(a) Duties and functions of AdministrationIt shall be the duty and function of the Administration to—(1) serve as the effective and visible advocate for older individuals within the Department of Health and Human Services and with other departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Federal Government by maintaining active review and commenting responsibilities over all Federal policies affecting older individuals;
(2) collect and disseminate information related to problems of the aged and aging;
(3) directly assist the Secretary in all matters pertaining to problems of the aged and aging;
(4) administer the grants provided by this chapter, but not approve an application submitted by an applicant for a grant for an activity under a provision of this chapter for which such applicant previously received a grant under such provision unless the Assistant Secretary determines—(A) the activity for which such application was submitted is being operated, or was operated, effectively to achieve its stated purpose; and
(B) such applicant has complied with the assurances provided to the Assistant Secretary with the application for such previous grant.11 So in original. The period probably should be a semicolon.
(5) develop plans, conduct and arrange for research in the field of aging, and assist in the establishment and implementation of programs designed to meet the health and economic needs of older individuals for supportive services, including nutrition, hospitalization, education and training services (including preretirement training, and continuing education), cultural experiences, activities, and services, including in the arts, low-cost transportation and housing, assistive technology, and health (including mental and behavioral health) services;
(6) provide technical assistance and consultation to States and political subdivisions thereof with respect to programs for the aged and aging;
(7) prepare, publish, and disseminate educational materials dealing with the health and economic welfare of older individuals;
(8) gather statistics in the field of aging which other Federal agencies are not collecting, and take whatever action is necessary to achieve coordination of activities carried out or assisted by all departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Federal Government with respect to the collection, preparation, and dissemination of information relevant to older individuals;
(9) develop basic policies and set priorities with respect to the development and operation of programs and activities conducted under authority of this chapter;
(10) coordinate Federal programs and activities related to such purposes;
(11) coordinate, and assist in, the planning and development by public (including Federal, State, and local agencies) and private organizations of programs for older individuals, with a view to the establishment of a nationwide network of comprehensive, coordinated services and opportunities for such individuals;
(12)(A) consult and coordinate activities with the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the heads of other Federal entities to implement and build awareness of programs providing benefits affecting older individuals; and
(B) carry on a continuing evaluation of the programs and activities related to the objectives of this chapter, with particular attention to the impact of the programs and activities carried out under—(i) titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq., 1396 et seq.); (ii) the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (29 U.S.C. 621 et seq.); and (iii) the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) relating to housing for older individuals and the setting of standards for the licensing of nursing homes, intermediate care homes, and other facilities providing care for such individuals; (13) provide information and assistance to private organizations for the establishment and operation by them of programs and activities related to the objectives of this chapter;
(14) develop, in coordination with other agencies (including the Health Resources and Services Administration), a national plan for meeting the needs for trained personnel in the field of aging, and for training persons for carrying out programs related to the objectives of this chapter, and conduct and provide for the conducting of such training;
(15) consult with national organizations representing minority individuals to develop and disseminate training packages and to provide technical assistance efforts designed to assist State and area agencies on aging, and service providers, in providing services to older individuals with greatest economic need or individuals with greatest social need, with particular attention to and specific objectives for providing services to low-income minority individuals and older individuals residing in rural areas;
(16) collect for each fiscal year, for fiscal years beginning after September 30, 1988, directly or by contract, statistical data regarding programs and activities carried out with funds provided under this chapter, including—(A) with respect to each type of service or activity provided with such funds—(i) the aggregate amount of such funds expended to provide such service or activity;
(ii) the number of individuals who received such service or activity; and
(iii) the number of units of such service or activity provided;
(B) the number of senior centers which received such funds; and
(C) the extent to which each area agency on aging designated under section 3025(a) of this title satisfied the requirements of paragraphs (2) and (4)(A) of section 3026(a) of this title;
(17) obtain from—(A) the Department of Agriculture information explaining the requirements for eligibility to receive benefits under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 [7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.]; and (B) the Social Security Administration information explaining the requirements for eligibility to receive supplemental security income benefits under title XVI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.] (or assistance under a State plan program under title XVI of that Act); and distribute such information, in written form, to State agencies, for redistribution to area agencies on aging, to carry out outreach activities and application assistance;
(18)(A) establish and operate the National Ombudsman Resource Center (in this paragraph referred to as the “Center”), under the administration of the Director of the Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs, that will—(i) by grant or contract—(I) conduct research;(II) provide training, technical assistance, and information to State Long-Term Care Ombudsmen;(III) analyze laws, regulations, programs, and practices; and(IV) provide assistance in recruiting and retaining volunteers for State Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs by establishing a national program for recruitment efforts that utilizes the organizations that have established a successful record in recruiting and retaining volunteers for ombudsman or other programs;relating to Federal, State, and local long-term care ombudsman policies; and
