I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3493 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants for local care 
corps programs through which qualified volunteers provide care, compan-
ionship, and other services to seniors and individuals in need, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 27, 2017 
Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico (for herself, Ms. ROS- 
LEHTINEN, Ms. MOORE, Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, Ms. 
SHEA-PORTER, Mr. BEN RAY LUJA´N of New Mexico, Mr. GALLEGO, Mrs. 
DINGELL, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Ms. NORTON, and Mr. EVANS) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants 
for local care corps programs through which qualified 
volunteers provide care, companionship, and other serv-
ices to seniors and individuals in need, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Care Corps Dem-
onstration Act of 2017’’. 
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SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR LOCAL CARE CORPS PROGRAMS. 
Part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 254b et seq.) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating the second subpart XI (re-
lating to a community-based collaborative care net-
work program) as subpart XII; 
(2) by redesignating the second section 340H 
(42 U.S.C. 256i) as section 340I; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘Subpart XIII—Local Care Corps Programs 
‘‘SEC. 340J. GRANTS FOR LOCAL CARE CORPS PROGRAMS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may award grants 
to eligible entities described in subsection (b) to establish 
and implement a local care corps program through which 
eligible volunteers described in subsection (c) perform ap-
proved care services described in subsection (d). 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible to receive 
a grant under this section, an entity shall be a public or 
private nonprofit entity that is— 
‘‘(1) part of an aging network, as defined in 
section 102(5) of the Older Americans Act of 1965; 
‘‘(2) a time-banking or volunteer organizing 
agency that has expertise in delivering home- and 
community-based long-term services and supports to 
older adults and people with disabilities; 
‘‘(3) a State, county, or local government; or 
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‘‘(4) any other entity that has expertise in de-
livering home- and community-based long-term serv-
ices and supports to older adults and people with 
disabilities, as determined to be appropriate by the 
Secretary. 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE VOLUNTEERS.— 
‘‘(1) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.—To be eligible to 
serve as a volunteer in a local care corps program 
funded through a grant under this section, an indi-
vidual shall— 
‘‘(A) be at least 18 years of age on or be-
fore December 31 of the calendar year in which 
the individual begins participation in the pro-
gram; 
‘‘(B) agree to participate in the program 
for a period of not more than 24 months, con-
sisting of not more than 2 terms of up to 12 
months; 
‘‘(C) submit an application to the grantee 
at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the grantee may require; 
‘‘(D) pass a criminal background check as 
described in paragraph (2); and 
‘‘(E) agree to comply with such terms and 
conditions as the grantee may require. 
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‘‘(2) CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Before selecting any 
individual to serve as a volunteer in a local care 
corps program funded through a grant under 
this section, the grantee shall request a criminal 
background check of such individual on a na-
tionwide basis. 
‘‘(B) VOLUNTEER PROHIBITIONS.—An in-
dividual shall be ineligible to be a volunteer in 
such program if— 
‘‘(i) the individual refuses to consent 
to the criminal background check; or 
‘‘(ii) the criminal background check 
does not demonstrate to the grantee’s sat-
isfaction that the individual is fit for serv-
ice in such program. 
‘‘(d) APPROVED CARE SERVICES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out a local care 
corps program funded through a grant under this 
section, the grantee shall assign volunteers only for 
providing services— 
‘‘(A) that are approved care services de-
scribed in paragraph (2); and 
‘‘(B) within one or more populations 
that— 
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‘‘(i) have a shortage of such approved 
care services; or 
‘‘(ii) consist primarily of low-income 
or minority individuals. 
‘‘(2) APPROVED
CARE
SERVICES.—Approved 
care services are services provided directly to individ-
uals in need (as defined in paragraph (5)) in home- 
based or community-based settings that— 
‘‘(A) result in person-to-person, supportive 
relationships with each individual served; 
‘‘(B) support the achievement and mainte-
nance of the highest level of independent living 
for each individual in need; 
‘‘(C) are supported by appropriate orienta-
tion, training, and supervision; and 
‘‘(D) are provided in support of, or in co-
ordination with, a caregiver, if applicable. 
‘‘(3) PROHIBITED
SERVICES.—In performing 
duties as part of a local care corps program funded 
through a grant under this section, no volunteer 
shall provide— 
‘‘(A) professional medical services; 
‘‘(B) administrative support services of the 
program; 
‘‘(C) care in an institutional setting; 
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‘‘(D) care prohibited under State law; 
‘‘(E) financial services; or 
‘‘(F) any other services determined by the 
Secretary to be inconsistent with the purposes 
of local care corps programs funded under this 
section. 
‘‘(4) GUIDANCE REGARDING SCOPE OF SERV-
ICES.—The Secretary shall issue guidance describing 
the scope of services that may be provided by volun-
teers as part of a local care corps program funded 
through a grant under this section. In issuing such 
guidance, the Director shall provide for a public no-
tice and comment period of not less than 60 days 
before issuing the guidance in final form. 
‘‘(5) INDIVIDUAL IN NEED.—In this paragraph, 
the term ‘individual in need’ means an individual 
who— 
‘‘(A) is at least 65 years of age or has a 
disability as defined in section 3 of the Ameri-
cans With Disabilities Act of 1990; 
‘‘(B) has difficulty with self-care or living 
independently; and 
‘‘(C) meets such other criteria as the 
grantee determines to be appropriate. 
