[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2842 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2842

 To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a Caregiver Corps 
                                program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

           September 17 (legislative day, September 16), 2014

   Mr. Casey introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a Caregiver Corps 
                                program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Caregiver Corps Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) As of 2013, more than 43,000,000 Americans are age 65 
        or older. More than 75 percent of such individuals live with 
        chronic conditions which require assistance that helps them to 
        live in a home- or community-based setting. In 2012, almost 
        38,000,000 Americans of all ages reported having one or more 
        disabilities.
            (2) As of 2012, there were over 800,000 home health aides 
        assisting older adults in their homes with activities of daily 
        living and some light housekeeping tasks such as changing 
        linens and preparing food. Direct care workers are critical as 
        families and friends strive to provide quality care for 
        individuals in the community.
            (3) Estimates suggest that there are 52,000,000 to 
        65,000,000 informal caregivers helping to provide care to 
        adults with disabilities and illnesses. These caregivers help 
        with a range of tasks but more time is spent on tasks such as 
        shopping, food preparation, housekeeping, and laundry, and less 
        time is spent on activities of daily living such as feeding, 
        dressing, grooming, walking, bathing, and assistance toileting.
            (4) Over 60 percent of all informal caregivers work either 
        full- or part-time. Even with the growing number of direct care 
        workers available, there is a shortage in the number of people 
        available to help support individuals who need extra assistance 
        to remain in the community.
            (5) Only 12 percent of informal caregivers report having 
        used a respite service. Respite is a means of giving the 
        caregiver a break from their caregiving duties. Respite comes 
        in many forms and may include having the individual attend an 
        adult day program outside the home or having a friendly visitor 
        serve as a companion and provide light assistance while the 
        caregiver takes a break.
            (6) Respite volunteer programs exist in many communities. 
        There is a range of ways that these programs offer incentives 
        to the volunteers. Some programs use a time-banking or service-
        exchange approach as an incentive to engage volunteers, while 
        other programs access funds from private and public sources to 
        offer modest stipends to volunteers.
    (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to establish a 
Caregiver Corps program to foster the creation of community-based Corps 
programs that provide for volunteer community service opportunities to 
address the shortage of assistance available for older adults and 
individuals with disabilities.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF CAREGIVER CORPS PROGRAM.

    Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
280g et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 399V-6. CAREGIVER CORPS.

