S. 4816

119 S4816 IS: Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults Act of 2026
 U.S. Senate
 2026-06-17
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 II  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  S. 4816  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES   June 17, 2026   Mr. Murphy  (for himself and  Mrs. Gillibrand ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the  Committee on Finance    A BILL
To amend title XX of the Social Security Act to authorize grants and training to support area agencies on aging and other community-based organizations in addressing social isolation among older individuals and adults with disabilities.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults Act of 2026   or the   Addressing SILO Act of 2026  .
2.
Grants and training to support area agencies on aging or other community-based organizations to address social isolation among older individuals and adults with disabilities
Part II of subtitle B of title XX of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1397m et seq. ) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
2047.
Grants and training to support area agencies on aging or other community-based organizations to address social isolation among older individuals and adults with disabilities
(a)
Grants
The Secretary shall make grants to area agencies on aging or other community-based organizations for the purposes of—
(1)
conducting outreach to older individuals and adults with disabilities at risk for, or already experiencing, social isolation or loneliness, through established screening tools or other methods identified by the Secretary;
(2)
developing community-based interventions for the purposes of mitigating loneliness or social isolation (including evidence-based programs, as defined by the Secretary, developed with multi-stakeholder input for the purposes of promoting social connection, mitigating social isolation or loneliness, or preventing social isolation or loneliness) among older individuals and adults with disabilities described in paragraph (1);
(3)
connecting such older individuals and adults with disabilities with community social and clinical supports; and
(4)
evaluating the effect of programs developed and implemented under paragraphs (2) and (3).
(b)
Training
(1)
In general
The Secretary shall establish programs to provide and improve training for area agencies on aging or community-based organizations with respect to addressing and preventing social isolation and loneliness among older individuals and adults with disabilities.
(2)
Prioritization authority
For purposes of connecting at-risk individuals with existing community social and clinical supports, the Secretary may, in carrying out paragraph (1), prioritize models that incorporate training and service delivery in coordination with medical-legal partnerships.
(c)
Evaluation
Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this section and every 3 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a written report that assesses the extent to which the programs established under this section address social isolation and loneliness among older individuals and adults with disabilities.
(d)
Appropriation
Out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there is appropriated to the Secretary $62,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030, to remain available until expended, to carry out this section.
(e)
Coordination
The Secretary shall coordinate with resource centers, grant programs, or other funding mechanisms established under section 411(a)(18) of the Older Americans Act ( 42 U.S.C. 3032(a)(18) ), section 417(a)(1) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 3032f(a)(1) ), or other programs as determined by the Secretary.
(f)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
Adult with a disability
The term  adult with a disability  means an individual with a disability as defined in section 372 of the Older Americans Act of 1965 ( 42 U.S.C. 3030s ).
(2)
Area agency on aging
The term  area agency on aging  means an area agency on aging designated under section 305 of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 3025 ).
(3)
Community-based organization
The term  community-based organization  includes, except as otherwise provided by the Secretary, a nonprofit community-based organization, a consortium of nonprofit community-based organizations, a national nonprofit organization acting as an intermediary for a community-based organization, or a community-based organization that has a fiscal sponsor that allows the organization to function as an organization described in  section 501(c)(3)  of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code.
(4)
Loneliness
The term  loneliness  means subjectively feeling alone, or the discrepancy between one’s desired level of social connection and one’s actual level of social connection.
(5)
Older individual
The term  older individual  has the meaning given such term in section 102 of the Older Americans Act of 1965 ( 42 U.S.C. 3002 ).
(6)
Social connection
The term  social connection  means the variety of ways one can connect with others socially, through physical, behavioral, social-cognitive, and emotional channels.
(7)
Social isolation
The term  social isolation  means objectively being alone, or having few relationships or infrequent social contact.
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