Protecting the Health of America’s Older Adults Act
Bill: H.R.6302 | Sponsor: Rep. Frankel, Lois (D-FL)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Protecting the Health of America's Older Adults Act
This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish a program to promote the health and well-being of older adults.
To carry out the program, the CDC must, among other activities, regularly assess the health-related needs of older adults, identify disparities in outcomes of older adults based on demographic and other factors, and coordinate the efforts of federal agencies and nonfederal stakeholders with respect to the health of older adults.
Additionally, the CDC must award grants or enter into cooperative agreements with health departments and nonprofit community-based organizations to improve the availability of data on older adult populations, link health care and social services sectors, and undertake related efforts.

To provide for the establishment of a program at the Centers for 
  Disease Control and Prevention with respect to healthy aging and to 
   authorize grants to health departments to carry out healthy aging 
                   programs, 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 ``Protecting the Health of America's 
Older Adults Act''.

SEC. 2. HEALTHY AGING PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall establish a program 
for the purpose of promoting the health and wellbeing of older adults 
to be known as the Healthy Aging Program (referred to in this section 
as the ``Program'') by--
            (1) improving the coordination of public health 
        interventions that promote the health and wellbeing of older 
        adults;
            (2) disseminating and implementing evidence-based best 
        practices and programs with respect to promoting the health and 
        wellbeing of older adults; and
            (3) coordinating multisectoral efforts to promote the 
        health and wellbeing of older adults across governmental and 
        nongovernmental health and related agencies.
    (b) Activities.--For the purpose described in subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall design and implement the Program to carry out the 
following activities:
            (1) Regularly conduct assessments of the health-related 
        needs of older adults and promote policies addressing those 
        needs through evidence-based public health interventions to 
        promote overall health and wellbeing among older adults and 
        reduce health care and long-term care costs, and report to the 
        Secretary the results of those assessments.
            (2) Identify health outcome disparities in older adults, 
        including differences by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, 
        disability status, or geography.
            (3) Identify gaps in existing public health programs and 
        policies that focus on older adults.
            (4) Promote public health partnerships with aging and other 
        sector stakeholders to ensure nonduplication of efforts and 
        increase efficiency by working collaboratively across sectors.
            (5) Work with multisectoral agencies to improve emergency 
        preparedness plans and activities for older adults at increased 
        risk during disasters, including older adults with 
        disabilities.
            (6) Coordinate efforts to promote the health of older 
        adults with the Administration for Community Living, other 
        Federal departments and agencies, and nonprofit organizations.
            (7) Identify resources and evidence-based programs 
        available to local and State health departments, including 
        resources and programs that could be coordinated across 
        sectors, to address the health and wellbeing of older adults.
    (c) Grants to Health Departments and Nonprofit Community-Based 
Organizations.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall award grants or 
cooperative agreements to eligible health departments, and to nonprofit 
community-based organizations, to carry out any of the following 
activities:
            (1) Improving availability of data on the older adult 
        population, including through data-sharing with State units on 
        aging.
            (2) Linking the health care sector with the community 
        services sector (including aging services and supports and 
        disability services and supports) to coordinate and promote 
        community-based prevention and management services.
            (3) Ensuring that State and local emergency preparedness 
        plans and activities address the special needs of older adults, 
        particularly the most vulnerable populations.
            (4) Training State and local public health personnel to 
        implement or adapt evidence-based and innovative health 
        promotion and disease prevention programs and policies.
            (5) Improving community conditions and addressing social 
        determinants to promote health and wellbeing and foster 
        independence among older adults, such as efforts to advance 
        age-friendly communities and dementia-friendly communities.
    (d) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall (directly or through 
grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts) provide technical 
assistance to eligible health departments, and to nonprofit community-
based organizations, in carrying out activities described in subsection 
(c).
    (e) Evaluations.--The Secretary shall (directly or through grants, 
cooperative agreements, or contracts) provide for the evaluation of 
activities carried out under subsections (a), (b), and (c) in order to 
determine the extent to which such activities have been effective in 
carrying out the purpose described in subsection (a), including the 
effects of such activities on addressing health disparities.
    (f) Reports to Congress.--Beginning three years after the date of 
enactment, and at least once every 3 years thereafter, the Secretary, 
acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, shall submit to Congress a report that contains the results 
of the assessments conducted pursuant to subsection (b)(1).
    (g) Definition.--In this section, the term ``eligible health 
department'' means a health department of a State, the District of 
Columbia, a territory of the United States, a Tribe (as defined in 
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 
(25 U.S.C. 5304)), or a local or municipal government.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027 to 
carry out this section, including for grants under subsection (c), to 
remain available until September 30, 2027.
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