#aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,in the ,house of ,representatives1 ,u4 ,s41 ,june #ac1 #bjah ,,amendments3 ,that the bill from the ,senate 7,s4 #ajia7 entitled ,an ,act to establish a ,federal ,task ,force to ,support ,grandparents ,raising ,grandchildren41 do pass with the following ,strike out all after the enacting clause and insert3 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,supporting ,grandparents ,raising ,grandchildren ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,more than #b1ejj1jjj grandparents in the ,united ,states are the primary caretaker of their grandchildren1 and experts report that such numbers are increasing as the opioid epidemic expands4 7#b7 ,between #bjji and #bjaf1 the incidence of parental alcohol or other drug use as a contributing factor for children's out-of-home placement rose from #be4d to #cg4d percent4 7#c7 ,when children cannot remain safely with their parents1 placement with relatives is preferred over placement in foster care with nonrelatives because placement with relatives provides stability for children and helps them maintain family connections4 7#d7 ,the number of foster children placed with a grandparent or other relative increased from #bd percent in #bjjf to #cb percent in #bjaf1 according to data from the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services4 7#e7 ,grandparents' lives are enhanced by caring for their grandchildren2 the overwhelming majority of grandparents report experiencing significant benefits in serving as their grandchildren's primary caregivers4 7#f7 ,providing full-time care to their grandchildren may decrease grandparents' ability to address their own physical and mental health needs and personal well-being4 7#g7 ,grandparents would benefit from better coordination and dissemination of information and resources available to support them in their caregiving responsibilities4 #c4 ,advisory ,council ,to ,support ,grandparents ,raising ,grandchildren 7a7 ,establishment ,there is established an ,advisory ,council to ,support ,grandparents ,raising ,grandchildren4 7b7 ,membership 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,advisory ,council shall be composed of the following members1 or their designee3 7,a7 ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services4 7,b7 ,the ,secretary of ,education4 7,c7 ,the ,administrator of the ,administration for ,community ,living4 7,d7 ,the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention4 7,e7 ,the ,assistant ,secretary for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,use4 7,f7 ,the ,assistant ,secretary for the ,administration for ,children and ,families4 7,g7 ,a grandparent raising a grandchild4 7,h7 ,an older relative caregiver of children4 7,i7 ,as appropriate1 the head of other ,federal departments1 or agencies1 identified by the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services as having responsibilities1 or administering programs1 relating to current issues affecting grandparents or other older relatives raising children4 7#b7 ,lead agency ,the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services shall be the lead agency for the ,advisory ,council4 7c7 ,duties 7#a7 ,in general 7,a7 ,information ,the ,advisory ,council shall identify1 promote1 coordinate1 and disseminate to the public information1 resources1 and the best practices available to help grandparents and other older relatives-- 7i7 meet the health1 educational1 nutritional1 and other needs of the children in their care2 and 7ii7 maintain their own physical and mental health and emotional well-being4 7,b7 ,opioids ,in carrying out the duties described in subparagraph 7,a71 the ,advisory ,council shall consider the needs of those affected by the opioid crisis4 7,c7 ,native ,americans ,in carrying out the duties described in subparagraph 7,a71 the ,advisory ,council shall consider the needs of members of ,native ,american tribes4 7#b7 ,report 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,advisory ,council shall submit a report to-- 7i7 the appropriate committees2 7ii7 the ,state agencies that are responsible for carrying out family caregiver programs2 and 7iii7 the public online in an accessible format4 7,b7 ,report format ,the report shall include-- 7i7 best practices1 resources1 and other useful information for grandparents and other older relatives raising children identified under paragraph 7#a77;,a7 including1 if applicable1 any information related to the needs of children who have been impacted by the opioid epidemic2 7ii7 an identification of any gaps in items under clause 7i72 and 7iii7 where applicable1 identification of any additional ,federal legislative authority necessary to implement the activities described in clause 7i7 and 7ii74 7#c7 ,follow-up report ,not later than #b years after the date on which the report required under paragraph 7#b77;,a7 is submitted1 the ,advisory ,council shall submit a follow-up report that includes the information identified in paragraph 7#b77;,b7 to-- 7,a7 the appropriate committees2 7,b7 the ,state agencies that are responsible for carrying out family caregiver programs2 and 7,c7 the public online in an accessible format4 7#d7 ,public input 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,advisory ,council shall establish a process for public input to inform the development of1 and provide updates to1 the best practices1 resources1 and other information described in paragraph 7#a7 that shall include-- 7i7 outreach to ,states1 local entities1 and organizations that provide information to1 or support for1 grandparents or other older relatives raising children2 and 7ii7 outreach to grandparents and other older relatives with experience raising children4 7,b7 ,nature of outreach ,such outreach shall ask individuals to provide input on-- 7i7 information1 resources1 and best practices available1 including identification of any gaps and unmet needs2 and 7ii7 recommendations that would help grandparents and other older relatives better meet the health1 educational1 nutritional1 and other needs of the children in their care1 as well as maintain their own physical and mental health and emotional well-being4 7d7 ,,faca ,the ,advisory ,council shall be exempt from the requirements of the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app474 7e7 ,funding ,no additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this ,act4 7f7 ,sunset ,the ,advisory ,council shall terminate on the date that is #c years after the date of enactment of this ,act4 #d4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,advisory ,council ,in this ,act1 the term ,advisory ,council means the ,advisory ,council to ,support ,grandparents ,raising ,grandchildren that is established under section #c4 7#b7 ,appropriate committees ,in this ,act1 the term appropriate committees means the following3 7,a7 ,the ,special ,committee on ,aging of the ,senate4 7,b7 ,the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate4 7,c7 ,the ,committee on ,education and the ,workforce of the ,house of ,representatives4 7,d7 ,the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives4 ,amend the title so as to read3 ,an ,act to establish a ,federal ,advisory ,council to ,support ,grandparents ,raising ,grandchildren44 ,clerk4