(a) Faith-based or religious organizations providing social services to beneficiaries under a VA program supported by direct VA financial assistance must give written notice to beneficiaries and prospective beneficiaries of certain protections. Such notice must be given in a manner prescribed by VA. The notice will state that:

(1) The organization may not discriminate against beneficiaries on the basis of religion or religious belief, a refusal to hold a religious belief, or a refusal to attend or participate in a religious practice;

(2) The organization may not require beneficiaries to attend or participate in any explicitly religious activities that are offered by the organization, and any participation by beneficiaries in such activities must be purely voluntary;

(3) The organization must separate in time or location any privately funded explicitly religious activities from activities supported by direct VA financial assistance;

(4) If a beneficiary objects to the religious character of the organization, the organization will undertake reasonable efforts to identify and refer the beneficiary to an alternative provider to which the prospective beneficiary has no objection; and

(5) Beneficiaries or perspective beneficiaries may report an organization's violations of these protections, including any denials of services or benefits by an organization, by contacting or filing a written complaint with, VA or an intermediary that awarded funds to the organization.

(b) This written notice must be given to beneficiaries prior to the time they enroll in the program or receive services from such program. When the nature of the service provided or exigent circumstances make it impracticable to provide such written notice in advance of the actual service, service providers must advise beneficiaries of their protections at the earliest available opportunity.

(c) Faith-based or religious organizations providing social services to beneficiaries under a VA program supported by indirect VA financial assistance are not required to give written notice to beneficiaries and prospective beneficiaries of the protections specified in subsection (a).

(The Office of Management and Budget has approved the information collection provisions in this section under control number 2900-0828)