[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 88 (Friday, May 6, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27160-27161]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-09713]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living

RIN 0985-AA17


Request for Information: Older Americans Act Regulations

AGENCY: Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and 
Human Services.

ACTION: Request for information.

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SUMMARY: The Acting Assistant Secretary for Aging and Administrator of 
the Administration for Community Living (ACL) seeks information on 
recommended changes, additions, or deletions to Code of Federal 
Regulation's section on Grants to State and Community Programs on 
Aging; Grants to Indian Tribes for Support and Nutrition Services; 
Grants for Supportive and Nutritional Services to Older Hawaiian 
Natives; and Allotments for Vulnerable Elder Rights Protection 
Activities, including Subpart A--State Long-Term Care Ombudsman 
Program.

DATES: Information must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. (EST) 
by June 6, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are encouraged to submit electronic 
comments to: Administration on Aging, [email protected]. 
Include ``OAA Regulations'' in the subject line of the message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caldwell Jackson, (202) 795-7368 
[email protected]. The email is a resource mailbox 
established to receive public input regarding Older Americans Act 
regulations and should not be used to request information beyond the 
scope of this public input opportunity.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Administration for Community Living's 
(ACL) Administration on Aging (AoA) is requesting information to gather 
feedback on recommended changes, additions, or deletions to regulations 
for programs authorized under Titles III, VI, and VII of the Older 
Americans Act, 42 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.
    First passed in 1965, the Older Americans Act (the Act) authorizes 
supportive, nutrition, evidence-based disease prevention and health 
promotion, caregiver, legal, long-term care ombudsman, and other 
services provided via states, territories, tribes and tribal 
organizations, area agencies on aging, and local service providers. The 
Act was last reauthorized on March 25, 2020. Current regulations for 
programs authorized under the Act date from 1988, and have not been 
substantively revised, with the exception of portions of 45 CFR part 
1321--Grants to State and Community Programs on Aging, specific to 
State responsibilities regarding the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman 
Program, and 45 CFR part 1324 Allotments for Vulnerable Elder Rights 
Protection Activities, Subpart A--State Long-Term Care Ombudsman 
Program, which were published in 2015. In the absence of valid and 
current regulations, there is the potential for significant variation 
in the interpretation and implementation of these provisions among 
States.

Public Input

    Through this Request for Information (RFI), ACL is seeking input 
from individuals and organizations regarding supportive, nutrition, 
evidence-based disease prevention and health promotion, caregiver, 
legal, long-term care ombudsman, and other services provided via 
states, tribes and tribal organizations, area agencies on aging, and 
local service providers under the Act. Specifically, we would like to 
learn from respondents based on their experience about: (1) Challenges 
faced by older adults, elders, and family caregivers in receiving 
services under the Act, and (2) challenges faced by

[[Page 27161]]

states, territories, tribes and tribal organizations, area agencies on 
aging and service providers in delivering services under the Act. We 
also seek feedback on how OAA programs can advance equity, in alignment 
with Executive Order 13985 Advancing Racial Equity and Support for 
Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. In this regard, 
please keep in mind the following:
     All submissions will be considered and reviewed by ACL.
     ACL seeks recommendations to address practical matters 
regarding regulations to implement the Older Americans Act, as 
reauthorized in 2020. (We may not be able to include all 
recommendations.)
     If respondents have multiple recommendations, respondents 
may make multiple recommendations in the same submission.

Submission Questions

    1. State the regulation for which the comment applies:
    a. 45 CFR part 1321--Grants to State and Community Programs on 
Aging;
    b. 45 CFR part 1322--Grants to Indian Tribes for Support and 
Nutrition Services;
    c. 45 CFR part 1323--Grants for Supportive and Nutritional Services 
to Older Hawaiian Natives; or
    d. 45 CFR part 1324 Allotments for Vulnerable Elder Rights 
Protection Activities, including Subpart A--State Long-Term Care 
Ombudsman Program.
    2. State the citation to which the comment applies, if applicable 
(for example, ``45 CFR part 1321.1'').
    3. State the nature of the comment:
    a. Deletion.
    b. Addition.
    c. Change.
    4. Provide detail on the reason for ACL to consider the comment for 
potential inclusion in a revision of Older Americans Act regulations.
    5. Provide detail on any benefits, including how equity will be 
advanced, and/or barriers that might result from incorporating the 
recommendation in a revision of Older Americans Act regulations.
    Please Note: This RFI is being issued for information and planning 
purposes only. It should not be construed as a solicitation or an 
obligation on the part of the federal government or the Administration 
for Community Living (ACL). ACL does not intend to issue any grant or 
contract awards based on responses to this invitation, or to otherwise 
pay for the preparation of any information submitted or for the 
government's use of such information. ACL is not authorized to receive 
personally identifiable information (PII) through this RFI other than 
the contact information of the person submitting the information. 
Please do not include any PII in your submission. For example, do not 
include names, addresses, phone or Social Security numbers of any 
individuals. We will redact responses that contain PII.

How the Information Will Be Used

    ACL is planning to update regulations for programs authorized under 
Titles III, VI, and VII of the Older Americans Act. The information 
gathered through this RFI will be used to inform ACL's approach to 
updating these regulations.

Background

    Congress passed the Older Americans Act (OAA) in 1965 in response 
to concern by policymakers about a lack of community social services 
for older persons. The original legislation established authority for 
grants to states for community planning and social services, research 
and development projects, and personnel training in the field of aging. 
The law also established the Administration on Aging (AoA) to 
administer the newly created grant programs and to serve as the federal 
focal point on matters concerning older persons.
    Although older individuals may receive services under many other 
federal programs, today the OAA is considered to be a major vehicle for 
the organization and delivery of social and nutrition services to this 
group and their caregivers. It authorizes a wide array of service 
programs through a national network of 56 state agencies on aging, 618 
area agencies on aging, nearly 20,000 service providers, 281 Tribal 
organizations, representing 400 Tribes, and 1 Native Hawaiian 
organization. The OAA was most recently reauthorized on March 25, 2020.

    Dated: May 2, 2022.
Alison Barkoff,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Aging and Administrator, Administration 
for Community Living.
    Dated: May 2, 2022.
Xavier Becerra,
Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2022-09713 Filed 5-5-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P