Addressing SILO Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 4816 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4816

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.

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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

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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.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 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''.

SEC. 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:

``SEC. 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.''. <all>