117 HR 6783 IH: Autism Family Caregivers Act of 2022
U.S. House of Representatives
2022-02-18
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I
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6783
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 18, 2022
Ms. Meng (for herself, Mr. Michael F. Doyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Wild, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Veasey, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Bacon, Ms. Dean, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Pocan, Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Tlaib, Mrs. Axne, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Deutch, Ms. Velázquez, Mrs. Hayes, and Ms. Craig) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to award grants for providing evidence-based caregiver skills training to caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental disabilities or delays, and for other purposes.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Autism Family Caregivers Act of 2022”.
2.

Caregiver Skills Training Pilot Program
(a)

Authorization
The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall carry out a program, to be known as the Caregiver Skills Training Pilot Program, under which the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to provide evidence-based caregiver skills training to caregivers, including family caregivers, of children with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental disabilities or delays, for the purposes of—
(1)
improving the health outcomes and quality of life of such children and their caregivers; and
(2)
teaching caregivers of such children evidenced-based intervention strategies to promote—
(A)
improvement in the mental and physical well-being of such children and their caregivers; and
(B)
the greater inclusion of such children in family and community life.
(b)

Eligibility
To be eligible to receive an award under subsection (a), an entity shall be—
(1)
a nonprofit or other community-based organization;
(2)
a Federally qualified health center;
(3)
an academic health center;
(4)
a health system; or
(5)
a collaboration or consortium of 2 or more entities listed in paragraphs (1) through (4).
(c)

Application
To seek a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application that includes—
(1)
a description of—
(A)
the applicant’s experience delivering evidence-based caregiver skills training to caregivers, including family caregivers, of children with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental disabilities or delays;
(B)
the activities that the applicant proposes to carry out through the grant; and
(C)
how such activities will achieve the purposes described in subsection (a); and
(2)
a plan for—
(A)
coordination with community-based organizations, State and local early intervention providers, Medicaid systems, schools, and other providers of early intervening services;
(B)
collaboration with health care payors (including public and private insurance), State departments of insurance, health plans, and other relevant payors;
(C)
expanding the skills training program proposed to be carried out through the grant; and
(D)
achieving sustainability of such program.
(d)

Selection of grantees
(1)

Selection criteria
In awarding a grant to an eligible entity or a collaboration or consortium of 2 or more entities described in subsection (b), the Secretary shall require at least one of the recipients to—
(A)
have at least 3 years of demonstrated experience—
(i)
delivering evidence-based, culturally competent caregivers skills training programs described in subsection (a), including in medically underserved communities;
(ii)
providing services to children with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental delays and disabilities, as well as collaborating directly with their families;
(iii)
providing individual caregiver coaching as part of skills training to caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental delays and disabilities; and
(iv)
working with self-advocates or adults with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental delays and disabilities; and
(B)
demonstrate the ability to access resources from and collaborate with—
(i)
health care providers;
(ii)
allied health professionals;
(iii)
educators;
(iv)
social workers; and
(v)
nonprofessional family caregivers who assist with daily living and developmental activities, including for children with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental delays and disabilities.
(2)

Reducing disparities
In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary may consider, as appropriate, the extent to which an eligible entity can deliver evidence-based, culturally competent caregivers skills training programs for children with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental delays and disabilities from diverse racial, ethnic, geographic, or linguistic backgrounds.
(e)

Use of funds
The recipient of a grant under this section shall use the grant to provide—
(1)
evidence-based caregiver skills training to caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorders or other developmental delays and disabilities; and
(2)
such training in areas related to children’s learning and development, including—
(A)
communication skills;
(B)
social engagement;
(C)
daily living skills; and
(D)
caregiver response strategies to aggressive behavior.
(f)

Requirements
(1)

Number of recipients and States
The Secretary shall award grants under subsection (a) to not fewer than 25 eligible entities in not fewer than 15 States.
(2)

Amount
The total amount of each grant awarded under subsection (a) shall be not less than $500,000 over a 5-year period.
(g)

Supplement not supplant
Amounts made available to carry out this section shall be in addition to amounts made available to provide for—
(1)
behavioral, medical, habilitative, and other services covered by the Medicaid program or private health insurance;
(2)
services provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.); or
(3)
adaptations of a training program using evidence-based approaches to serve children of different ages, communities, and underrepresented groups.
(h)

Caregiver Skills Training National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center
The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall establish and operate a center, to be known as the Caregiver Skills Training National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center, to—
(1)
assist recipients of grants under subsection (a) in the implementation of caregiver skills training programs using lessons learned from other evidenced-based activities or caregiver programs conducted or supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration;
(2)
assist such grant recipients in ensuring their programs assist medically underserved communities, when possible;
(3)
assist such grant recipients in developing plans for achieving sustainability of their programs;
(4)
collect and report on the effectiveness of practices adopted pursuant to grants under subsection (a);
(5)
conduct an annual evaluation of activities funded through grants under subsection (a), in consultation with the grant recipients, including evaluation of the effectiveness of such grants at improving health outcomes and quality of life for children with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental delays and disabilities and their family caregivers;
(6)
convene national or regional meetings of such grant recipients to discuss best practices; and
(7)
provide other assistance as needed to improve or carry out the program under this section.
(i)

Reports
(1)

Initial report
Not later than 6 months after awarding the first grant under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and to other appropriate congressional committees, a report on the implementation of this section. Such report shall include—
(A)
how many grants have been awarded;
(B)
the name and location of the grant recipients;
(C)
the communities impacted by the grants;
(D)
a description of the kind of activities to be carried out with the grants;
(E)
an analysis, conducted by the Caregiver Skills Training National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center in consultation with the recipients of grants under subsection (a), of the effectiveness of such grants at improving health outcomes and quality of life for children with autism or other developmental disabilities or delays and their family caregivers; and
(F)
best practices, developed in consultation with the Caregiver Skills Training National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center, to increase access to caregiver skills training programs described in subsection (a) in medically underserved communities.
(2)

Final report
Not later than the end of fiscal year 2027, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and to other appropriate congressional committees, a final report on the implementation of this section, including—
(A)
the information, analysis, and best practices listed in subparagraphs (A) through (F) of paragraph (1); and
(B)
recommendations on how to expand and extend the program under this section.
(j)

Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term family caregiver means an adult family member or other individual who has a significant relationship with, and who provides a broad range of assistance to, a child between the ages of 0 and 9 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental disabilities or delays.
(2)
The term Federally qualified health center has the meaning given the term in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)).
(3)
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
(k)

Authorization of appropriations
(1)

In general
To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.
(2)

Allocation for Center
Of the amount authorized by paragraph (1) to be appropriated to carry out this section for a fiscal year, $450,000 shall be for establishing or operating the Caregiver Skills Training National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center.