[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4198 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4198
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 12, 2022
Mr. Menendez (for himself and Ms. Collins) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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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