§3035j. Neighborhood senior care program

(a) Definitions

As used in this section:

(1) Health and social services

The term "health and social services" includes skilled nursing care, personal care, social work services, homemaker services, health and nutrition education, health screening, home health aid services, and specialized therapies.

(2) Volunteer services

The term "volunteer services" includes peer counseling, chore services, help with mail and taxes, transportation, socialization, health and social services, and other similar services.

(b) Service grants

(1) In general

The Assistant Secretary may award grants to eligible entities to establish neighborhood senior care programs, in order to encourage professionals to provide volunteer services to local residents who are older individuals and who might otherwise have to be admitted to nursing homes and to hospitals.

(2) Preference

In awarding grants under this section, the Assistant Secretary shall give preference to applicants experienced in operating community programs and programs meeting the independent living needs of older individuals.

(3) Advisory board

The Assistant Secretary shall establish an advisory board to provide guidance to grant recipients regarding the neighborhood senior care programs. Not fewer than two-thirds of the members of the advisory board shall be residents in communities served by the grant recipients.

(4) Application

To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall submit an application to the Assistant Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Assistant Secretary may reasonably require. Each application shall-

(A) describe the activities in the program for which assistance is sought;

(B) describe the neighborhood in which volunteer services are to be provided under the program, and a plan for integration of volunteer services within the neighborhood;

(C)(i) provide assurances that nurses, social workers, and community volunteers providing volunteer services and an outreach coordinator involved with the project live in the neighborhood; or

(ii)(I) reasons that it is not possible to provide such assurances; and

(II) assurances that nurses, social workers, community volunteers and the outreach coordinator will be assigned repeatedly to the particular neighborhood; and

(D) provide for an evaluation of the activities for which assistance is sought.

(c) Technical resource center

The Assistant Secretary shall, to the extent appropriations are available, enter into a contract with an applicant described in subsection (b)(2) of this section to establish a technical resource center that will-

(1) assist the Assistant Secretary in developing criteria for, and in awarding grants to communities to establish, neighborhood senior care organizations that will implement neighborhood senior care programs under subsection (b) of this section;

(2) assist communities interested in establishing such a neighborhood senior care program;

(3) coordinate the neighborhood senior care programs;

(4) provide ongoing analysis of and collection of data on the neighborhood senior care programs and provide such data to the Assistant Secretary;

(5) serve as a liaison to State agencies interested in establishing neighborhood senior care programs; and

(6) take any further actions as required by regulation by the Assistant Secretary.

(Pub. L. 89–73, title IV, §429B, as added Pub. L. 102–375, title IV, §411, Sept. 30, 1992, 106 Stat. 1252 ; amended Pub. L. 103–171, §3(a)(13), Dec. 2, 1993, 107 Stat. 1990 .)

Amendments

1993-Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 103–171 substituted "Assistant Secretary" for "Commissioner" wherever appearing.

Effective Date

Section inapplicable with respect to fiscal year 1992, see section 905(b)(3) of Pub. L. 102–375, set out as an Effective Date of 1992 Amendment note under section 3001 of this title.