[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2692 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2692
To amend title XX of the Social Security Act to provide grants and
training to support area agencies on aging or other community-based
organizations to address social isolation among vulnerable older adults
and adults with disabilities.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 18, 2023
Ms. Sanchez introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title XX of the Social Security Act to provide grants and
training to support area agencies on aging or other community-based
organizations to address social isolation among vulnerable older adults
and adults with disabilities.
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 ``Addressing Social Isolation and
Loneliness in Older Adults Act of 2023'' or the ``Addressing SILO Act
of 2023''.
SEC. 2. INCENTIVES FOR DEVELOPING AND SUSTAINING STRUCTURAL COMPETENCY
IN PROVIDING HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
Part II of subtitle B of title XX of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1397m-1397m-5) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 2047. INCENTIVES FOR DEVELOPING AND SUSTAINING STRUCTURAL
COMPETENCY IN PROVIDING HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
``(a) Grants and Training To Support Area Agencies on Aging or
Other Community-Based Organizations To Address Social Isolation Among
Vulnerable Older Adults and Adults With Disabilities.--
``(1) Grants.--The Secretary shall make grants to eligible
area agencies on aging or other community-based organizations
for the purpose of--
``(A) conducting outreach to individuals at risk
for, or already experiencing, social isolation or
loneliness, through established screening tools or
other methods identified by the Secretary;
``(B) 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 at-
risk individuals;
``(C) connecting at-risk individuals with community
social and clinical supports; and
``(D) evaluating the effect of programs developed
and implemented under subparagraphs (B) and (C).
``(2) Training.--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 adults
and adults with disabilities.
``(3) Evaluation.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
the enactment of this section and every 3 years thereafter, the
Secretary shall submit to the Congress a written report which
assesses the extent to which the programs established under
this subsection address social isolation and loneliness among
older adults and people with disabilities.
``(4) Appropriation.--Out of any money in the Treasury not
otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated to the Secretary
$62,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2027 to carry
out this subsection.
``(5) 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.
``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Area agency on aging.--The term `area agency on
aging' means an area agency on aging designated under section
305 of the Older Americans Act of 1965.
``(2) Social isolation.--The term `social isolation' means
objectively being alone, or having few relationships or
infrequent social contact.
``(3) 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.
``(4) Social connection.--The term `social connection'
means the variety of ways one can connect to others socially,
through physical, behavioral, social-cognitive, and emotional
channels.
``(5) 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.''.
<all>