US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

42 U.S.C. § 3021

Purpose and program

(a)

Congressional declaration of purpose

(1)
It is the purpose of this subchapter to encourage and assist State agencies and area agencies on aging to concentrate resources in order to develop greater capacity and foster the development and implementation of comprehensive and coordinated systems to serve older individuals by entering into new cooperative arrangements in each State with the persons described in paragraph (2), for the planning, and for the provision of, supportive services, and multipurpose senior centers, in order to—
(A)
secure and maintain maximum independence and dignity in a home environment for older individuals capable of self care with appropriate supportive services;
(B)
remove individual and social barriers to economic and personal independence for older individuals;
(C)
provide a continuum of care for vulnerable older individuals;
(D)
secure the opportunity for older individuals to receive managed in-home and community-based long-term care services; and
(E)
measure impacts related to social determinants of health of older individuals.
(2)
The persons referred to in paragraph (1) include—
(A)
State agencies and area agencies on aging;
(B)
other State agencies, including agencies that administer home and community care programs;
(C)
Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations;
(D)
the providers, including voluntary organizations or other private sector organizations, of supportive services, nutrition services, and multipurpose senior centers;
(E)
organizations representing or employing older individuals or their families; and
(F)
organizations that have experience in providing training, placement, and stipends for volunteers or participants who are older individuals (such as organizations carrying out Federal service programs administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service), in community service settings.
(b)

Administration of program

(1)
In order to effectively carry out the purpose of this subchapter, the Assistant Secretary shall administer programs under this subchapter through the Administration.
(2)
1
1 So in original.
In carrying out the provisions of this subchapter, the Assistant Secretary may request the technical assistance and cooperation of the Department of Education, the Department of Labor, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Transportation, the Office of Community Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,, and such other agencies and departments of the Federal Government as may be appropriate.
(c)

Ombudsman program

section 3027(a)(9) of this titlesection 3058g of this titlesection 3058g of this titleThe Assistant Secretary shall provide technical assistance and training (by contract, grant, or otherwise) to State long-term care ombudsman programs established under in accordance with , and to individuals within such programs designated under to be representatives of a long-term care ombudsman, in order to enable such ombudsmen and such representatives to carry out the ombudsman program effectively.

(d)

Use of funds

(1)
section 3024(a) of this titlesection 3024(d) of this title Any funds received under an allotment as described in , or funds contributed toward the non-Federal share under , shall be used only for activities and services to benefit older individuals and other individuals as specifically provided for in this subchapter.
(2)
No provision of this subchapter shall be construed as prohibiting a State agency or area agency on aging from providing services by using funds from sources not described in paragraph (1).

Pub. L. 89–73, title III, § 301Pub. L. 95–478, title I, § 103(b)92 Stat. 1516Pub. L. 97–115, § 3(a)95 Stat. 1596Pub. L. 98–459, title III, § 30198 Stat. 1771Pub. L. 100–175, title I101 Stat. 929Pub. L. 100–628, title VII, § 705(3)102 Stat. 3247Pub. L. 102–54, § 13(q)(9)(B)105 Stat. 281Pub. L. 102–321, title I, § 163(c)(2)(B)106 Stat. 377Pub. L. 102–375, title I, § 102(b)(1)(A)106 Stat. 1200Pub. L. 103–171, § 3(a)(13)107 Stat. 1990Pub. L. 106–501, title III, § 301114 Stat. 2238Pub. L. 109–365, title III, § 301120 Stat. 2538Pub. L. 116–131, title II, § 201134 Stat. 254(, as added , , ; amended , (d), , , 1597; , , ; , §§ 104(b), 105(c), 121, 129(a), , , 930, 933, 934; , , ; , , ; , , ; , title III, § 301, title VII, § 708(a)(2)(B), , , 1219, 1292; , , ; , title VIII, § 801(c)(1), , , 2292; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Pub. L. 89–73, title III, § 301Pub. L. 93–29, title III, § 30187 Stat. 36Pub. L. 95–478A prior section 3021, , as added , , , related to the purpose of this subchapter, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by .

Pub. L. 89–73, title III, § 30179 Stat. 220Pub. L. 90–42, § 2(a)81 Stat. 106Pub. L. 91–69, § 2(a)83 Stat. 108Pub. L. 93–29, title III, § 30187 Stat. 36Another prior section 3021, , , ; , , ; , , , related to a description of activities and authorized appropriations for fiscal years ending , through 1972, prior to repeal by , , .

Amendments

Pub. L. 116–1312020—Subsec. (a)(1)(E). added subpar. (E).

Pub. L. 109–3652006—Subsec. (a)(2)(F). added subpar. (F).

Pub. L. 106–501, § 801(c)(1)2000—Subsec. (c). , substituted “3027(a)(9)” for “3027(a)(12)”.

Pub. L. 106–501, § 301Subsec. (d). , added subsec. (d).

Pub. L. 103–1711993—Subsecs. (b), (c). substituted “Assistant Secretary” for “Commissioner” wherever appearing.

