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Senate Passes Older Americans Act, Expanding Eligibility for National Family Caregiver Support Program

On July 16, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act (S. 192) passed the Senate without amendment. S. 192 is sponsored by Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) and Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Among many other things, the bill includes a fix to the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), which provides information to caregivers about available services, assistance in accessing services, individual counseling, support groups, caregiver training, respite care, and supplemental services. S. 192 would extend NFCSP eligibility to older (age 55 and over) caregivers of their adult children (age 19 to 59) with disabilities. The House is expected to take up the measure in the near future.