I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1583 
To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to establish an initiative, carried 
out by the Assistant Secretary for Aging, to coordinate Federal efforts 
and programs for home modifications enabling older individuals and 
individuals with disabilities to live independently and safely in a home 
environment, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 7, 2019 
Mr. MORELLE (for himself, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. FITZPATRICK, and Mrs. ROD-
GERS of Washington) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to establish 
an initiative, carried out by the Assistant Secretary for 
Aging, to coordinate Federal efforts and programs for 
home modifications enabling older individuals and indi-
viduals with disabilities to live independently and safely 
in a home environment, 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 ‘‘Senior and Disability 
Home Modification Assistance Initiative Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. SENIOR HOME MODIFICATION ASSISTANCE INITIA-
TIVE. 
The Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3001 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘TITLE VIII—SENIOR AND DIS-
ABILITY 
HOME 
MODIFICA-
TION ASSISTANCE INITIATIVE 
‘‘SEC. 801. SENIOR AND DISABILITY HOME MODIFICATION 
ASSISTANCE INITIATIVE. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary shall es-
tablish and carry out an initiative under this section to 
coordinate Federal resources to provide home modifica-
tions for older individuals and individuals with disabilities 
to support enabling such individuals to live independently 
and safely in a home environment. 
‘‘(b) COORDINATION
OF FEDERAL EFFORTS.—In 
carrying out the initiative under this section, the Assistant 
Secretary shall, through memoranda of understanding, 
agreements, or other appropriate means of coordination, 
coordinate all Federal efforts and Federal programs exist-
ing prior to the date of enactment of the Senior and Dis-
ability Home Modification Assistance Initiative Act that 
support home assessments and home modifications for 
older individuals and individuals with disabilities. 
‘‘(c) REPORTS.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of the Senior and Disability Home Modifica-
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tion Assistance Initiative Act, and annually thereafter, the 
Assistant Secretary shall publish a report that includes— 
‘‘(1) an inventory of Federal programs that 
support home assessments and home modifications 
for older individuals and individuals with disabilities; 
‘‘(2) for the fiscal year of the report, statistical 
data on the number of older individuals and individ-
uals with disabilities served by each Federal pro-
gram described in paragraph (1) and the approxi-
mate amount of Federal funding invested in each 
such program; 
‘‘(3) a demographic analysis of individuals 
served by each such program during the fiscal year 
of the report; 
‘‘(4) an analysis of duplication and gaps in pop-
ulations supported by the Federal programs de-
scribed in paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(5) an evaluation of the impact of Federal 
home modification efforts and programs on health 
status and health outcomes in populations supported 
by such efforts and programs. 
‘‘(d) LOCAL EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary 
shall, through the National Eldercare Locator Serv-
ice established under section 202(a)(21) and in co-
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operation with centers for independent living de-
scribed in part C of title VII of the Rehabilitation 
Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 796f et seq.), identify and 
publish an educational brochure on home modifica-
tions and repairs for use by older individuals at-
tempting to live independently and safely in their 
homes and the caregivers of such individuals. 
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The brochure published 
under paragraph (1) shall— 
‘‘(A) be written in consumer-friendly lan-
guage; 
‘‘(B) include information on the value of 
home modifications to ensure a safe living envi-
ronment as individuals age; 
‘‘(C) include simple advice on common 
types of home modification that boost safety 
and livability; and 
‘‘(D) include references to Federal re-
sources available to help offset the cost of home 
repairs or modifications and where those re-
sources can typically be accessed locally. 
‘‘(3) DISTRIBUTION.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The brochure pub-
lished under paragraph (1) shall be distributed 
widely throughout the aging network, using the 
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National Eldercare Locator Service, with State 
agencies, area agencies on aging, and commu-
nity-based service providers disseminating the 
brochure to older individuals and caregivers. 
‘‘(B) 
CUSTOMIZATION.—The 
Assistant 
Secretary shall encourage State agencies, area 
agencies on aging, and community-based service 
providers to customize the brochure to include 
available non-Federal resources. 
‘‘(4) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 
as may be necessary for the production and dissemi-
nation of the brochure published under paragraph 
(1). 
‘‘(e) DEFINITION
OF INDIVIDUAL WITH
A DIS-
ABILITY.—In this title, the term ‘individual with a dis-
ability’ has the meaning given such term in section 3 of 
the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
12102).’’. 
Æ 
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