Safety of Seniors Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-3701
Sponsor: Rep. Pallone, Frank, Jr. [D-NJ-6]
Introduced: 2007-09-27 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Accident prevention
Accidents
Architecture and the disabled
Case management
Congressional reporting requirements
Disabled
Drugs
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic government information
Federal aid to research
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Grants-in-aid
Health education
Home repair and improvement
Housing and Community Development
Housing for the aged
Medical economics
Medical research
Public service advertising
Research grants
Risk
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-27
text: 
Keeping Seniors Safe From Falls Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) oversee and support national education campaigns focusing on reducing falls among older adults, on preventing repeat falls, and on educating health professionals about falls risk, assessment, and prevention; and (2) award grants for local and state education campaigns.
 
Directs the Secretary to conduct and support research to: (1) improve the identification of older adults who have a high risk of falling; (2) improve data collection and analysis to identify fall risk and protective factors; (3) design, implement, and evaluate the most effective fall prevention and medication management interventions; (4) tailor strategies to reduce falls to specific populations of older adults; (5) maximize the dissemination of proven, effective fall prevention interventions; (6) improve the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of elderly fall victims; and (7) assess the risks of falls occurring in various settings.
 
Requires the Secretary to: (1) conduct research concerning barriers to the adoption of proven interventions, approaches to reduce falls among high-risk older adults living in long-term care facilities, and strategies in home modifications; (2) evaluate the effectiveness of community programs; (3) provide for a website to serve as an information clearinghouse; (4) oversee and support demonstration projects designed to reduce the risk of falls in frail older adults emphasizing projects that foster collaboration between health care providers and the aging services network or residential and institutional settings; and (5) report to Congress on the effects of falls on health care costs, the potential for reducing falls, and the most effective strategies for reducing associated health care costs.

action_date: 2008-04-08
text: 
Safety of Seniors Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) oversee and support a national education campaign focusing on reducing falls among older adults and preventing repeat falls; and (2) award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to design and carry out local education campaigns.
 
Allows the Secretary to conduct and support research to: (1) improve the identification of older adults who have a high risk of falling; (2) improve data collection and analysis to identify fall risk and protective factors; (3) design, implement, and evaluate the most effective fall prevention interventions; (4) tailor effective strategies to reduce falls to specific populations of older adults; (5) maximize the dissemination of proven, effective fall prevention interventions; (6) improve the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of elderly fall victims and older adults at high risk for falls; and (7) assess the risks of falls occurring in various settings.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) conduct research concerning the barriers to the adoption of proven fall prevention interventions; (2) conduct research to develop, implement, and evaluate the most effective approaches to reduce falls among high-risk older adults living in communities and long-term care and assisted living facilities; (3) evaluate the effectiveness of community programs; (4) provide professional education for physicians and allied health professionals in fall prevention; (5) oversee and support specified demonstration and research projects; (6) award grants to design, implement, and evaluate fall prevention programs using proven intervention strategies and carry out a multistate demonstration project; (7) give priority in awarding grants under this Act to entities that explore the use of cost-sharing to ensure the institutional commitment of the recipients of such assistance to the funded projects; and (8) report to Congress on the effects of falls on health care costs, the potential for reducing falls, and the most effective strategies for reducing associated health care costs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-08
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 351.
action_date: 2008-04-08
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 110-569.
action_date: 2008-04-08
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 110-569.
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2008-03-13
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2008-03-11
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .
action_date: 2008-03-11
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2007-09-27
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2007-09-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2007-09-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-09-27
text: Introduced in House