(1) Increase veterans’ access to housing assistance by streamlining processes through inter-governmental and intra- governmental partnerships.

(A) The Office shall target housing programs and streamline federal and local processes to expedite and reward applicants through interagency Memoranda of Understanding or Memoranda of Agreeement.

(b) Employment Support.

(1) Increase veterans’ access to jobs by applying data to direct veterans to in-demand fields.

(A) The Office shall target housing programs and streamline federal and local processes to expedite and reward applicants through interagency Memoranda of Understanding or Memeornda of Agreement.

(B) The Office shall include in its report(s) a pathway where in-demand job titles and credentials would leverage skills, experience, and credentials held by veterans; and forward the underlying data report(s) and additional information monthly to appropriate military outplacement offices, education centers, non- profit programs, and government agencies working to connect veterans with jobs.

(c) Higher Learning Opportunities.

(1) Award college credit from military training and experiences.

(A) Every veteran who is enrolled as a full-time or part-time student in good standing at any institution within the local university system and community

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college system, shall, upon application, be granted academic credis, without limitation, toweards his or her degree for sompletion of courses that were part of such veteran’s military training or service if the completed courses meet the standards of the local institution that are equivalent to or greater than t he standars set by the American Council on Education fo the awarding of academic credits. No fee, tuition, or other charge shall be assesed against a veteran who qualifies for such credit pursuant to this Subsection.

(B) The Office shall adopt procedures as necessasry to fully implment the provisions in this Section.

(2) Increase flexibility in course registration for veterans.

(A) At institutions within the local university system and community college system:

(i) Institutions that offer an early course registration period for any segment of the student population shall have a process in place to offer early course registration to students who are veterans or National Guard members.

(ii) A student who is called to active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces after having regulary attended a course for thirteen (13) or more weeks or having completed eighty-five percent (85%) of the course’s work for the term through acceleration may be given credit for each course in which he or she has a leter grade of “”C”” or better.

(iii) Students called to active duty may be entitled to a one hundred percent (100%) refund of tuition and fees if no accomodation(s) are proveded by the educational institution.

(iv) Veterans with no previous college experience shall be permitted an extension of (1) week to file applications after the end of the

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registration period and allowed to begin classes pending completion of their application and provision of supporting documents with the clearance of the institutions’ admissions and records office.

(v) Upon return from active duty, veterans may register after the normal registration period ends, without late fees or other penalties.

(3) Leverage veterans’ experiences and expand proven cost-effective training programs.

(A) The Office shall annually review apprentice, training, and other vocational programs focused on providing job training and placement to returning military service members and veterans. Such annual review shall evaluate the costs and results, and recommend programs for expansion with federal and/or local funding, including an estimate of future returns to Guam, of improved outcomes from program expansion.

(B) The Office shall provide and annual report to the Speaker of I Lihestlaturan Guåhan and I Maga’hågan Guahan on January 1 of each year for five (5) years after the passage of this Act, to be used to inform annual budget decisions.

(d) Access to Healthcare.

(1) Increase veterans access to healthcare through eligible healthcare coverage and treatment based on service.

(A) The Office shall develop and operate veteran health navigator services to increase veteran access to healthcare coverage and services.

(i) The Office shall identify, train and deploy veteran health navigators who have direct knowledge of the veteran communities they serve.

(ii) Veteran health navigators shall identify all federal and other healthcare benefits, coverage, and services available to veterans and their families.

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(iii) Veteran health navigators shall coordinate with relevant departments, healthcare providers, and health insurance programs to help veterans and their beneficiaries apply for coveage under such programs, and help vetrans overcome barriers within the healthcare system to ensure enrollment in healthcare plans and effective delivery and coordination of thalthcare services.

(2) Prevent veteran suicide and increase veterans’
access to mental health services.

(A) Ensure veterans and their families have access to mental health treatment, including for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, suicide, and suicidal ideation.

(i) Ensure that access to mental health coverage, services, and treatment is included as a holistic approach of the veteran health navigator program described in Subsection (d)(1)(A) of this Section. Based on the information about the unique needs, coverage, and treatment gaps faced by veterans and their families, the Office shall examine all existing programs designed to increase access to affordable quality healthcare and evaluate whether the needs of veterans and their families are met by such programs.

(ii) The Office shall execute any steps identified in Subsection (d)(2)(A)(i) of this Section and produce a report of tis findings, recommendations, to include any recommended legislative or budgetary actions; and, shall transmit the report to the Speaker of I Lihestlaturan Guåhan and I Maga’hågan Guahan, and release it to news media.

(iii) The Office shall prepare a report showing the impacts of Medicaid expansion on veterans and their families to date and shall include any recommendations for more inclusion or serving

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veterans and their families; and, shall tranmit such repor to the Speaker of I Lihestlaturan Guåhan and I Maga’hågan Guahan,, and release it to news media.

(e) Burial Benefits pursuant to 10 Guam Code Ann. § 67105.

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