    ``(a) Contract for Establishment of Caregiver Corps Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall enter into a 
        contract with a nonprofit entity for the development of an 
        online toolkit and guidance providing for the establishment and 
        implementation of Caregiver Corps (referred to in this section 
        as `Corps') volunteer programs in local communities.
            ``(2) Requirements.--The toolkit and guidance developed 
        under paragraph (1) shall be based on best practice methods 
        from existing private and public sector volunteer programs and 
        include--
                    ``(A) guidance on the recruitment, screening, and 
                training of Corps volunteers;
                    ``(B) guidance on recommended processes for 
                administering and evaluating the performance of local 
                Corps programs;
                    ``(C) guidance on options for securing start-up and 
                operational funding for local Corps programs;
                    ``(D) sources for obtaining ongoing technical 
                assistance; and
                    ``(E) guidance on how communities can promote 
                larger community involvement and cultivate partnerships 
                and connections between local Corps programs.
            ``(3) Grants.--The Secretary may award grants to public and 
        private nonprofit entities for the operation of local Corps 
        programs under subsection (b) in accordance with this section.
    ``(b) Requirements of Caregiver Corps Programs.--
            ``(1) Local caregiver corps programs.--
                    ``(A) Eligibility.--To be eligible to be a local 
                Corps program for purposes of this section, an entity 
                shall be--
                            ``(i) an area agency on aging;
                            ``(ii) a time-banking or volunteer 
                        organizing agency;
                            ``(iii) a college or university;
                            ``(iv) a State, county, or local 
                        government; or
                            ``(v) any other entity determined to be 
                        appropriate by the Secretary.
                    ``(B) Duties and activities.--A local Corps program 
                shall--
                            ``(i) conduct screening and criminal 
                        history background checks of Corps volunteers;
                            ``(ii) provide in-person orientation and 
                        training for Corps volunteers;
                            ``(iii) develop and monitor volunteer 
                        assignments, which shall include selecting the 
                        adults to be served by Corps volunteers, 
                        matching volunteers to assignments, and 
                        supervising the volunteers;
                            ``(iv) assist in the provision of 
                        appropriate volunteer recognition;
                            ``(v) maintain records and prepare reports 
                        as required by the Secretary; and
                            ``(vi) carry out any other activities 
                        determined appropriate by the Secretary.
            ``(2) Caregiver corps volunteers.--
                    ``(A) Eligibility.--
                            ``(i) In general.--To be eligible to serve 
                        as a volunteer for a local Corps program, an 
                        individual shall--
                                    ``(I) be at least 18 years of age 
                                and willing to accept supervision as 
                                required by the local Corps program;
                                    ``(II) consent to a criminal 
                                background check; and
                                    ``(III) meet such other 
                                requirements as the local Corps program 
                                shall require.
                            ``(ii) Limitation.--Eligibility to be a 
                        volunteer for a local Corps program shall not 
                        be restricted on the basis of education, 
                        employment experience, citizenship, race, 
                        color, creed, belief, gender, sexual 
                        orientation, national origin, disability, or 
                        political affiliation.
                    ``(B) Terms of service.--
                            ``(i) In general.--An individual may serve 
                        as a full- or part-time volunteer for an 
                        initial period of not to exceed 2 years.
                            ``(ii) Limitation.--An individual who 
                        serves as a volunteer for a local Corps program 
                        shall not be considered to be an employee of 
                        the local Corps program for purposes of the 
                        application of any Federal or State employment-
                        related law.
                    ``(C) Functions.--
                            ``(i) In general.--A Corps volunteer 
                        shall--
                                    ``(I) provide assistance to an 
                                older individual or an individual with 
                                disabilities who needs additional 
                                services to remain in the community;
                                    ``(II) provide assistance to give 
                                an informal caregiver respite from his 
                                or her caregiving duties;
                                    ``(III) serve as a companion to 
                                older individuals and individuals with 
                                disabilities;
                                    ``(IV) provide assistance for which 
                                such volunteer is qualified, as 
                                determined by the local Corps program; 
                                and
                                    ``(V) not provide personal care or 
                                administer prescription medications.
                            ``(ii) Individuals to be served.--To be 
                        eligible to obtain Corps volunteer services, an 
                        individual shall be an adult aged 65 or older, 
                        or an individual eligible for Social Security 
                        Disability Insurance, who is in need of 
                        assistance to achieve and maintain their 
                        highest level of independent living.
                            ``(iii) Required service to individuals.--
                        The activities of a Corps volunteer shall 
                        involve person-to-person relationships with the 
                        individuals being served and shall not include 
                        the provision of any service to the local Corps 
                        program involved.
            ``(3) Direct benefits.--A local Corps program--
                    ``(A) shall provide for appropriate recognition of 
                Corps volunteers; and
                    ``(B) may, at the discretion of the local Corps 
                program, provide compensation to a Corps volunteer, in 
                the manner determined appropriate by the local Corps 
                program, which may include stipends, tuition incentives 
                or academic credit, or the banking of volunteer hours 
                for use against future needs for assistance.
            ``(4) Reporting.--Not less than annually, a local Corps 
        program shall submit to the Secretary a report that contains, 
        with respect to the year for which the report is prepared--
                    ``(A) aggregate data on the number of Corps 
                volunteers trained, the number of Corps volunteers 
                providing service, the number of hours of service 
                provided, and the number of individuals being served; 
                and
                    ``(B) data to inform the Secretary and local 
                communities of any system and consumer outcome impacts 
                of the local Corps program.
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, such sums as may be 
necessary.''.
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