Bill Text: NY A09071 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requires establishment of model community programs, including a model telephone reassurance program and a model visiting program for elders.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 18)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-02-14 - reported referred to ways and means [A09071 Detail]

Download: New_York-2011-A09071-Introduced.html

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                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         9071
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                   January 20, 2012
                                      ___________
       Introduced by M. of A. MILLMAN, DINOWITZ, COLTON, CRESPO, JAFFEE, ROBIN-
         SON, LUPARDO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ABBATE, ARROYO, BARRON,
         MAGEE, McENENY, SCHIMEL, SWEENEY, WEISENBERG -- read once and referred
         to the Committee on Aging
       AN ACT to amend the elder law, in relation to requiring establishment of
         model  community  programs for local agencies, including a model tele-
         phone reassurance program and a model visiting program for elders
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section  1.  The elder law is amended by adding a new section 203-a to
    2  read as follows:
    3    S 203-A. MODEL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE THE  DEVELOP-
    4  MENT  OF  ACTIVITIES  AND  PROGRAMS  THAT  PROMOTE AGING WITH DIGNITY IN
    5  COMMUNITIES, THE OFFICE SHALL DEVELOP MODEL  COMMUNITY  PROGRAMS  TO  BE
    6  DISTRIBUTED  UPON  REQUEST TO LOCAL AREA AGENCIES ON AGING AND COMMUNITY
    7  BASED ORGANIZATIONS. SUCH MODEL COMMUNITY  PROGRAMS  SHALL  INCLUDE  THE
    8  FOLLOWING:
    9    1. A MODEL TELEPHONE REASSURANCE PROGRAM SHALL BE DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE
   10  FOR THE FOLLOWING:
   11    (A) PHONE CALLS BY THE ORGANIZATION MAINTAINING THE PROGRAM TO PARTIC-
   12  IPATING SENIORS AT AN AGREED UPON TIME EACH DAY;
   13    (B)  A  SECONDARY  CONTACT,  WHERE  APPLICABLE, TO BE CONTACTED IF THE
   14  SENIOR DOES NOT ANSWER THE INITIAL CALL AND BEFORE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
   15  ARE CONTACTED;
   16    (C) COORDINATION WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ENSURE  AN  APPROPRIATE
   17  RESPONSE IN THE EVENT THE SENIOR CANNOT BE CONTACTED;
   18    (D)  ADVANCE CONSENT TO ACCESS TO THE HOME BY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO
   19  DETERMINE THE STATUS OF THE SENIOR IF CONTACT WITH THE SENIOR COULD  NOT
   20  BE MADE; AND
   21    (E)  INCREASED  COORDINATION BETWEEN THE SENIORS UTILIZING THE PROGRAM
   22  AND PROGRAM OPERATORS TO REDUCE INCIDENTS RESULTING IN  UNNECESSARY  LAW
   23  ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE.
   24    2. A MODEL VISITING PROGRAM SHALL BE DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE SENIORS WITH
   25  A VISITOR WHO CAN OFFER CONTACT ON A REGULAR BASIS AND COMPANIONSHIP FOR
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD04508-01-1
       A. 9071                             2
    1  SENIORS  WHO  LACK A NETWORK OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
    2  THE MODEL VISITING PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE:
    3    (A)  METHODS  TO  OBTAIN VOLUNTEERS INCLUDING BY PARTNERING WITH LOCAL
    4  EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS;
    5    (B) SYSTEMS TO SCREEN VOLUNTEERS TO  BOTH  ENSURE  A  GOOD  MATCH  AND
    6  PROTECT SENIORS INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM;
    7    (C)  SYSTEMS TO PERIODICALLY CHECK ON BOTH VOLUNTEERS AND THE SENIORS;
    8  AND
    9    (D) RESPONSES TO PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE.
   10    S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.