Autism Family Caregivers Act of 2022
Bill: S.4198 | Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert (D-NJ)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Autism Family Caregivers Act of 2022
This bill establishes a pilot program to provide training for caregivers on improving health and other outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities or delays.
To carry out the program, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) must award grants to, among other eligible entities, health systems and nonprofits to provide the training. HRSA must also provide technical assistance to grant recipients and evaluate the program.

To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through 
the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, 
to award grants for providing evidence-based caregiver skills training 
   to caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder and other 
          developmental disabilities, 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 ``Autism Family Caregivers Act of 
2022''.

SEC. 2. CAREGIVER SKILLS TRAINING PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Authorization.--The Secretary, acting through the Administrator 
of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall carry out a 
program, to be known as the Caregiver Skills Training Pilot Program, 
under which the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to 
provide evidence-based caregiver skills training to caregivers, 
including family caregivers, of children with autism spectrum disorder 
and other developmental disabilities, for the purposes of--
            (1) improving the health outcomes and quality of life of 
        such children and their caregivers; and
            (2) teaching caregivers of such children evidenced-based 
        intervention strategies to promote--
                    (A) improvement in the mental and physical well-
                being of such children and their caregivers; and
                    (B) the greater inclusion of such children in 
                family and community life.
    (b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive an award under 
subsection (a), an entity shall be--
            (1) a nonprofit or other community-based organization;
            (2) a Federally qualified health center;
            (3) an academic health center;
            (4) a health system; or
            (5) a collaboration or consortium of 2 or more entities 
        listed in paragraphs (1) through (4).
    (c) Application.--An eligible entity wishing to receive a grant 
under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application that 
includes--
            (1) a description of--
                    (A) the applicant's experience delivering evidence-
                based caregiver skills training to caregivers, 
                including family caregivers, of children with autism 
                spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities;
                    (B) the activities that the applicant proposes to 
                carry out through the grant; and
                    (C) how such activities will achieve the purposes 
                described in subsection (a); and
            (2) a plan for--
                    (A) coordination with community-based 
                organizations, State and local early intervention 
                providers, State Medicaid systems, schools, and other 
                providers of early intervening services;
                    (B) collaboration with health care payors 
                (including public and private insurance), State 
                departments of insurance, health plans, and other 
                relevant payors;
                    (C) expanding the skills training program proposed 
                to be carried out through the grant; and
                    (D) achieving sustainability of such program.
    (d) Selection of Grantees.--
            (1) Selection criteria.--In awarding a grant to an eligible 
        entity or a collaboration or consortium of 2 or more entities 
        described in subsection (b), the Secretary shall require at 
        least one of the recipients to--
                    (A) have at least 3 years of demonstrated 
                experience--
                            (i) delivering evidence-based, culturally 
                        competent caregivers skills training programs 
                        described in subsection (a), including in 
                        medically underserved communities;
                            (ii) providing services to children with 
                        autism spectrum disorder and other 
                        developmental disabilities, and collaborating 
                        directly with their families;
                            (iii) providing individual caregiver 
                        coaching as part of skills training to 
                        caregivers of children with autism spectrum 
                        disorder and other developmental disabilities; 
                        and
                            (iv) working with self-advocates or adults 
                        with autism spectrum disorder and other 
                        developmental disabilities; and
                    (B) demonstrate the ability to access resources 
                from and collaborate with--
                            (i) health care providers;
                            (ii) allied health professionals;
                            (iii) educators;
                            (iv) social workers; and
                            (v) nonprofessional family caregivers who 
                        assist with daily living and developmental 
                        activities, including for children with autism 
                        spectrum disorder and other developmental 
                        disabilities.
            (2) Reducing disparities.--In awarding grants under this 
        section, the Secretary may consider, as appropriate, the extent 
        to which an eligible entity can deliver evidence-based, 
        culturally competent caregivers skills training programs for 
        children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental 
        disabilities from diverse racial, ethnic, geographic, or 
        linguistic backgrounds.
    (e) Use of Funds.--The recipient of a grant under this section 
shall use the grant to provide--
            (1) evidence-based caregiver skills training to caregivers 
        of children with autism spectrum disorder and other 
        developmental disabilities; and
            (2) such training in areas related to children's learning 
        and development, including--
                    (A) communication skills;
                    (B) social engagement;
                    (C) daily living skills; and
                    (D) caregiver response strategies to aggressive 
                behavior.
    (f) Requirements.--
            (1) Number of recipients and states.--The Secretary shall 
        award grants under subsection (a) to not fewer than 25 eligible 
        entities in not fewer than 15 States.
            (2) Amount.--The total amount of each grant awarded under 
        subsection (a) shall be not less than $500,000 over a 5-year 
        period.
    (g) Supplement Not Supplant.--Amounts made available to carry out 
this section shall be in addition to amounts made available to provide 
for--
            (1) behavioral, medical, habilitative, and other services 
        covered by the Medicaid program or private health insurance;
            (2) services provided under the Individuals with 
        Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.); or
            (3) adaptations of a training program using evidence-based 
        approaches to serve children of different ages, communities, 
        and underrepresented groups.
    (h) Activities of the Secretary.--The Secretary, acting through the 
Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, 
shall--
            (1) assist recipients of grants under subsection (a)--
                    (A) in the implementation of caregiver skills 
                training programs using lessons learned from other 
                evidenced-based activities or caregiver programs 
                conducted or supported by the Health Resources and 
                Services Administration;
                    (B) in ensuring their programs assist medically 
                underserved communities, when possible; and
                    (C) in developing plans for achieving 
                sustainability of their programs;
            (2) conduct an annual evaluation of activities funded 
        through grants under subsection (a), in consultation with the 
        grant recipients, including evaluation of the effectiveness of 
        such grants at improving health outcomes and quality of life 
        for children with autism spectrum disorder and other 
        developmental disabilities and their family caregivers; and
            (3) convene at least one national or regional meeting of 
        grant recipients to discuss best practices.
    (i) Reports.--
            (1) Initial report.--Not later than 6 months after awarding 
        the first grant under subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
        submit to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of 
        Representatives and the Senate, and to other appropriate 
        congressional committees, a report on the implementation of 
        this section. Such report shall include--
                    (A) how many grants have been awarded;
                    (B) the name and location of the grant recipients;
                    (C) the communities impacted by the grants;
                    (D) a description of the kind of activities to be 
                carried out with the grants;
                    (E) an analysis, conducted by the Health Resources 
                and Services Administration, based on the evaluation 
                under subsection (h)(2), of the effectiveness of such 
                grants at improving health outcomes and quality of life 
                for children with autism or other developmental 
                disabilities or delays and their family caregivers; and
                    (F) best practices to increase access to caregiver 
                skills training programs described in subsection (a) in 
                medically underserved communities.
            (2) Final report.--Not later than the end of fiscal year 
        2027, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
        Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate, 
        and to other appropriate congressional committees, a final 
        report on the implementation of this section, including--
                    (A) the information, analysis, and best practices 
                listed in subparagraphs (A) through (F) of paragraph 
                (1); and
                    (B) recommendations on how to expand and extend the 
                program under this section.
    (j) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``family caregiver'' means an adult family 
        member or other individual who has a significant relationship 
        with, and who provides a broad range of assistance to, a child 
        between the ages of 0 and 9 diagnosed with autism spectrum 
        disorder and other developmental disabilities.
            (2) The term ``Federally qualified health center'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 1861(aa) of the Social 
        Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)).
            (3) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health 
        and Human Services.
    (k) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2023 through 2027.
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