Title: Senior and Disability Home Modification Assistance Initiative Act
Policy area: Social Welfare

Summary:
Senior and Disability Home Modification Assistance Initiative Act
This bill requires the Administration on Aging to take a series of actions relating to home modifications that support independent living for older individuals and individuals with disabilities. Specifically, the administration must (1) coordinate, evaluate, and report on existing federal programs that support such home modifications; and (2) publish an educational brochure about such home modifications and available resources.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1583 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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. 
    Rodgers 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 individuals with disabilities to live independently and safely in a 
               home environment, 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 ``Senior and Disability Home 
Modification Assistance Initiative Act''.

SEC. 2. SENIOR HOME MODIFICATION ASSISTANCE INITIATIVE.

    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 DISABILITY HOME MODIFICATION ASSISTANCE 
                               INITIATIVE

``SEC. 801. SENIOR AND DISABILITY HOME MODIFICATION ASSISTANCE 
              INITIATIVE.

    ``(a) In General.--The Assistant Secretary shall establish and 
carry out an initiative under this section to coordinate Federal 
resources to provide home modifications 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 
existing prior to the date of enactment of the Senior and Disability 
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 Modification 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 individuals with 
        disabilities served by each Federal program described in 
        paragraph (1) and the approximate 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 populations 
        supported by the Federal programs described 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 Service established under 
        section 202(a)(21) and in cooperation with centers for 
        independent living described 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 modifications and 
        repairs for use by older individuals attempting 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 language;
                    ``(B) include information on the value of home 
                modifications to ensure a safe living environment as 
                individuals age;
                    ``(C) include simple advice on common types of home 
                modification that boost safety and livability; and
                    ``(D) include references to Federal resources 
                available to help offset the cost of home repairs or 
                modifications and where those resources can typically 
                be accessed locally.
            ``(3) Distribution.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The brochure published under 
                paragraph (1) shall be distributed widely throughout 
                the aging network, using the National Eldercare Locator 
                Service, with State agencies, area agencies on aging, 
                and community-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 dissemination of the brochure published 
        under paragraph (1).
    ``(e) Definition of Individual With a Disability.--In this title, 
the term `individual with a disability' has the meaning given such term 
in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
12102).''.
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