(a) Training models grants

(1) Grants
The Director of the National Institute on Aging may award grants to eligible entities to assist the entities in developing and evaluating model training programs—

(A) for—

(i) health care professionals, including mental health professionals;

(ii) health care paraprofessionals;

(iii) personnel, including information and referral, case management, and in-home services personnel (including personnel receiving support under the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.)), providing supportive services to the elderly and the families of the elderly;

(iv) family caregivers providing care and treatment for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders; and

(v) personnel of local organizations (including community groups, business and labor groups, and religious, educational, and charitable organizations) that have traditionally not been involved in planning and developing long-term care services; and

(B) with attention to such variables as—

(i) curricula development for training and continuing education programs;

(ii) care setting; and

(iii) intervention technique.

(2) Eligible entity
To be eligible to receive grants under this subsection, an entity shall be—

(A) an educational institution providing training and education in medicine, psychology, nursing, social work, gerontology, or health care administration;

(B) an educational institution providing preparatory training and education of personnel for nursing homes, hospitals, and home or community settings; or

(C) an Alzheimer's Disease Research Center described in section 285e–2(a) of this title.

(b) Educational grants
The Director of the National Institute on Aging is authorized to make grants to public and nonprofit private entities to assist such entities in establishing programs, for educating health care providers and the families of individuals with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders, regarding—

(1) caring for individuals with such diseases or disorders; and

(2) the availability in the community of public and private sources of assistance, including financial assistance, for caring for such individuals.

(c) Award of grants
In awarding grants under this section, the Director of the National Institute on Aging shall—

(1) award the grants on the basis of merit;

(2) award the grants in a manner that will ensure access to the programs described in subsections (a) and (b) by rural, minority, and underserved populations throughout the country; and

(3) ensure that the grants are distributed among the principal geographic regions of the United States.

(d) Application
To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall submit an application to the Director of the National Institute on Aging at such time, in such manner, and containing or accompanied by such information, as the Director may reasonably require, including, at a minimum, an assurance that the entity will coordinate programs provided under this section with the State agency designated under section 305(a)(1) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 [42 U.S.C. 3025(a)(1)], in the State in which the entity will provide such programs.

(e) Coordination
The Director of the National Institute on Aging shall coordinate the award of grants under this section with the heads of other appropriate agencies, including the Commissioner of the Administration on Aging.