The Senate still needs to approve the legislation before it can head to the president to become law. It passed the House with bipartisan support, though some Republicans were reluctant about having taxpayers foot the bill. The bill was introduced by California Congresswoman Julia Brownley who said it’s primary intent is to help veterans “intensive and recurring healthcare needs.”
It would also extend to grandparents and other primary caretakers.
Congress has renewed the pilot program four times since its launch. If this bill doesn’t become law, or Congress does not renew it again, the program is set to expire later this year.
