Grants and training to support area agencies on aging or other community-based organizations to address social isolation among older individuals and adults with disabilities

Part II of subtitle B of title XX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397m et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

2047.

Grants and training To support area agencies on aging or other community-Based organizations To address social isolation among older individuals and adults with disabilities

(a)

Grants

The Secretary shall make grants to eligible area agencies on aging or other community-based organizations for the purpose of—(1)conducting outreach to older individuals and adults with disabilities at risk for, or already experiencing, social isolation or loneliness, through established screening tools or other methods identified by the Secretary;(2)developing community-based interventions for the purposes of mitigating loneliness or social isolation (including evidence-based programs, as defined by the Secretary, developed with multi-stakeholder input for the purposes of promoting social connection, mitigating social isolation or loneliness, or preventing social isolation or loneliness) among older individuals and adults with disabilities described in paragraph (1);(3)connecting such older individuals and adults with disabilities with community social and clinical supports; and(4)evaluating the effect of programs developed and implemented under paragraphs (2) and (3).(b)

Training

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall establish programs to provide and improve training for area agencies on aging or community-based organizations with respect to addressing and preventing social isolation and loneliness among older individuals and adults with disabilities.(2)

Prioritization authority

For purposes of connecting at-risk individuals with existing community social and clinical supports, the Secretary may, in carrying out paragraph (1), prioritize models that incorporate training and service delivery in coordination with medical-legal partnerships.(c)

Evaluation

Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this section and every 3 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a written report that assesses the extent to which the programs established under this section address social isolation and loneliness among older individuals and adults with disabilities.(d)

Appropriation

Out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there is appropriated to the Secretary $62,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028, to remain available until expended, to carry out this section. (e)

Coordination

The Secretary shall coordinate with resource centers, grant programs, or other funding mechanisms established under section 411(a)(18) of the Older Americans Act (42 U.S.C. 3032(a)(18)), section 417(a)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3032f(a)(1)), or other programs as determined by the Secretary.(f)

Definitions

In this section:(1)

Adult with a disability

The term adult with a disability means an individual with a disability as defined in section 372 of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3030s).(2)

Area agency on aging

The term area agency on aging means an area agency on aging designated under section 305 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3025).(3)

Community-based organization

The term community-based organization includes, except as otherwise provided by the Secretary, a nonprofit community-based organization, a consortium of nonprofit community-based organizations, a national nonprofit organization acting as an intermediary for a community-based organization, or a community-based organization that has a fiscal sponsor that allows the organization to function as an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code. (4)

Loneliness

The term loneliness means subjectively feeling alone, or the discrepancy between one’s desired level of social connection and one’s actual level of social connection.(5)

Older individual

The term older individual has the meaning given such term in section 102 of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3002).(6)

Social connection

The term social connection means the variety of ways one can connect with others socially, through physical, behavioral, social-cognitive, and emotional channels.(7)

Social isolation

The term social isolation means objectively being alone, or having few relationships or infrequent social contact.