Bill Text: NJ A906 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes "Seniors Helping Seniors Who are Blind or Visually Impaired Demonstration Program" in DHS; appropriates $360,000.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-14 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Aging and Senior Services Committee [A906 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A906-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman DIANNE C. GOVE
District 9 (Atlantic, Burlington and Ocean)
Assemblyman BRIAN E. RUMPF
District 9 (Atlantic, Burlington and Ocean)
Assemblywoman BETTYLOU DECROCE
District 26 (Essex, Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes "Seniors Helping Seniors Who are Blind or Visually Impaired Demonstration Program" in DHS; appropriates $360,000.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act establishing a "Seniors Helping Seniors Who are Blind or Visually Impaired Demonstration Program" and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. New Jersey's senior citizen population continues to grow; as of July 1, 2006, almost 13%, or 1,127,742 persons, of a total population of 8,724,560 were 65 years of age or older.
b. The county in the State with the largest percentage of senior citizens is Ocean County, where almost one-quarter of its residents are 65 years of age or older, many of whom are blind or visually impaired.
c. As people continue to live longer lives, they will experience more chronic illnesses, which in many instances will result in blindness or visual impairments.
2. There is established a three-year "Seniors Helping Seniors Who are Blind or Visually Impaired Demonstration Program" in the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired in the Department of Human Services.
The program shall: coordinate existing services such as low vision services, orientation and mobility, eye health nursing, rehabilitation teaching, social work and psychological services, recreation and program transportation, to make them readily available to senior citizens with vision problems; establish a network of senior citizen volunteers and paid assistants and provide them with appropriate training so they can assist in the provision of rehabilitation assistance and other necessary services to senior citizens who are experiencing vision problems; and establish a public awareness and education program for senior citizens to inform them of the availability of services. The program shall be established in Ocean County and Cape May County.
3. The Executive Director of the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired shall develop the demonstration program, which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
a. Assessment of the current need and availability of services for blind and visually impaired senior citizens in Ocean County and Cape May County;
b. Coordination of existing services and resources in the counties;
c. Recruitment and training of senior citizen volunteers and paid assistants to provide appropriate assistance to persons in need of services;
d. Provision of services to blind and visually impaired senior citizens in the counties; and
e. Establishment of a public awareness and education program to inform senior citizens of the availability of services.
4. The executive director shall apply for and accept any grant of money from the federal government, private foundations or other sources, which may be available for the demonstration program and for volunteer training.
5. Within six months of the expiration of this act, the executive director shall report to the Governor and the Legislature on the effectiveness of the program and present recommendations for expanding the program Statewide, as appropriate.
6. In accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the executive director shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.
7. There is appropriated $360,000 to the Commission for the Blind and the Visually Impaired in the Department of Human Services in Fiscal Year 2008 from the General Fund, $300,000 allocated to Ocean County and $60,000 allocated to Cape May County, to effectuate the purposes of this act. In Fiscal Years 2009 and 2010, $360,000 shall be appropriated each year, $300,000 allocated to Ocean County and $60,000 allocated to Cape May County, to effectuate the purposes of this act.
8. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire three years after enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a three-year "Seniors Helping Seniors Who are Blind or Visually Impaired Demonstration Program" in the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired in the Department of Human Services.
The program would be located in Ocean County and Cape May County, and would:
1. coordinate
existing services such as low vision services, orientation and mobility, eye
health nursing, rehabilitation teaching, social work and psychological
services, recreation and program transportation, to make them readily available
to senior citizens with vision problems;
2. establish a network of senior citizen volunteers and paid assistants and provide them with appropriate training so they can assist in the provision of rehabilitation assistance and other necessary services to senior citizens experiencing vision problems; and
3. establish a public awareness and education program for senior citizens to inform them of the availability of services.
The Executive Director of the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired would develop the demonstration program, which is to include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) Assessment of the current need and availability of services for blind and visually impaired senior citizens in Ocean County and Cape May County;
(2) Coordination of existing services and resources in the counties;
(3) Recruitment and training of senior citizen volunteers and paid assistants to provide appropriate assistance to persons in need of services;
(4) Provision of services to blind and visually impaired senior citizens in the counties; and
(5) Establishment of a public awareness and education program to inform senior citizens of the availability of services.
Within six months of the expiration of this bill, the executive director shall report to the Governor and the Legislature on the effectiveness of the program and present recommendations for expanding the program Statewide, as appropriate.