Pub. L. 102–375, § 3011992—Subsec. (a). , amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: “It is the purpose of this subchapter to encourage and assist State and area agencies to concentrate resources in order to develop greater capacity and foster the development and implementation of comprehensive and coordinated service systems to serve older individuals by entering into new cooperative arrangements in each State with State and area agencies, with Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations, and with the providers, including voluntary organizations, of supportive services, including nutrition services and multipurpose senior centers, for the planning, and for the provision of, supportive services, nutrition services, and multipurpose senior centers, in order to—

“(1) secure and maintain maximum independence and dignity in a home environment for older individuals capable of self care with appropriate supportive services;

“(2) remove individual and social barriers to economic and personal independence for older individuals; and

“(3) provide a continuum of care for the vulnerable elderly.”

Pub. L. 102–375, § 102(b)(1)(A)Subsec. (b)(1). , substituted “Administration” for “Administration on Aging”.

Pub. L. 102–321Subsec. (b)(2). substituted “the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration” for “the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration”.

Pub. L. 102–375, § 708(a)(2)(B)section 3058g of this titlesection 3058g of this titleSubsec. (c). , substituted “in accordance with , and to individuals within such programs designated under ” for “, and to individuals designated under such section”.

Pub. L. 102–541991—Subsec. (b)(2). substituted “Department of Veterans Affairs” for “Veterans’ Administration”.

Pub. L. 100–6281988—Subsec. (a). substituted “Native Hawaiian organizations,” for “Native Hawaiian organizations,,”.

Pub. L. 100–175, § 1211987—Subsec. (a). , inserted “, with Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations,” after second reference to “agencies”.

Pub. L. 100–175, § 105(c)Subsec. (b)(2). , inserted “the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration,” after “Veterans’ Administration,”.

Pub. L. 100–175, § 104(b), inserted “, the Veterans’ Administration,” after “Office of Community Services”.

Pub. L. 100–175, § 129(a)Subsec. (c). , added subsec. (c).

Pub. L. 98–4591984—Subsec. (a). substituted “area agencies” for “local agencies” in two places, inserted “and implementation”, inserted “, including voluntary organizations,”, and struck out “for the provision of” after “planning”.

Pub. L. 97–115, § 3(d)1981—Subsec. (a). , substituted “supportive services” for “social services” in two places.

Pub. L. 97–115, § 3(a)Subsec. (b)(2). , substituted “cooperation of the Department of Education, the Department of Labor, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Transportation, the Office of Community Services, and such other agencies and departments” for “cooperation of the Department of Labor, the Community Services Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Transportation, and such other agencies and departments”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1992 Amendments

section 708(a)(2)(B) of Pub. L. 102–375section 4(b) of Pub. L. 103–171section 3001 of this titleAmendment by inapplicable with respect to fiscal year 1993, see , set out as a note under .

section 708(a)(2)(B) of Pub. L. 102–375section 905(b)(6) of Pub. L. 102–375section 3001 of this titleAmendment by inapplicable with respect to fiscal year 1992, see , set out as a note under .

Pub. L. 102–321section 801(c) of Pub. L. 102–321section 836 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1987 Amendment

Pub. L. 100–175section 3026(a) of this titlesection 3027(a) of this titlePub. L. 100–175section 3001 of this titleAmendment by effective , except not applicable with respect to any area plan submitted under or any State plan submitted under and approved for any fiscal year beginning before , see section 701(a), (b) of , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Pub. L. 98–459section 803(a) of Pub. L. 98–459section 3001 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date

section 504 of Pub. L. 95–478section 3001 of this titleSection effective at close of , see , set out as an Effective Date of 1978 Amendment note under .

Coordination and Consolidation of Services Under Chapter

Pub. L. 95–478, title I, § 103(a)92 Stat. 1516

“(1)
The Congress finds that—
“(A)
approximately 3 percent of the eligible population is presently served under community services programs authorized under the Older Americans Act of 1965 [this chapter], 17 percent of whom are minority group members;
“(B)
approximately 1 percent of the eligible population is presently served by the nutrition program authorized under the Older Americans Act of 1965 [this chapter], 21 percent of whom are minority group members;
“(C)
there is program fragmentation at the national, State, and local levels which inhibits effective use of existing resources; and
“(D)
coordination and consolidation of services provided under the Older Americans Act of 1965 [this chapter] allowing greater local determination to assess the need for services will facilitate achieving the goals of the Older Americans Act of 1965.
“(2)
Pub. L. 95–478 It is the purpose of the amendments made by subsection (b) [amending sections 3021 to 3029 of this title and enacting sections 3030 to 3030g of this title] to combine within a consolidated title, subject to the modifications imposed by the provisions and requirements of the amendments made by subsection (b), the programs authorized by title III, title V, and title VII of the Older Americans Act of 1965 [former subchapters III, V, and VII of this chapter, respectively, as in effect prior to their revision by ] in the fiscal year 1978, and funds appropriated to carry out such consolidated title shall be used solely for the purposes and for the assistance of the same types of programs authorized under the provisions of such titles.”
, , , provided that: