(a) Congressional declaration of purpose

(1) It is the purpose of this subchapter to encourage and assist State agencies and area agencies on aging to concentrate resources in order to develop greater capacity and foster the development and implementation of comprehensive and coordinated systems to serve older individuals by entering into new cooperative arrangements in each State with the persons described in paragraph (2), for the planning, and for the provision of, supportive services, and multipurpose senior centers, in order to—

(A) secure and maintain maximum independence and dignity in a home environment for older individuals capable of self care with appropriate supportive services;

(B) remove individual and social barriers to economic and personal independence for older individuals;

(C) provide a continuum of care for vulnerable older individuals;

(D) secure the opportunity for older individuals to receive managed in-home and community-based long-term care services; and

(E) measure impacts related to social determinants of health of older individuals.


Terms Used In 42 USC 3021

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • individual: shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development. See 1 USC 8
  • State: means a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any other territory or possession of the United States. See 1 USC 7

(2) The persons referred to in paragraph (1) include—

(A) State agencies and area agencies on aging;

(B) other State agencies, including agencies that administer home and community care programs;

(C) Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations;

(D) the providers, including voluntary organizations or other private sector organizations, of supportive services, nutrition services, and multipurpose senior centers;

(E) organizations representing or employing older individuals or their families; and

(F) organizations that have experience in providing training, placement, and stipends for volunteers or participants who are older individuals (such as organizations carrying out Federal service programs administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service), in community service settings.

(b) Administration of program

(1) In order to effectively carry out the purpose of this subchapter, the Assistant Secretary shall administer programs under this subchapter through the Administration.

(2) In carrying out the provisions of this subchapter, the Assistant Secretary may request the technical assistance and cooperation of the Department of Education, the Department of Labor, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Transportation, the Office of Community Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,,1 and such other agencies and departments of the Federal Government as may be appropriate.

(c) Ombudsman program

The Assistant Secretary shall provide technical assistance and training (by contract, grant, or otherwise) to State long-term care ombudsman programs established under section 3027(a)(9) of this title in accordance with section 3058g of this title, and to individuals within such programs designated under section 3058g of this title to be representatives of a long-term care ombudsman, in order to enable such ombudsmen and such representatives to carry out the ombudsman program effectively.

(d) Use of funds

(1) Any funds received under an allotment as described in section 3024(a) of this title, or funds contributed toward the non-Federal share under section 3024(d) of this title, shall be used only for activities and services to benefit older individuals and other individuals as specifically provided for in this subchapter.

(2) No provision of this subchapter shall be construed as prohibiting a State agency or area agency on aging from providing services by using funds from sources not described in paragraph (1).

  Previous section
Next section  
 Part A Contents