An act to establish a Federal Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
PL 115-196 (S.1091), enacted 07/07/2018

132 STAT. 1511 
PUBLIC LAW 115–196—JULY 7, 2018 
Public Law 115–196 
115th Congress 
An Act 
To establish a Federal Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grand-
children. 
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 ‘‘Supporting Grandparents Raising 
Grandchildren Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) More than 2,500,000 grandparents in the United States 
are the primary caretaker of their grandchildren, and experts 
report that such numbers are increasing as the opioid epidemic 
expands. 
(2) Between 2009 and 2016, the incidence of parental 
alcohol or other drug use as a contributing factor for children’s 
out-of-home placement rose from 25.4 to 37.4 percent. 
(3) When children cannot remain safely with their parents, 
placement with relatives is preferred over placement in foster 
care with nonrelatives because placement with relatives pro-
vides stability for children and helps them maintain family 
connections. 
(4) The number of foster children placed with a grandparent 
or other relative increased from 24 percent in 2006 to 32 
percent in 2016, according to data from the Department of 
Health and Human Services. 
(5) Grandparents’ lives are enhanced by caring for their 
grandchildren; the overwhelming majority of grandparents 
report experiencing significant benefits in serving as their 
grandchildren’s primary caregivers. 
(6) Providing full-time care to their grandchildren may 
decrease grandparents’ ability to address their own physical 
and mental health needs and personal well-being. 
(7) Grandparents would benefit from better coordination 
and dissemination of information and resources available to 
support them in their caregiving responsibilities. 
SEC. 3. ADVISORY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT GRANDPARENTS RAISING 
GRANDCHILDREN. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established an Advisory Council 
to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
Supporting 
Grandparents 
Raising 
Grandchildren 
Act. 
July 7, 2018 
[S. 1091] 
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132 STAT. 1512 
PUBLIC LAW 115–196—JULY 7, 2018 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Advisory Council shall be composed 
of the following members, or their designee: 
(A) The Secretary of Health and Human Services. 
(B) The Secretary of Education. 
(C) The Administrator of the Administration for 
Community Living. 
(D) The Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention. 
(E) The Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and 
Substance Use. 
(F) The Assistant Secretary for the Administration for 
Children and Families. 
(G) A grandparent raising a grandchild. 
(H) An older relative caregiver of children. 
(I) As appropriate, the head of other Federal depart-
ments, or agencies, identified by the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services as having responsibilities, or admin-
istering programs, relating to current issues affecting 
grandparents or other older relatives raising children. 
(2) LEAD AGENCY.—The Department of Health and Human 
Services shall be the lead agency for the Advisory Council. 
(c) DUTIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.— 
(A) INFORMATION.—The Advisory Council shall identify, 
promote, coordinate, and disseminate to the public informa-
tion, resources, and the best practices available to help 
grandparents and other older relatives— 
(i) meet the health, educational, nutritional, and 
other needs of the children in their care; and 
(ii) maintain their own physical and mental health 
and emotional well-being. 
(B) OPIOIDS.—In carrying out the duties described in 
subparagraph (A), the Advisory Council shall consider the 
needs of those affected by the opioid crisis. 
(C) NATIVE
AMERICANS.—In carrying out the duties 
described in subparagraph (A), the Advisory Council shall 
consider the needs of members of Native American tribes. 
(2) REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Advisory Council shall 
submit a report to— 
(i) the appropriate committees; 
(ii) the State agencies that are responsible for car-
rying out family caregiver programs; and 
(iii) the public online in an accessible format. 
(B) REPORT FORMAT.—The report shall include— 
(i) best practices, resources, and other useful 
information for grandparents and other older relatives 
raising children identified under paragraph (1)(A) 
including, if applicable, any information related to the 
needs of children who have been impacted by the opioid 
epidemic; 
(ii) an identification of any gaps in items under 
clause (i); and 
(iii) where applicable, identification of any addi-
tional Federal legislative authority necessary to imple-
ment the activities described in clause (i) and (ii). 
Public 
information. 
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132 STAT. 1513 
PUBLIC LAW 115–196—JULY 7, 2018 
(3) FOLLOW-UP REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date on which the report required under paragraph (2)(A) is 
submitted, the Advisory Council shall submit a follow-up report 
that includes the information identified in paragraph (2)(B) 
to— 
(A) the appropriate committees; 
(B) the State agencies that are responsible for carrying 
out family caregiver programs; and 
(C) the public online in an accessible format. 
(4) PUBLIC INPUT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Advisory Council shall establish 
a process for public input to inform the development of, 
and provide updates to, the best practices, resources, and 
other information described in paragraph (1) that shall 
include— 
(i) outreach to States, local entities, and organiza-
tions that provide information to, or support for, grand-
parents or other older relatives raising children; and 
(ii) outreach to grandparents and other older rel-
atives with experience raising children. 
(B) NATURE OF OUTREACH.—Such outreach shall ask 
individuals to provide input on— 
(i) information, resources, and best practices avail-
able, including identification of any gaps and unmet 
needs; and 
(ii) recommendations that would help grand-
parents and other older relatives better meet the 
health, educational, nutritional, and other needs of 
the children in their care, as well as maintain their 
own physical and mental health and emotional well- 
being. 
(d) FACA.—The Advisory Council shall be exempt from the 
requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
App.). 
(e) FUNDING.—No additional funds are authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this Act. 
(f) SUNSET.—The Advisory Council shall terminate on the date 
that is 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADVISORY COUNCIL.—In this Act, the term ‘‘Advisory 
Council’’ means the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents 
Raising Grandchildren that is established under section 3. 
(2) APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES.—In this Act, the term 
‘‘appropriate committees’’ means the following: 
(A) The Special Committee on Aging of the Senate. 
(B) The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions of the Senate. 
(C) The Committee on Education and the Workforce 
of the House of Representatives. 
Recommenda- 
tions. 
Public 
information. 
Web posting. 
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132 STAT. 1514 
PUBLIC LAW 115–196—JULY 7, 2018 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1091: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018): 
Mar. 22, considered and passed Senate. 
June 13, considered and passed House, amended. 
June 21, Senate concurred in House amendments. 
(D) The Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
House of Representatives. 
Approved July 7, 2018. 
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