FUNCTIONS OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY.

SEC. 201. FUNCTIONS OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. Section 202 of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3012) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by striking paragraph (9) and redesignating paragraphs (10), (11), and (12) as paragraphs (9), (10), and (11) respectively; (B) by striking paragraphs (13) and (14) and redesignating the remaining paragraphs; (C) in paragraph (15) (as redesignated), by inserting “and older individuals residing in rural areas” after “low-income minority individuals”; (D) in paragraph (18)(B) (as redesignated), by striking “1990” and inserting “2000”; (E) by striking paragraph (19) (as redesignated) and inserting the following; “(19) conduct strict monitoring of State compliance with the requirements in effect, under this Act to prohibit conflicts of interest and to maintain the integrity and public purpose of services provided and service providers, under this Act in all contractual and commercial relationships;”; (F) by striking paragraph (21) (as redesignated) and inserting the following: “(21) establish information and assistance services as priority services for older individuals, and develop and operate, either directly or through contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements, a National Eldercare Locator Service, providing information and assistance services through a nationwide toll-free number to identify community resources for older individuals;”; (G) by striking paragraph (24) (as redesignated) and inserting the following:114 STAT. 2230 “(24) establish and carry out pension counseling and information programs described in section 215;”; and (H) by striking paragraph (27) and redesignating the remaining paragraphs; (I) by adding a new paragraph (27): “(27) improve the delivery of services to older individuals living in rural areas through— “(A) synthesizing results of research on how best to meet the service needs of older individuals in rural areas; “(B) developing a resource guide on best practices for States, area agencies on aging, and service providers; “(C) providing training and technical assistance to States to implement these best practices of service delivery; and “(D) submitting a report on the States’ experiences in implementing these best practices and the effect these innovations are having on improving service delivery in rural areas to the relevant committees not later than 36 months after enactment.”; (2) in subsection (d)(4), by striking “1990” and inserting “2000”; and (3) by adding at the end the following: “(f)(1) The Assistant Secretary, in accordance with the process described in paragraph (2), and in collaboration with a representative group of State agencies, tribal organizations, area agencies on aging, and providers of services involved in the performance outcome measures shall develop and publish by December 31, 2001, a set of performance outcome measures for planning, managing, and evaluating activities performed and services provided under this Act. To the maximum extent possible, the Assistant Secretary shall use data currently collected (as of the date of development of the measures) by State agencies, area agencies on aging, and service providers through the National Aging Program Information System and other applicable sources of information in developing such measures. “(2) The process for developing the performance outcome measures described in paragraph (1) shall include— “(A) a review of such measures currently in use by State agencies and area agencies on aging (as of the date of the review); “(B) development of a proposed set of such measures that provides information about the major activities performed and services provided under this Act; “(C) pilot testing of the proposed set of such measures, including an identification of resource, infrastructure, and data collection issues at the State and local levels; and “(D) evaluation of the pilot test and recommendations for modification of the proposed set of such measures.”.