[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3234 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3234
To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to establish a pilot program
for family caregivers for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or a
related disorder with neurological and organic brain dysfunction.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 20, 2025
Mr. Markey (for himself, Ms. Klobuchar, and Mr. Kim) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to establish a pilot program
for family caregivers for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or a
related disorder with neurological and organic brain dysfunction.
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 ``Convenient Care for Caregivers
Act''.
SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE OR A RELATED DISORDER WITH
NEUROLOGICAL AND ORGANIC BRAIN DYSFUNCTION.
Title IV of the Older Americans Act of 1965 is amended by inserting
after section 414 (42 U.S.C. 3032c) the following:
``SEC. 415. PILOT PROGRAM FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE OR A RELATED DISORDER WITH
NEUROLOGICAL AND ORGANIC BRAIN DYSFUNCTION.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Family caregiver for an individual with alzheimer's
disease or a related disorder with neurological and organic
brain dysfunction.--The term `family caregiver for an
individual with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder with
neurological and organic brain dysfunction'--
``(A) means an adult family member, or another
individual, who is an informal provider of in-home and
community care to an individual of any age who is an
individual with Alzheimer's disease or a related
disorder with neurological and organic brain
dysfunction; and
``(B) does not include an individual, providing
care to an individual with Alzheimer's disease or a
related disorder with neurological and organic brain
dysfunction, whose primary relationship with the
indivdual is based on a financial or professional
agreement.
``(2) Qualified entity.--The term `qualified entity'
means--
``(A) an area agency on aging;
``(B) a multipurpose senior center;
``(C) an institution of higher education; or
``(D) a tribal organization.
``(b) Pilot Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary, in consultation
with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, shall
establish and carry out a pilot program to assist family
caregivers for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or a
related disorder with neurological and organic brain
dysfunction to access health care services and other supports
in order to improve the health outcomes of the family
caregivers and the individuals.
``(2) Projects.--
``(A) In general.--In carrying out the program, the
Assistant Secretary shall make grants to qualified
entities meeting the requirements under subsection (c)
to carry out projects that assist family caregivers for
individuals with Alzheimer's disease or a related
disorder with neurological and organic brain
dysfunction in addressing the health care needs of such
caregivers and individuals by offering evidence-
informed, or evidence-based, health care services and
other supports to such caregivers and individuals at
the same time and the same location.
``(B) Accessibility.--Each qualified entity
receiving a grant under this section shall carry out a
project described in subparagraph (A) in an easily
accessible space and in accordance with applicable
requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act
of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).
``(c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this
section, a qualified entity shall submit an application at such time
and in such manner as the Assistant Secretary may require, including--
``(1) information on how the entity located an appropriate
space described in subsection (b)(2)(B) to carry out a project,
including any consideration of a converted retail mall or other
accessible space with proximity to public transportation and
ample parking, and any collaboration with a State or local
economic development organization to identify that appropriate
space;
``(2) an assurance that the entity--
``(A) will cooperate with efforts in which the
Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services will submit data to the Assistant Secretary on
the payment indicators described in subsection (e)(1);
and
``(B) will submit data to the Assistant Secretary
on the health indicators described in subsection
(e)(2); and
``(3) a description of how the entity will share
information on family caregivers of individuals with
Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder with neurological and
organic brain dysfunction, and such individuals, among
providers in the project.
``(d) Use of Funds.--A qualified entity that receives a grant under
this section may use the grant funds to provide--
``(1) cognitive health screenings;
``(2) family consultations and other care consultations;
``(3) education;
``(4) family caregiver support groups;
``(5) conversation groups for individuals with Alzheimer's
disease or a related disorder with neurological and organic
brain dysfunction;
``(6) specialized bereavement services;
``(7) ongoing support by phone or person-to-person
conferencing;
``(8) insurance support; and
``(9) social and cultural activities.
``(e) Outcome Data.--A qualified entity that receives a grant under
this section for a project shall--
``(1) on the date of the enrollment of the family caregiver
of an individual with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder
with neurological and organic brain dysfunction, and such
individual, in the project, notify the Administrator of the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of the enrollment and
request that the Administrator send to the Assistant
Secretary--
``(A) an estimated amount on an indicator
consisting of the payments made by the Centers, through
programs under the jurisdiction of the Centers, on
behalf of the caregiver and individual during the last
full fiscal year preceding the enrollment; and
``(B) not later than 60 days after each fiscal year
for which the caregiver and individual are enrolled in
the project, a calculated amount on that payment
indicator for that fiscal year;
``(2)(A) submit to the Assistant Secretary, after the first
appointments of the family caregiver of an individual with
Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder with neurological and
organic brain dysfunction, and the individual, with the
project, initial data on health indicators of the caregiver and
individual consisting of--
``(i) cholesterol levels;
``(ii) body mass index;
``(iii) weight;
``(iv) glucose levels;
``(v) self-reported data, including data on
emotional stress, physical strain, loneliness, and
feelings of isolation; and
``(vi) such other health indicators as the
Assistant Secretary may establish; and
``(B) submit to the Assistant Secretary, not later than 60
days after each fiscal year for which the caregiver and
individual are so enrolled, subsequent data on the health
indicators.
``(f) Report.--Not later than 120 days after each such fiscal year,
the Assistant Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, the Special
Committee on Aging of the Senate, the Committee on Education and
Workforce of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Energy and
Commerce of the House of Representatives, and the Administrator of the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, a report containing
information on the outcome data collected under subsection (e),
including the differences between the estimated and calculated amounts
on the payment indicators reported under subsection (e)(1) and the
differences between the initial and subsequent data on the health
indicators reported under subsection (e)(2).
``(g) Administration.--The Assistant Secretary shall work with the
Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to
develop the indicator described in subsection (e)(1), and means of
collecting data on that indicator.''.
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