(ii) assist State Long-Term Care Ombudsmen in the implementation of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs; and
(B) make available to the Center not less than the amount of resources made available to the Long-Term Care Ombudsman National Resource Center for fiscal year 2000;
(19) conduct strict monitoring of State compliance with the requirements in effect, under this chapter to prohibit conflicts of interest and to maintain the integrity and public purpose of services provided and service providers, under this chapter in all contractual and commercial relationships;
(20)(A) encourage, and provide technical assistance to, States, area agencies on aging, and service providers to carry out outreach and benefits enrollment assistance to inform and enroll older individuals with greatest economic need, who may be eligible to participate, but who are not participating, in Federal and State programs providing benefits for which the individuals are eligible, including—(i) supplemental security income benefits under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.), or assistance under a State plan program under such title; (ii) medical assistance under title XIX of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.); (iii) benefits under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.); or (iv) benefits under any other applicable program; and
(B) at the election of the Assistant Secretary and in cooperation with related Federal agency partners administering the Federal programs, make a grant to or enter into a contract with a qualified, experienced entity to establish a National Center on Senior Benefits Outreach and Enrollment, which shall—(i) maintain and update web-based decision support and enrollment tools, and integrated, person-centered systems, designed to inform older individuals about the full range of benefits for which the individuals may be eligible under Federal and State programs;
(ii) utilize cost-effective strategies to find older individuals with greatest economic need and enroll the individuals in the programs;
(iii) create and support efforts for Aging and Disability Resource Centers, and other public and private State and community-based organizations, including faith-based organizations and coalitions, to serve as benefits enrollment centers for the programs;
(iv) develop and maintain an information clearinghouse on best practices and cost-effective methods for finding and enrolling older individuals with greatest economic need in the programs for which the individuals are eligible; and
(v) provide, in collaboration with related Federal agency partners administering the Federal programs, training and technical assistance on effective outreach, screening, enrollment, and follow-up strategies;
(21) establish information and assistance services as priority services for older individuals, and develop and operate, either directly or through contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements, a National Eldercare Locator Service, providing information and assistance services through a nationwide toll-free number to identify community resources for older individuals;
(22) develop guidelines for area agencies on aging to follow in choosing and evaluating providers of legal assistance;
(23) develop guidelines and a model job description for choosing and evaluating legal assistance developers referred to in sections 3027(a)(13) and 3058j of this title;
(24) establish and carry out pension counseling and information programs described in section 3020e–1 of this title;
(25) provide technical assistance, training, and other means of assistance to State agencies, area agencies on aging, and service providers regarding State and local data collection and analysis;
(26) design and implement, for purposes of compliance with paragraph (19), uniform data collection procedures for use by State agencies, including—(A) uniform definitions and nomenclature;
(B) standardized data collection procedures;
(C) a participant identification and description system;
(D) procedures for collecting information on services needed by older individuals (including services that would permit such individuals to receive long-term care in home and community-based settings), as identified by service providers in assisting clients through the provision of the supportive services; and
(E) procedures for the assessment of unmet needs for services under this chapter;
(27) improve the delivery of services to older individuals living in rural areas through—(A) synthesizing results of research on how best to meet the service needs of older individuals in rural areas;
(B) developing a resource guide on best practices for States, area agencies on aging, and service providers; and
(C) providing training and technical assistance to States to implement these best practices of service delivery;
(28) make available to States, area agencies on aging, and service providers information and technical assistance to support the provision of evidence-based disease prevention and health promotion services, including information and technical assistance on delivery of such services in different settings;
(29) provide information and technical assistance to States, area agencies on aging, and service providers, in collaboration with relevant Federal agencies, on providing efficient, person-centered transportation services, including across geographic boundaries;
(30) identify model programs and provide information and technical assistance to States, area agencies on aging, and service providers (including providers operating multipurpose senior centers), to support the modernization of multipurpose senior centers;
(31) provide technical assistance to and share best practices with States, area agencies on aging, and Aging and Disability Resource Centers, on how to collaborate and coordinate services with health care entities, such as Federally-qualified health centers, as defined in section 1905(l)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(l)(2)(B)), in order to improve care coordination for individuals with multiple chronic illnesses; (32) provide technical assistance to, and share best practices with, State agencies and area agencies on aging on how to collaborate and coordinate activities and develop long-range emergency preparedness plans with local and State emergency response agencies, relief organizations, local and State governments, Federal agencies as appropriate, and any other institutions that have responsibility for disaster relief service delivery;
(33) with input from aging network stakeholders, including caregivers, develop objectives, priorities, and a long-term plan for supporting State and local efforts involving education about prevention of, detection of, and response to negative health effects associated with social isolation among older individuals, and submit a report to Congress on this effort by January 2021; and
(34) provide (to the extent practicable) a standardized notification to State agencies, area agencies on aging, providers of services under this chapter, and grantees or contract awardees under this chapter, through an electronic format (e-mail or other electronic notification), of the availability of, or updates to, policies, practices, and procedures under this chapter.
