Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Act
Bill: S.56 | Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy (D-MN)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Act
This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to public and nonprofit private health care providers to expand training and support services for families and caregivers of individuals living with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia.

To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants for training 
and support services for families and caregivers of people living with 
               Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia.

    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 ``Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR TRAINING AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR FAMILIES AND 
              CAREGIVERS OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE OR A 
              RELATED DEMENTIA.

    Subpart I of part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 254b et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 330O. GRANTS FOR TRAINING AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR FAMILIES AND 
              CAREGIVERS OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE OR A 
              RELATED DEMENTIA.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Area agency on aging.--The term `area agency on 
        aging' has the meaning given the term in section 102 of the 
        Older Americans Act of 1965.
            ``(2) Medically underserved community.--The term `medically 
        underserved community' has the meaning given the term in 
        section 799B.
    ``(b) Grants.--The Secretary may award grants to public or 
nonprofit private health care providers described in subsection (c) for 
the purpose of expanding training and support services for families and 
caregivers of people living with Alzheimer's disease or a related 
dementia if such health care providers--
            ``(1) meet the conditions for receiving grants under 
        subsection (d); and
            ``(2) submit an application to the Secretary in such form, 
        in such manner, and containing such agreements, assurances, and 
        information as the Secretary may reasonably require.
    ``(c) Recipients of Grants.--The public or nonprofit private health 
care providers described in this subsection shall include--
            ``(1) health care organizations;
            ``(2) community health centers;
            ``(3) nursing homes;
            ``(4) senior centers;
            ``(5) area agencies on aging;
            ``(6) community-based organizations;
            ``(7) organizations providing support services for families 
        and caregivers of patients with younger-onset Alzheimer's 
        disease or a related dementia; and
            ``(8) State, local, and tribal public health agencies and 
        social service agencies.
    ``(d) Conditions for Receiving Grants.--To be eligible to receive a 
grant awarded under subsection (b), a public or nonprofit health care 
provider described in subsection (c) shall agree--
            ``(1) to employ a comprehensive approach to caring for 
        patients with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia that 
        integrates treatment of such patients with training and support 
        services for the families and caregivers of such patients;
            ``(2) in any program to be funded by a grant awarded under 
        subsection (b), that services will be provided in the languages 
        most appropriate for, and with consideration for the cultural 
        backgrounds of, the individuals for whom the services are 
        provided; and
            ``(3) to provide outreach activities to inform the public 
        of the services of the program, and to provide information on 
        Alzheimer's disease and related dementias to the public.
    ``(e) Coordination.--The Secretary shall coordinate with the 
Director of the Office on Women's Health and the Director of the Office 
of Minority Health in order to ensure that women, minorities, and 
patients who live in medically underserved communities are able to 
benefit from the training and support services funded through grants 
awarded under subsection (b).
    ``(f) Funding.--
            ``(1) Authorization of appropriations.--For the purpose of 
        carrying out this section, there are authorized to be 
        appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal 
        years 2021 through 2025.
            ``(2) Allocation for medically underserved communities.--Of 
        the amounts appropriated under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, 
        the Secretary shall make available not less than 10 percent for 
        grants awarded under subsection (b) to public or nonprofit 
        private health care providers that primarily serve medically 
        underserved communities and meet the requirements under this 
        section.''.
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