US Codex
Pub. L.
Notes

Title VI — Modernizing Allotments for Vulnerable Elder Rights Protection Activities and Other Programs

116th Congress · Approved Mar 25, 2020 · 131 Stat. 240 · Lineage

TITLE VI Modernizing Allotments for Vulnerable Elder Rights Protection Activities and Other Programs

SEC. 601. Reauthorization; Vulnerable Elder Rights Protection Activities.

Section 702 (42 U.S.C. 3058a) is amended by striking subsections (a) and (b) and inserting the following:

“(a) Ombudsman Program.—There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out chapter 2, $18,066,950 for fiscal year 2020, $19,150,967 for fiscal year 2021, $20,300,025 for fiscal year 2022, $21,518,027 for fiscal year 2023, and $22,809,108 for fiscal year 2024.

“(b) Other Programs.—There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out chapters 3 and 4, $5,107,110 for fiscal year 2020, $5,413,537 for fiscal year 2021, $5,738,349 for fiscal year 2022, $6,082,650 for fiscal year 2023, and $6,447,609 for fiscal year 2024.”

SEC. 602. Volunteer State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Representatives.

Section 712(a)(5) (42 U.S.C. 3058g(a)(5)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(E) Rule of construction for volunteer ombudsman representatives.—Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as prohibiting the program from providing and financially supporting recognition for an individual designated under subparagraph (A) as a volunteer to represent the Ombudsman program, or from reimbursing or otherwise providing financial support to such an individual for any costs, such as transportation costs, incurred by the individual in serving as such volunteer.”

SEC. 603. Prevention of Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation.

Section 721(b)(12) (42 U.S.C. 3058i(b)(12)) is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (C), by inserting “ community outreach and education,” after “ technical assistance,”; and
(2)
in subparagraph (F)—
(A)
by striking “ studying” and inserting “ implementing”; and
(B)
by inserting “ , programs, and materials” after “ practices”.

SEC. 604. Principles for Person-Directed Services and Supports During Serious Illness.

(a)
Definitions.—
(1)
Administrator.— The term “Administrator” means the Administrator of the Administration for Community Living.
(2)
Covered agency.— The term “covered agency” means—
(A)
a State agency or area agency on aging; and
(B)
a Federal agency other than the Department of Health and Human Services, and a unit of that Department other than the Administration on Aging, that the Assistant Secretary determines performs functions for which the principles are relevant, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
(3)
Principles.— The term “principles” means the Principles for Person-directed Services and Supports during Serious Illness, issued by the Administration for Community Living on September 1, 2017, or an updated set of such Principles.
(4)
State agency.— The term “State agency” has the meaning given the term in section 102 of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3002).
(b)
Dissemination.— The Administrator shall disseminate the principles to appropriate stakeholders within the aging network, as determined by the Assistant Secretary, and to covered agencies. The covered agencies may use the principles in setting priorities for service delivery and care plans in programs carried out by the agencies.
(c)
Feedback.— The Administrator shall solicit, on an ongoing basis, feedback on the principles from covered agencies, experts in the fields of aging and dementia, and stakeholders who provide or receive disability services.
(d)
Report.— Not less often than once, but not more often than annually, during the 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall prepare and submit to Congress a report describing the feedback received under subsection (c) and indicating if any changes or updates are needed to the principles.

SEC. 605. Extension of the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act.

Section 3(f) of the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act (Public Law 115–196) is amended by striking “ 3” and inserting “ 4”.

SEC. 606. Best Practices for Home and Community-Based Ombudsmen.

Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall issue a report updating the best practices for home and community-based ombudsmen that were included in the report entitled “Best Practices for Home and Community-Based Ombudsmen”, issued by the National Direct Service Workforce Resource Center of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and prepared by the Research and Training Center at the University of Minnesota and The Lewin Group (January 2013).

SEC. 607. Senior Home Modification Assistance Initiative.

Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study and issue a report that includes—
(1)
an inventory of Federal programs, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, or any other Federal agency or department determined appropriate by the Comptroller General, that support evidence-based falls prevention, home assessments, and home modifications for older individuals and individuals with disabilities;
(2)
statistical data, for recent fiscal years, on the number of older individuals and individuals with disabilities served by each Federal program described in paragraph (1) and the approximate amount of Federal funding invested in each such program;
(3)
a demographic analysis of individuals served by each such program for recent fiscal years;
(4)
an analysis of duplication and gaps in populations supported by the Federal programs described in paragraph (1);
(5)
what is known about the impact of the Federal programs described in paragraph (1) on health status and health outcomes in populations supported by such programs;
(6)
a review of Federal efforts to coordinate Federal programs existing prior to the date of enactment of this Act that support evidence-based falls prevention, home assessments, and home modifications for older individuals and individuals with disabilities and any considerations for improving coordination, which may include an indication of the Federal agency or department that is best suited to coordinate such Federal programs; and
(7)
information on the extent to which consumer-friendly resources, such as a brochure, are available through the National Eldercare Locator Service established under section 202(a)(21) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3012(a)(21)), are accessible to all area agencies on aging, and contain information on evidence-based falls prevention, home assessments, and home modifications for older individuals attempting to live independently and safely in their homes and for the caregivers of such individuals.