Continued Funding for Senior Services During COVID–19 Act
Bill: S.440 | Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. (D-PA)
Policy area: Social Welfare

Summary:
Continued Funding for Senior Services During COVID-19 Act
This bill provides additional funding for FY2021 to the Administration for Community Living for social services and programs for individuals aged 60 years or older, including to mitigate and prevent COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
With respect to the additional funding, the bill waives matching requirements that typically apply to funding for these services and programs.

To provide continued funding for services under the Older Americans Act 
                    of 1965, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Continued Funding for Senior 
Services During COVID-19 Act''.

SEC. 2. CONTINUED FUNDING FOR SERVICES UNDER THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT OF 
              1965.

    (a) In General.--There is appropriated, out of amounts in the 
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2021, for an additional amount for ``Aging and Disability 
Services Programs'' within the Administration for Community Living, for 
activities authorized under the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 
3001 et seq.), $1,529,500,000, to remain available until expended, of 
which--
            (1) $480,000,000 shall be available for providing 
        supportive services under part B of title III of the Older 
        Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3030d et seq.), including--
                    (A) for efforts to ensure that older individuals 
                have access to legal assistance by supporting the 
                network of legal services in the State for older 
                individuals, which may include--
                            (i) supporting the State in maintaining or 
                        developing a legal hotline for older 
                        individuals; and
                            (ii) supporting other legal assistance 
                        services authorized under part B of title III 
                        of such Act;
                    (B) for efforts to provide services to support 
                older individuals with limited English proficiency in 
                addressing concerns as a result of COVID-19;
                    (C) for efforts related to COVID-19 vaccination 
                outreach, including education, communication, 
                transportation, and other activities to facilitate 
                vaccination of older individuals; and
                    (D) for prevention and mitigation activities 
                related to COVID-19 focused on addressing extended 
                social isolation among older individuals, including 
                activities for investments in technological equipment 
                and solutions or other strategies aimed at alleviating 
                negative health effects of social isolation due to 
                long-term stay-at-home recommendations for older 
                individuals for the duration of the COVID-19 public 
                health emergency;
            (2) $750,000,000 shall be available for providing nutrition 
        services under subparts 1 and 2 of part C of title III of such 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 3030e et seq.);
            (3) $44,000,000 shall be available for providing evidence-
        based disease prevention and health promotion services and 
        information under part D of title III of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
        3030m et seq.);
            (4) $145,000,000 shall be available for providing caregiver 
        services under part E of title III of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3030s 
        et seq.);
            (5) $75,500,000 shall be available for providing activities 
        for health, independence, and longevity under titles II and IV 
        of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3011 et seq.; 42 U.S.C. 3031 et seq.), 
        of which--
                    (A) $500,000 shall be available for carrying out 
                section 417 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3032f); and
                    (B) $75,000,000 shall be available for the 
                Research, Demonstration, and Evaluation Center for the 
                Aging Network under section 201(g) of such Act (42 
                U.S.C. 3011(g));
            (6) $25,000,000 shall be available for providing supportive 
        services, including nutrition services, under title VI of such 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 3057 et seq.); and
            (7) $10,000,000 shall be available to carry out the long-
        term care ombudsman program under title VII of such Act (42 
        U.S.C. 3058 et seq.).
    (b) Inapplicability of Matching Requirements.--Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, the State matching requirements under sections 
304(d)(1)(D) and 309(b)(2) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 
U.S.C. 3024(d)(1)(D); 42 U.S.C. 3029(b)(2)) shall not apply to any 
funds made available under subsection (a).
    (c) Definitions.--In this section, the terms ``older individual'' 
and ``State'' have the meanings given such terms in section 102 of the 
Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3002).
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