Care Across Generations Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 1812
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Social Welfare
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-03-03: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2025-07-21T19:44:15Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Care Across Generations Act (H.R. 1812) aims to foster interactions between older adults and young children by integrating child care services into long-term care facilities. It does this by creating a federal grant program to support multigenerational activities, ultimately improving quality of life for residents in these facilities and addressing child care needs.
Key Provisions
- Grant Program Establishment: The Assistant Secretary for Aging (part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) will award competitive grants to eligible organizations operating long-term care facilities. Grants can fund:
- Operating a child care facility within the long-term care site or contracting with an external qualified child care provider.
- Coordinating activities that bring children and older adults together, such as shared events or programs.
- Constructing new or expanding existing long-term care facilities to include these child care and activity elements.
- Application Process: Eligible entities must submit applications with required details, including a certification on infection control measures (e.g., visitor screening and compliance with state/local health rules). Grants last at least 36 months.
- Evaluation and Reporting Requirements:
- Grantees must evaluate the effectiveness of child care operations, multigenerational activities, and their impacts on older adults and children.
- Grantees submit reports to the Assistant Secretary within 6 months after the grant ends.
- The Assistant Secretary compiles these into a report to Congress, including grantee details, methods used, dissemination strategies for findings, and policy recommendations.
- Definitions:
- Eligible entity: An organization running a long-term care facility that meets application criteria.
- Long-term care facility: Includes skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes, board and care homes, assisted living facilities, or similar adult care residences.
- Multigenerational activity: Refers to programs promoting interactions across age groups (as defined in existing law).
- Qualified child care facility: A licensed space primarily for child care that complies with all state and local laws.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill adds a new section (SEC. 423) to Part A of Title IV of the Older Americans Act of 1965, which previously focused on general aging services but did not specifically address integrating child care or multigenerational programs into long-term care settings. It introduces a dedicated funding mechanism for these innovations without altering broader eligibility or funding structures in the Act.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The Administration on Aging will handle grant administration, evaluations, and congressional reporting, potentially increasing workload and requiring new oversight resources. This could inform future federal policies on elder care.
- Citizens: Older adults in long-term care may benefit from reduced isolation through child interactions, potentially improving mental health and well-being. Families could gain affordable, on-site child care options near relatives, easing caregiving burdens. Children might experience enriched social development.
- International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. aging and child care services.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Long-term care facility operators: Eligible for grants to innovate and expand services.
- Older adults: Primary beneficiaries through enhanced social engagement in facilities.
- Children and families: Gain access to qualified child care integrated with elder care.
- Federal and state agencies: Involved in grant oversight, licensing, and health compliance (e.g., Department of Health and Human Services, state health departments).
- Nonprofit and community organizations: Potential partners in operating child care or activities.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Emphasizes compliance with existing state/local licensing and health laws, ensuring grants do not override regulations. Evaluations could lead to recommended policy changes, such as updated infection control standards for mixed-age facilities.
- Constitutional: No apparent conflicts; the bill aligns with Congress's authority to fund social welfare programs under the General Welfare Clause.
- Political: Supports bipartisan goals of addressing aging populations and child care shortages, potentially influencing future legislation on intergenerational care. It promotes equity in access to services without mandating participation, avoiding enforcement controversies.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10]
Cosponsors (7)
Rep. Steil, Bryan [R-WI-1], Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2], Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6], Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
Recent Actions
- 2025-03-03: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2025-03-03: Introduced in House
- 2025-03-03: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Care Across Generations Act — issued 2025-03-03 — PDF (6 pages)