National Defense Authorization Act of 2008
Categories: Brain Injury, Veterans & Military
President George Bush signed the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-181) on January 28, 2008. Among other provisions, the law seeks to improve care and support for service members and veterans who sustain traumatic brain injury.
The law establishes a program of recovery care coordinators to assist the service member in navigating the entire spectrum of care, management, transition, and rehabilitation services available from the Federal Government, including assistance and services provided by the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Labor, and the Social Security Administration.
The law also establishes the Assisted Living Pilot for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury (AL-TBI) to allow Veterans with moderate to severe TBI to access a wide range of post-acute services and supports that will help improve and maintain their skills and allow them to reside in non-institutional settings. The pilot program will also allow the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to make comprehensive services available in an organized, cost-effective manner at non-VA facilities. Longer term, the AL-TBI will allow VHA and the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC) to contribute to the evidence for the effectiveness of post-acute rehabilitation.
