    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 132, 115th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Public Law 115-196
    115th Congress

    An Act

    To establish a Federal Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising
    Grandchildren. <>

    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 ``Supporting Grandparents Raising
    Grandchildren Act''.
    SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
    (1) More than 2,500,000 grandparents in the United States
    are the primary caretaker of their grandchildren, and experts
    report that such numbers are increasing as the opioid epidemic
    expands.
    (2) Between 2009 and 2016, the incidence of parental alcohol
    or other drug use as a contributing factor for children's out-
    of-home placement rose from 25.4 to 37.4 percent.
    (3) When children cannot remain safely with their parents,
    placement with relatives is preferred over placement in foster
    care with nonrelatives because placement with relatives provides
    stability for children and helps them maintain family
    connections.
    (4) The number of foster children placed with a grandparent
    or other relative increased from 24 percent in 2006 to 32
    percent in 2016, according to data from the Department of Health
    and Human Services.
    (5) Grandparents' lives are enhanced by caring for their
    grandchildren; the overwhelming majority of grandparents report
    experiencing significant benefits in serving as their
    grandchildren's primary caregivers.
    (6) Providing full-time care to their grandchildren may
    decrease grandparents' ability to address their own physical and
    mental health needs and personal well-being.
    (7) Grandparents would benefit from better coordination and
    dissemination of information and resources available to support
    them in their caregiving responsibilities.
    SEC. 3. ADVISORY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT GRANDPARENTS RAISING
    GRANDCHILDREN.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established an Advisory Council to
    Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.
    (b) Membership.--

    [[Page 1512]]

    (1) In general.--The Advisory Council shall be composed of
    the following members, or their designee:
    (A) The Secretary of Health and Human Services.
    (B) The Secretary of Education.
    (C) The Administrator of the Administration for
    Community Living.
    (D) The Director of the Centers for Disease Control
    and Prevention.
    (E) The Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and
    Substance Use.
    (F) The Assistant Secretary for the Administration
    for Children and Families.
    (G) A grandparent raising a grandchild.
    (H) An older relative caregiver of children.
    (I) As appropriate, the head of other Federal
    departments, or agencies, identified by the Secretary of
    Health and Human Services as having responsibilities, or
    administering programs, relating to current issues
    affecting grandparents or other older relatives raising
    children.
    (2) Lead agency.--The Department of Health and Human
    Services shall be the lead agency for the Advisory Council.

    (c) Duties.--
    (1) In general.--
    (A) Information. <> --The
    Advisory Council shall identify, promote, coordinate,
    and disseminate to the public information, resources,
    and the best practices available to help grandparents
    and other older relatives--
    (i) meet the health, educational, nutritional,
    and other needs of the children in their care; and
    (ii) maintain their own physical and mental
    health and emotional well-being.
    (B) Opioids.--In carrying out the duties described
    in subparagraph (A), the Advisory Council shall consider
    the needs of those affected by the opioid crisis.
    (C) Native americans.--In carrying out the duties
    described in subparagraph (A), the Advisory Council
    shall consider the needs of members of Native American
    tribes.
    (2) Report.--
    (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the
    date of enactment of this Act, the Advisory Council
    shall submit a report to--
    (i) the appropriate committees;
    (ii) the State agencies that are responsible
    for carrying out family caregiver programs; and
    (iii) the public online in an accessible
    format.
    (B) Report format.--The report shall include--
    (i) best practices, resources, and other
    useful information for grandparents and other
    older relatives raising children identified under
    paragraph (1)(A) including, if applicable, any
    information related to the needs of children who
    have been impacted by the opioid epidemic;
    (ii) an identification of any gaps in items
    under clause (i); and
    (iii) where applicable, identification of any
    additional Federal legislative authority necessary
    to implement the activities described in clause
    (i) and (ii).

    [[Page 1513]]

    (3) Follow-up report.--Not later than 2 years after the date
    on which the report required under paragraph (2)(A) is
    submitted, the Advisory Council shall submit a follow-up report
    that includes the information identified in paragraph (2)(B)
    to--
    (A) the appropriate committees;
    (B) the State agencies that are responsible for
    carrying out family caregiver programs; and
    (C) <>  the
    public online in an accessible format.
    (4) Public input.--
    (A) In general.--The Advisory Council shall
    establish a process for public input to inform the
    development of, and provide updates to, the best
    practices, resources, and other information described in
    paragraph (1) that shall include--
    (i) outreach to States, local entities, and
    organizations that provide information to, or
    support for, grandparents or other older relatives
    raising children; and
    (ii) outreach to grandparents and other older
    relatives with experience raising children.
    (B) Nature of outreach.--Such outreach shall ask
    individuals to provide input on--
    (i) information, resources, and best practices
    available, including identification of any gaps
    and unmet needs; and
    (ii) <>
    recommendations that would help grandparents and
    other older relatives better meet the health,
    educational, nutritional, and other needs of the
    children in their care, as well as maintain their
    own physical and mental health and emotional well-
    being.

    (d) FACA.--The Advisory Council shall be exempt from the
    requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).
    (e) Funding.--No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated
    to carry out this Act.
    (f) Sunset.--The Advisory Council shall terminate on the date that
    is 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
    SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
    (1) Advisory council.--In this Act, the term ``Advisory
    Council'' means the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents
    Raising Grandchildren that is established under section 3.
    (2) Appropriate committees.--In this Act, the term
    ``appropriate committees'' means the following:
    (A) The Special Committee on Aging of the Senate.
    (B) The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
    Pensions of the Senate.
    (C) The Committee on Education and the Workforce of
    the House of Representatives.

    [[Page 1514]]

    (D) The Committee on Energy and Commerce of the
    House of Representatives.

    Approved July 7, 2018.

    LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 1091:
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    CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018):
    Mar. 22, considered and passed Senate.
    June 13, considered and passed House, amended.
    June 21, Senate concurred in House amendments.