[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 509 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 509
To establish a program to assist States in establishing or enhancing
community integration network infrastructure for health and social
services.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 1, 2021
Mr. Sullivan (for himself and Mr. Murphy) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a program to assist States in establishing or enhancing
community integration network infrastructure for health and social
services.
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 ``Leveraging Integrated Networks in
Communities to Address Social Needs Act of 2021'' or the ``LINC to
Address Social Needs Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. PROGRAM TO SUPPORT ESTABLISHMENT OR ENHANCEMENT OF STATE
COMMUNITY INTEGRATION NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE.
(a) Grant Program.--The Secretary shall award grants on a
competitive basis to States to support such States, through public-
private partnerships, to establish new or enhance existing community
integration network infrastructure through authorized activities under
subsection (b).
(b) Authorized Activities.--A State shall use a grant under this
section to carry out activities and services to establish new or
enhance existing community integration network infrastructure, on a
statewide basis through direct network operations or collaborations
among multiple associated entities, which may include such entities
that operate regionally. Such activities and services shall include--
(1) establishing a new or enhancing an existing technology
platform that--
(A) enables the coordination of public and private
providers and payors of services for individuals in the
State, including services such as--
(i) nutritional assistance;
(ii) housing;
(iii) health care, including preventive
health intervention, chronic disease
management, and behavioral health care;
(iv) transportation;
(v) job training;
(vi) child development or care;
(vii) caregiving and respite care;
(viii) disability assistance; and
(ix) other services, as determined by the
State;
(B) prioritizes connectivity with, incorporation
of, and partnership with any appropriate existing
technology platforms developed by public or private
organizations in the State for the purposes described
in subparagraph (A); and
(C) ensures that--
(i) reasonable measures are taken to
promote connectivity among associated entities;
and
(ii) appropriate privacy, security,
protections are in place, in accordance with
applicable Federal and State privacy laws;
(2) connecting associated entities for purposes of
communication, service coordination and consumer assistance,
referral and capacity management, outcome tracking, and related
services;
(3) providing technical assistance and supporting
associated entities in connecting and participating in the
community integration network infrastructure;
(4) planning for and implementing actions designed to
create sustainable funding models to support long-term access
to community integration network infrastructure;
(5) designing and implementing a financial structure to
make the community integration network infrastructure
financially self-sustaining not later than 3 years after
receiving funds under this section; and
(6) evaluating the use of any funds provided under this
section.
(c) Award of Grants.--
(1) In general.--A grant under this Act shall be awarded
under such terms and conditions as the Secretary shall
prescribe, including the guidelines established under paragraph
(3).
(2) Minimizing administrative burden.--The Secretary shall
seek to minimize the administrative burden of such terms and
conditions and ensure programmatic flexibility for unique State
needs.
(3) Guidelines.--The Secretary shall--
(A) consult relevant stakeholders regarding basic
functionalities, technical capacities, and data
standards needed for community integration network
infrastructure; and
(B) based on such consultations, establish
guidelines for awarding grants under this section,
including application requirements.
(d) Application.--A State desiring a grant under this section
shall--
(1) enter into a public-private partnership with one or
more--
(A) private, nonprofit, or philanthropic
organizations; or
(B) Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, or urban
Indian organizations within the State; and
(2) submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in
such manner, and containing or accompanied by such information
as the Secretary may require, including--
(A) a description of the agency or department in
the State government that will coordinate with and
oversee the partnership established under paragraph
(1);
(B) a plan for the establishment or enhancement of
a community integration network infrastructure
including--
(i) the proposed transparent and
competitive process for selecting any new
operational components of the community
integration network infrastructure;
(ii) the planned governance structure
(including representation of different types of
associated entities) within the community
integration network infrastructure;
(iii) proposed associated entities and
services to be included in the community
integration network infrastructure; and
(iv) a plan for accessing and linking
relevant data to create community integration
network infrastructure, including a description
of intended sources of data;
(C) assurances that the funds awarded under this
section will be used solely carry out authorized
activities as described in subsection (b) and other
related activities;
(D) potential options, including public-private
partnerships in addition to the partnership described
in paragraph (1), for making the community integration
network infrastructure financially self-sustaining not
later than 3 years after receiving funds under this
section; and
(E) a description of the objectives and outcome
goals of developing the community integration network
infrastructure, including--
(i) one or more health outcomes;
(ii) one or more other important social
outcomes;
(iii) improved access to health care or
social services; and
(iv) how progress toward the outcomes
described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C)
will be measured through internal performance
metrics.
