,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bfgg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,october #bc1 #bjai,ms4 ,smith introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,older ,americans ,act of #aife to address social isolation and loneliness1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,older ,americans ,social ,isolation and ,loneliness ,prevention ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,social isolation and loneliness are growing problems for older individuals4 ,according to the ,,aarp ,foundation1 #ce percent of individuals aged #de and older feel lonely4 ,according to the ,university of ,michigan1 for individuals aged #ej through #hj1 #cd percent feel a lack of companionship and #bg percent feel isolated from others4 7#b7 ,social isolation and loneliness are health risks for older individuals4 ,according to researchers at ,brigham ,young ,university and the ,university of ,north ,carolina at ,chapel ,hill1 older individuals who are less socially connected than other older individuals are at a risk of increased mortality comparable with the risks of smoking1 obesity1 or air pollution4 ,social isolation and loneliness leads to negative mental and physical health outcomes1 including increased premature death rates of up to #ej percent4 7#c7 ,social isolation and loneliness among older individuals have economic consequences for the ,united ,states4 ,according to the ,,aarp ,foundation1 ,stanford1 and ,harvard1 spending under the ,medicare program under title ,,xviii of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acie et seq47 is #acd more per month for each socially isolated older individual than for each older individual that is not socially isolated4 7#d7 ,to inform and support building resources and infrastructure to address social isolation and loneliness among older individuals1 experts recommend a coordinated1 broadly focused national campaign to raise public awareness of the prevalence of social isolation and loneliness as a public health issue through research and evaluation of efforts addressing social isolation and loneliness4 7#e7 ,the ,older ,americans ,act of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjja et seq47 is a clear vehicle that offers an opportunity to begin a national campaign to raise awareness of social isolation and loneliness among older individuals as a public health issue and help determine how programs under that ,act are addressing or can potentially address social isolation and loneliness and strengthen the aging network's response to the problem of social isolation and loneliness among older individuals4 #c4 ,addressing social isolation and loneliness for older individuals 7a7 ,support for screening for social isolation and loneliness ,section #ajb7ad7 of the ,older ,americans ,act of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjjb7ad77 is amended-- 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,k71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7#b7 by redesignating subparagraph 7,l7 as subparagraph 7,m72 and 7#c7 by inserting after subparagraph 7,k7 the following3 7,l7 screening for the prevention of social isolation and loneliness and coordination of supportive services and health care to address social isolation and loneliness2 and 4 7b7 ,increased focus of ,assistant ,secretary on social isolation and loneliness ,section #bjb7;a7 of the ,older ,americans ,act of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjab7;a77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#cj71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#ca71 by striking the period and inserting 2 and2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#cb7 develop objectives1 priorities1 and a long-term plan for supporting ,state and local efforts involving education about1 prevention of1 detection of1 and response to social isolation and loneliness among older individuals4 4 7c7 ,advisory council on social isolation and loneliness ,section #bjb of the ,older ,americans ,act of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjab7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7h7 7#a7 ,the ,assistant ,secretary shall convene an advisory council on social isolation and loneliness-- 7,a7 to review and evaluate efforts to address social isolation and loneliness among older individuals2 and 7,b7 to identify challenges1 solutions1 and best practices related to such efforts4 7#b7 ,the ,assistant ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 select as members of the advisory council convened under paragraph 7#a7 individuals who are aging network stakeholders2 and 7,b7 select such members in a manner to ensure geographic diversity of the members4 7#c7 ,the advisory council convened under paragraph 7#a7 shall-- 7,a7 in carrying out activities under subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b7 of such paragraph1 ensure consideration of consumer-directed care models2 and 7,b7 submit a report to ,congress on the findings of the council with respect to such activities4 7#d7 ,the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 shall not apply to the advisory council convened under paragraph 7#a74 4 7d7 ,supportive services and senior centers ,section #cba7;a7 of the ,older ,americans ,act of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjcj;d7a77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#h71 by striking behavioral health screening and inserting behavioral health screening1 screening for social isolation and loneliness12 7#b7 in paragraph 7#bd71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7#c7 by redesignating paragraph 7#be7 as paragraph 7#bf72 and 7#d7 by inserting after paragraph 7#bd7 the following3 7#be7 services that promote or support social connectedness and reduce social isolation and loneliness2 and 4 7e7 ,support for public awareness of social isolation and loneliness ,section #daa7;a7 of the ,older ,americans ,act of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjcb7;a77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#ac71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7#b7 by redesignating paragraph 7#ad7 as paragraph 7#ae72 and 7#c7 by inserting after paragraph 7#ac7 the following3 7#ad7 projects that address social isolation and loneliness among older individuals2 and 4 #d4 ,best practices for home- and community-based ombudsmen 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #c years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,assistant ,secretary for ,aging shall issue a report updating the best practices for home- and community-based ombudsmen that were included in the report entitled ,best ,practices for ,home and ,community-,based ,ombudsmen1 issued by the ,national ,direct ,service ,workforce ,resource ,center of the ,centers for ,medicare ,medicaid ,services and prepared by the ,research and ,training ,center at the ,university of ,minnesota and ,the ,lewin ,group 7,january #bjac74 7b7 ,requirements ,the report required under subsection 7a7 shall include-- 7#a7 a comprehensive review of different approaches undertaken by long-term care ombudsman programs providing advocacy to individuals receiving home- and community-based services2 7#b7 identification of elements or strategies for effective advocacy to individuals receiving home- and community-based services2 7#c7 analysis of the strengths and challenges of practices of ,states with home- and community-based ombudsmen2 and 7#d7 recommendations for providing effective advocacy to individuals receiving home- and community-based services4