‘‘(e) TRAINING AND STANDARDS OF CONDUCT.— 
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‘‘(1) PRE-ASSIGNMENT TRAINING PROGRAM.— 
As a condition on receipt of a grant for a local care 
corps program under this section, an eligible entity 
shall agree to develop a training program that pro-
vides volunteers in such program with instruction in 
the skills necessary to carry out an assignment in 
the program. Such training shall include— 
‘‘(A) at least 40 hours of instruction for 
each volunteer for each term (of 12 months or 
less) to be served in such program; 
‘‘(B) additional training for volunteers 
whose assignment requires further instruction; 
and 
‘‘(C) any other training the grantee deter-
mines to be appropriate. 
‘‘(2) STANDARDS OF CONDUCT.—As a condition 
on receipt of a grant for a local care corps program 
under this section, an eligible entity shall agree to 
establish and enforce standards to promote proper 
conduct and discipline within such program. 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZED BENEFITS FOR VOLUNTEERS.—As 
a condition on receipt of a grant for a local care corps 
program under this section, an eligible entity shall agree 
to the following: 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The eligible entity will pro-
vide for volunteers participating in the program to 
receive allowances, health insurance, and post-service 
educational awards, in accordance with this sub-
section. 
‘‘(2) ALLOWANCES.—The eligible entity will 
provide for each volunteer to receive such living, 
travel, and leave allowances, and such housing, 
transportation, supplies, equipment, and subsistence 
as the eligible entity determines to be necessary 
for— 
‘‘(A) the volunteer’s maintenance; and 
‘‘(B) to ensure the volunteer’s health and 
capacity to serve effectively. 
‘‘(3) HEALTH INSURANCE.—The eligible entity 
will provide for each volunteer to receive health in-
surance coverage meeting the requirements of sec-
tion 5000A(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. 
‘‘(4) POST-SERVICE EDUCATIONAL AWARD.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The eligible entity will 
establish an educational award for volunteers. 
‘‘(B) AMOUNTS.— 
‘‘(i) NUMBER OF AWARDS.—A volun-
teer may receive up to 2 educational 
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awards under this subsection, one for each 
term of service as a volunteer. 
‘‘(ii) AMOUNT
FOR
FULL
TERM
OF 
SERVICE.—In the case of a volunteer who 
completes a term of full-time service in the 
program for a period of 12 months, as de-
termined by the eligible entity, such volun-
teer shall receive an educational award 
having a value of $6,000 for the award 
year. 
‘‘(iii) 
INCENTIVE
TO
PURSUE
A 
HEALTH CARE PROFESSION.—In the case 
of a volunteer who commits to using an 
educational award (or awards, if applica-
ble) under this subsection for completion of 
a degree, a certificate, or training in a 
health care profession, or in a social serv-
ices profession related to the delivery of 
long-term services and supports to older 
adults and people with disabilities or to 
their caregivers, the value of such awards 
shall be $10,000 for the award year. 
‘‘(iv) AMOUNT FOR OTHER PERIODS 
OF SERVICE.— 
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‘‘(I) FIRST 12 MONTHS.—In the 
case of a volunteer who completes less 
than a 12-month term of full-time 
service in the program, as determined 
by the eligible entity, such volunteer 
may receive a portion of the edu-
cational award described in clause (ii) 
or (iii) (as applicable) that cor-
responds to the quantity of service ac-
tually completed by the volunteer. 
‘‘(II) SECOND
MONTHS.—In 
the case of a volunteer who completes 
more than 12 months of full-time 
service in the program, and less than 
24 months of such service, as deter-
mined by the eligible entity, such vol-
unteer may receive, for the portion of 
service exceeding 12 months, a por-
tion of the educational award de-
scribed in clause (ii) or (iii) (as appli-
cable) that corresponds to the quan-
tity of service actually completed by 
the volunteer. 
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‘‘(C) USES
OF
AWARD.—An educational 
award under this subsection shall be used to 
pay— 
‘‘(i) costs of attendance at an institu-
tion of higher education; or 
‘‘(ii) government or commercial loans 
received by an individual for the cost of at-
tendance at an institution of higher edu-
cation. 
‘‘(D) DEFINITIONS.—In this paragraph: 
‘‘(i) The term ‘cost of attendance’ has 
the meaning given such term by section 
472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965. 
‘‘(ii) The term ‘institution of higher 
education’ has the meaning given such 
term under subsection (a) or (b) of section 
101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965. 
‘‘(g) APPLICATION PROCESS.—To seek a grant under 
this section, an eligible entity shall— 
‘‘(1) submit an application to the Secretary at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such in-
formation and assurances as the Secretary may re-
quire; and 
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‘‘(2) include in such application a description of 
the scope of the services proposed to be provided 
through the entity’s local care corps program. 
‘‘(h) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) REPORTS TO SECRETARY.—As a condition 
of receipt of a grant under this section for a local 
care corps program, an eligible entity shall agree to 
submit annual reports to the Secretary including— 
‘‘(A) a description of the population served 
by the eligible entity through the grant during 
the preceding fiscal year, including— 
‘‘(i) an estimate of the number of in-
dividuals served, disaggregated by race, 
ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status, and 
disability status; and 
‘‘(ii) identification of the type of set-
tings in which the services were provided; 
‘‘(B) an evaluation of program operations; 
and 
‘‘(C) recommendations, if any, for improv-
ing programs funded under this section. 
‘‘(2) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 
the end of fiscal year 2021, the Secretary shall sub-
mit a report to the Congress on local care corps pro-
grams funded under this section, including— 
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‘‘(A) summaries of the information sub-
mitted to the Secretary pursuant to paragraph 
(1); and 
‘‘(B) recommendations, if any, for improv-
ing programs funded under this section. 
‘‘(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022, 
to remain available until expended.’’. 
Æ 
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