Older Americans Comprehensive Services Amendments of 1973

(LATEST SUMMARY)

Comprehensive Older Americans Services Amendments - =Title I: Declaration of Objectives= - States that the general purpose of this Act is to make available comprehensive health, education, and social service programs to our older citizens.

=Title II: Administration on Aging= - Establishes in the office of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, an Administration on Aging to carry out this Act. Declares that the Commissioner on Aging shall be the principal officer of the Administration.

Establishes within the Administration on Aging a National Information and Resource Clearinghouse for the Aging to collect, review, operate, publish, and disseminate information and data related to the particular problems caused by aging, including information describing measures which are or may be employed for meeting such problems.

Establishes the Federal Council on the Aging to advise and assist the President as he may direct on matters relating to the special needs of older Americans; to assist the Commissioner on Aging in carrying out his functions under this Act; to review and evaluate programs of the Federal Government; and to make recommendations to the President, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, the Commissioner, and Congress on policies and programs for the aged.

Provides that, not later than one hundred and twenty days after the close of each fiscal year, the Commissioner shall prepare and submit to the President for transmittal to the Congress a complete report on the activities carried out under this Act.

=Title III: Grants for State and Community Programs on Aging= - Prescribes standards and procedures for the establishment by the several States of State and area social service programs to concentrate resources in order to develop a greater capacity and foster development or comprehensive systems to serve older persons. Authorizes appropriations for such programs for fiscal years 1973, 1974, and 1975.

Provides that the Commissioner shall not finally disapprove any State plan, or any modification thereof, without first affording the State reasonable notice and opportunity for a hearing.

=Title IV: Training and Research= - Directs the Commissioner to make grants to State agencies and educational institutions for the purpose of: (1) publicizing available opportunities for careers in the field of aging; (2) encouraging qualified persons to enter or re-enter the field of aging; (3) encouraging persons from other professions to undertake assignments on a parttime basis in the field of aging; and (4) assisting in covering the cost of courses of training or study.

Authorizes the Commissioner to conduct a study of the transportation problems of older Americans, with emphasis upon solutions that are practicable and can be implemented in a timely fashion.

Authorizes the Commissioner to make grants for the purpose of: (1) establishing multidisciplinary centers of gerontology to recruit and train personnel; (2) conducting basic research on the problem of the aged; (3) providing consultation to public and voluntary organizations; and (4) creating opportunities for research projects with respect to aging.

Authorizes to be appropriated for fiscal years 1973, 1974, and 1975 such sums as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this title.

=Title V: Multipurpose Senior Centers= - Authorizes the Commissioner to make grants to units of general purpose local government or other public or nonprofit private agencies to pay not to exceed 75 percent of the cost of leasing, altering or renovating existing facilities to serve as multipurpose senior centers.

Establishes standards to be followed by the Commissioner in making such grants and authorizes necessary appropriations for fiscal years 1973-1975 to carry out the provisions of this section. Creates a Multipurpose Senior Center Insurance Fund to be administered by the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to insure mortgages on multipurpose senior centers. Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1973-1975 for the purpose of making grants to meet the costs of compensation of professional and technical personnel for the initial operation of multipurpose senior centers.

=Title VI: National Older Americans Volunteer Program= - Provides that no compensation paid to individual volunteers under the Retired Senior Volunteers Program under the Older Americans Act shall be considered income for any purposes.

Authorizes appropriations for such program in the amount of $15,000,000 for fiscal year 1973, $17,500,000 for fiscal year 1974, and $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1975.

Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 1973-1975 for the continuation of the Foster Grandparent Program and for a program involving senior health aides to persons having developmental disabilities.

=Title VII: Nutrition Programs= - Provides, under the Older Americans Act of 1965, that the Secretary of Agriculture and the Commodity Credit Corporation may donate specified products acquired by them to a recipient of a grant or contract for providing nutritional services for the elderly.

=Title VIII: Amendments to Other Acts= - Authorizes the Commissioner to make grants to States which have submitted a long-range program and an annual program for library services for older persons.

Authorizes the Commissioner to make grants to institutions for planning, developing, and carrying out programs specifically designed to apply the resources of higher education to the problems of the elderly, particularly in the areas of rural transportation and housing.

Directs the Commissioner to make grants to State and local educational agencies or other public or private nonprofit agencies for educational programs for elderly persons whose ability to speak and read the English language is limited and who live in an area with a culture different from their own.

=Title IX: Community Service Employment for Older Americans= - Older Americans Community Service Employment Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Labor to establish an older American community service program in order to promote useful part-time work opportunities in community service activities for unemployed low-income persons 55 years old or older who have poor employment prospects.

Makes provisions for allotment of funds to State, local, and private organizations to further the purposes of the program. Authorizes appropriations of $60,000,000 for fiscal year 1973 and $100,000,000 for fiscal year 1974 to carry out this title.