(b) Development and implementation of comprehensive, coordinated systems for long-term careTo promote the development and implementation of comprehensive, coordinated systems at Federal, State, and local levels that enable older individuals to receive long-term care in home and community-based settings, in a manner responsive to the needs and preferences of older individuals and their family caregivers, the Assistant Secretary shall, consistent with the applicable provisions of this subchapter—(1) collaborate, coordinate, and consult with other Federal entities responsible for formulating and implementing programs, benefits, and services related to providing long-term care, and may make grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements with funds received from other Federal entities;
(2) conduct research and demonstration projects to identify innovative, cost-effective strategies for modifying State systems of long-term care to—(A) respond to the needs and preferences of older individuals and family caregivers; and
(B) target services to individuals at risk for institutional placement, to permit such individuals to remain in home and community-based settings;
(3) establish criteria for and promote the implementation (through area agencies on aging, service providers, and such other entities as the Assistant Secretary determines to be appropriate) of evidence-based programs to assist older individuals and their family caregivers in learning about and making behavioral changes intended to reduce the risk of injury, disease, and disability among older individuals;
(4) facilitate, in coordination with the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and other heads of Federal entities as appropriate, the provision of long-term care in home and community-based settings, including the provision of such care through self-directed care models that—(A) provide for the assessment of the needs and preferences of an individual at risk for institutional placement to help such individual avoid unnecessary institutional placement and depletion of income and assets to qualify for benefits under the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.); (B) respond to the needs and preferences of such individual and provide the option—(i) for the individual to direct and control the receipt of supportive services provided; or
(ii) as appropriate, for a person who was appointed by the individual, or is legally acting on the individual’s behalf, in order to represent or advise the individual in financial or service coordination matters (referred to in this paragraph as a “representative” of the individual), to direct and control the receipt of those services; and
(C) assist an older individual (or, as appropriate, a representative of the individual) to develop a plan for long-term support, including selecting, budgeting for, and purchasing home and community-based long-term care and supportive services;
(5) provide for the Administration to play a lead role with respect to issues concerning home and community-based long-term care, including—(A) directing (as the Secretary or the President determines to be appropriate) or otherwise participating in departmental and interdepartmental activities concerning long-term care;
(B) reviewing and commenting on departmental rules, regulations, and policies related to providing long-term care;
(C) making recommendations to the Secretary with respect to home and community-based long-term care, including recommendations based on findings made through projects conducted under paragraph (2); and
(D) when feasible, developing, in consultation with States and national organizations, a consumer-friendly tool to assist older individuals and their families in choosing home and community-based services, with a particular focus on ways for consumers to assess how providers protect the health, safety, welfare, and rights, including the rights provided under section 3030c–1 of this title, of older individuals;
(6) promote, in coordination with other appropriate Federal agencies—(A) enhanced awareness by the public of the importance of planning in advance for long-term care; and
(B) the availability of information and resources to assist in such planning;
(7) ensure access to, and the dissemination of, information about all long-term care options and service providers, including the availability of integrated long-term care;
(8) implement in all States Aging and Disability Resource Centers—(A) to serve as visible and trusted sources of information on the full range of long-term care options, including both institutional and home and community-based care, which are available in the community;
(B) to provide personalized and consumer-friendly assistance to empower individuals to identify and articulate goals of care and to make informed decisions about their care options;
(C) to provide coordinated and streamlined access to all publicly supported long-term care options so that consumers can obtain the care they need through a single intake, assessment, and eligibility determination process;
(D) to help individuals to respond to or plan ahead for their long-term care needs;
(E) to assist (in coordination with the entities carrying out the health insurance information, counseling, and assistance program (receiving funding under section 1395b–4 of this title) in the States) beneficiaries, and prospective beneficiaries, under the Medicare program established under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) in understanding and accessing prescription drug and preventative health benefits under the provisions of, and amendments made by, the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003; and (F) to provide information and referrals regarding available home and community-based services for individuals who are at risk for residing in, or who reside in, institutional settings, so that the individuals have the choice to remain in or to return to the community;
(9) establish, either directly or through grants or contracts, national technical assistance programs to assist State agencies, area agencies on aging, and community-based service providers funded under this chapter in implementing—(A) home and community-based long-term care systems, including evidence-based programs; and
(B) evidence-based disease prevention and health promotion services programs, including delivery of such services in different settings; and
(C) activities for increasing business acumen, capacity building, organizational development, innovation, and other methods of growing and sustaining the capacity of the aging network to serve older individuals and caregivers most effectively;
(10) develop, in collaboration with the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, performance standards and measures for use by States to determine the extent to which their State systems of long-term care fulfill the objectives described in this subsection; and
(11) conduct such other activities as the Assistant Secretary determines to be appropriate.