KRS 40.350: Kentucky Wounded or Disabled Veterans Program -- Powers and duties --

Components of program -- Data-sharing agreements -- Confidentiality of

veterans' personal information -- Administrative regulations -- Authority to

accept and expend moneys.

(1) (a) The Kentucky Wounded or Disabled Veterans Program is hereby created in

the Kentucky Department of Veterans' Affairs and shall be attached to the

Office of the Commissioner for administrative purposes.

(b) The program shall assist wounded or disabled vetera ns who served in the

United States Armed Forces and were discharged under conditions other than

dishonorable. The program shall:

1. Ease the transition from active service for these wounded or disabled

veterans; and

2. Ensure that these wounded or disabled veterans receive the federal, state,

and private benefits to which they are entitled as wounded or disabled

veterans.

(c) The commissioner shall designate a wounded or disabled veterans coordinator

for the Commonwealth.

(2) The Kentucky Wounded or Disabled Veterans Program shall:

(a) Perform outreach to improve wounded or disabled veterans' awareness of

eligibility for federal, state, and private wounded or disabled veterans' services

and benefits;

(b) Assess the needs of wounded or disabled veterans with respect to benefits and

services;

(c) Review programs, research projects, and other initiatives that are or may be:

1. Designed to address or meet the needs of Kentucky's wounded or

disabled veterans; or

2. Unresponsive or insensitive to the needs of these wounded or disabled

veterans;

(d) Recommend changes, revisions, and new initiatives to the commissioner to:

1. Address deficiencies identified through the review established in

paragraph (c) of this subsection; and

2. Improve benefits and services; and

(e) Incorporate wounded or disabled veterans' issues in strategic planning

concerning benefits and services.

(3) The primary components of the program shall be:

(a) Advocacy and Public Awareness. The program shall advocate for wounded or

disabled veterans and shall work to increase public awareness about the needs

of wounded or disabled veterans. The program shall advocate legislation and

policies on the local, state, and national levels to address these issues;

(b) Collaboration. The program shall collabor ate with federal, state, and private

agencies that provide services to wounded or disabled veterans;

(c) Research and Information Dissemination. The program shall monitor and

research issues relating to wounded or disabled veterans and disseminate

information and opportunities throughout its network;

(d) Education. The program, through conferences, seminars, and training

workshops with federal, state, and private agencies, shall provide guidance

and direction to wounded or disabled veterans applying for grants, benefits, or

services;

(e) Honor and Recognition. The program shall promote events and activities that

recognize and honor wounded or disabled veterans; and

(f) Facilities. The program, through grants and other sources of funding, shall

provide facilities as appropriate in support of the program.

(4) The Kentucky Department of Veterans' Affairs shall enter into data -sharing

agreements with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the

Department of Defense to obtain timely information with r egard to the address and

medical status of a Kentucky wounded or disabled veteran.

(5) With the consent of a wounded or disabled veteran, the wounded or disabled

veterans coordinator for the Commonwealth, or his or her designee, may obtain

personal information concerning that veteran for the sole purpose of implementing

the program. Under the provisions of KRS 61.878, the information shall not be

subject to public disclosure.

(6) The Kentucky Department of Veterans' Affairs shall promulgate administrative

regulations to carry out the provisions of this section.

(7) The program is authorized to accept and expend:

(a) Moneys that may be appropriated by the General Assembly; and

(b) Other moneys received from any other source, including donations and grants.