(e) Separate Tribal Infrastructure.--Nothing in this section shall
preclude Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, or urban Indian
organizations from establishing a community integration network
infrastructure that is separate from any other public-private
partnership receiving funding under this section.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this section $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2022.
(2) Administration.--Of the amounts appropriated pursuant
to paragraph (1), up to $5,000,000 may be used for
administrative expenses.
(3) Duration of availability.--Amounts appropriated
pursuant to paragraph (1) shall remain available until the date
that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Associated entities.--The term ``associated entities''
means any--
(A) community-based organization that accepts
referrals from health care organizations and that
provides services such as--
(i) nutritional assistance;
(ii) housing;
(iii) health care, including preventive
health intervention, chronic disease
management, and behavioral health care;
(iv) transportation;
(v) job training;
(vi) child development or care;
(vii) caregiving and respite care; and
(viii) disability assistance;
(B) public, or nonprofit or for-profit, private
health care provider organization;
(C) public or private funded payor of health care
services, including home- or community-based services;
(D) State, local, territorial, or Tribal health and
social services agency;
(E) State public housing authority or housing
finance agency;
(F) public health information exchange or public
health information network, as defined by the
Secretary; or
(G) other similar entity, as designated by the
State.
(2) Community integration network infrastructure.--The term
``community integration network infrastructure'' means
infrastructure, existing on statewide basis with direct network
operations or through collaborations among multiple associated
entities, used to enable the coordination, alignment, and
connection, of associated entities in a State, including such
entities that operate regionally, for purposes of
communication, service coordination, and referral management of
services, with respect to services such as--
(A) nutritional assistance;
(B) housing;
(C) health care, including preventive health
intervention, chronic disease management, and
behavioral health care;
(D) transportation;
(E) job training;
(F) child development or care;
(G) caregiving and respite care;
(H) disability assistance; and
(I) other similar services, as designated by the
State.
(3) Indian tribe and tribal organization.--The terms
``Indian Tribe'' and ``Tribal organization'' have the meanings
given to the terms `Indian tribe' and `tribal organization' in
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' refers to the
Secretary of Health and Human Services.
(5) State.--The term ``State'' means a State, territory, or
the District of Columbia.
(6) Urban indian organization.--The term ``urban Indian
organization'' has the meaning given to the term in section 4
of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603).
SEC. 3. EVALUATION, REPORT, AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
(a) Evaluation.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall
conduct an evaluation that--
(1) measures the overall impact of the community
integration network infrastructure established or enhanced
using funds received under section 2, with respect to--
(A) changes in individual and population health
outcomes;
(B) changes in access to health care or social
services;
(C) the degree of data sharing using the community
integration network infrastructure established or
enhanced using funds received under section 2;
(D) the effectiveness of service coordination;
(E) the cost-effectiveness of the provision of
services;
(F) any results or anticipated results on overall
health and social services spending;
(G) patient and consumer satisfaction with service
coordination process and services received; and
(H) any other relevant factors; and
(2) describes how the funds received under section 2 were
used.
(b) Report and Recommendations.--Not later than 4 years after the
date the first grant under this Act is awarded, the Comptroller General
of the United States shall--
(1)(A) submit a report on the evaluation conducted under
subsection (a) to Congress; and
(B) make such report publicly available; and
(2) based on the evaluation conducted under subsection (a),
make recommendations to States and Indian Tribes, Tribal
organizations, or urban Indian organizations, on how to improve
and sustain community integration network infrastructure
established or enhanced using funds received under section 2.
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