[110th Congress Public Law 202]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[DOCID: f:publ202.110]
[[Page 122 STAT. 697]]
Public Law 110-202
110th Congress
An Act
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to expand and
intensify programs with respect to research and related activities
concerning elder falls. <<NOTE: Apr. 23, 2008 - [S. 845]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Safety of
Seniors Act of 2007.>>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. <<NOTE: 42 USC 201 note.>>
This Act may be cited as the ``Safety of Seniors Act of 2007''.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT.
Part J of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280b
et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating section 393B (as added by section 1401
of Public Law 106-386) <<NOTE: 42 USC 280b-1c.>> as section 393C
and transferring such section so that it appears after section
393B (as added by section 1301 of Public Law 106-310); and
(2) by inserting after section 393C (as redesignated by
paragraph (1)) the following:
``SEC. 393D. <<NOTE: 42 USC 280b-1f.>> PREVENTION OF FALLS AMONG
OLDER ADULTS.
``(a) Public Education.--The Secretary may--
``(1) oversee and support a national education campaign to
be carried out by a nonprofit organization with experience in
designing and implementing national injury prevention programs,
that is directed principally to older adults, their families,
and health care providers, and that focuses on reducing falls
among older adults and preventing repeat falls; and
``(2) award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to
qualified organizations, institutions, or consortia of qualified
organizations and institutions, specializing, or demonstrating
expertise, in falls or fall prevention, for the purpose of
organizing State-level coalitions of appropriate State and local
agencies, safety, health, senior citizen, and other
organizations to design and carry out local education campaigns,
focusing on reducing falls among older adults and preventing
repeat falls.
``(b) Research.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may--
``(A) conduct and support research to--
``(i) improve the identification of older
adults who have a high risk of falling;
``(ii) improve data collection and analysis to
identify fall risk and protective factors;
``(iii) design, implement, and evaluate the
most effective fall prevention interventions;
[[Page 122 STAT. 698]]
``(iv) improve strategies that are proven to
be effective in reducing falls by tailoring these
strategies to specific populations of older
adults;
``(v) conduct research in order to maximize
the dissemination of proven, effective fall
prevention interventions;
``(vi) intensify proven interventions to
prevent falls among older adults;
``(vii) improve the diagnosis, treatment, and
rehabilitation of elderly fall victims and older
adults at high risk for falls; and
``(viii) assess the risk of falls occurring in
various settings;
``(B) conduct research concerning barriers to the
adoption of proven interventions with respect to the
prevention of falls among older adults;
``(C) conduct research to develop, implement, and
evaluate the most effective approaches to reducing falls
among high-risk older adults living in communities and
long-term care and assisted living facilities; and
``(D) evaluate the effectiveness of community
programs designed to prevent falls among older adults.
``(2) Educational support.--The Secretary, either directly
or through awarding grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements
to qualified organizations, institutions, or consortia of
qualified organizations and institutions, specializing, or
demonstrating expertise, in falls or fall prevention, may
provide professional education for physicians and allied health
professionals, and aging service providers in fall prevention,
evaluation, and management.
``(c) Demonstration Projects.--The Secretary may carry out the
following:
``(1) Oversee and support demonstration and research
projects to be carried out by qualified organizations,
institutions, or consortia of qualified organizations and
institutions, specializing, or demonstrating expertise, in falls
or fall prevention, in the following areas:
``(A) A multistate demonstration project assessing
the utility of targeted fall risk screening and referral
programs.
``(B) Programs designed for community-dwelling older
adults that utilize multicomponent fall intervention
approaches, including physical activity, medication
assessment and reduction when possible, vision
enhancement, and home modification strategies.
``(C) Programs that are targeted to new fall victims
who are at a high risk for second falls and which are
designed to maximize independence and quality of life
for older adults, particularly those older adults with
functional limitations.
``(D) Private sector and public-private partnerships
to develop technologies to prevent falls among older
adults and prevent or reduce injuries if falls occur.
``(2)(A) Award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements
to qualified organizations, institutions, or consortia of
qualified organizations and institutions, specializing, or
demonstrating expertise, in falls or fall prevention, to design,
implement,
[[Page 122 STAT. 699]]
and evaluate fall prevention programs using proven intervention
strategies in residential and institutional settings.
``(B) Award 1 or more grants, contracts, or cooperative
agreements to 1 or more qualified organizations, institutions,
or consortia of qualified organizations and institutions,
specializing, or demonstrating expertise, in falls or fall
prevention, in order to carry out a multistate demonstration
project to implement and evaluate fall prevention programs using
proven intervention strategies designed for single and
multifamily residential settings with high concentrations of
older adults, including--
``(i) identifying high-risk populations;
``(ii) evaluating residential facilities;
``(iii) conducting screening to identify high-risk
individuals;
``(iv) providing fall assessment and risk reduction
interventions and counseling;
``(v) coordinating services with health care and
social service providers; and
``(vi) coordinating post-fall treatment and
rehabilitation.
``(3) Award 1 or more grants, contracts, or cooperative
agreements to qualified organizations, institutions, or
consortia of qualified organizations and institutions,
specializing, or demonstrating expertise, in falls or fall
prevention, to conduct evaluations of the effectiveness of the
demonstration projects described in this subsection.
``(d) Priority.--In awarding grants, contracts, or cooperative
agreements under this section, the Secretary may give priority to
entities that explore the use of cost-sharing with respect to activities
funded under the grant, contract, or agreement to ensure the
institutional commitment of the recipients of such assistance to the
projects funded under the grant, contract, or agreement. Such non-
Federal cost sharing contributions may be provided directly or through
donations from public or private entities and may be in cash or in-kind,
fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, or services.
``(e) Study of Effects of Falls on Health Care Costs.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may conduct a review of the
effects of falls on health care costs, the potential for
reducing falls, and the most effective strategies for reducing
health care costs associated with falls.
``(2) Report.--If the Secretary conducts the review under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, not later than 36 months
after the date of enactment of the Safety of Seniors Act of
[[Page 122 STAT. 700]]
2007, submit to Congress a report describing the findings of the
Secretary in conducting such review.''.
Approved April 23, 2008.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 845 (H.R. 3701):
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 110-569 accompanying H.R. 3701 (Comm. on Energy and
Commerce).
SENATE REPORTS: No. 110-110 (Comm. on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
Vol. 153 (2007):
Aug. 1, considered and passed
Senate.
Vol. 154 (2008):
Apr. 8, considered and passed House.
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 44 (2008):
<all>