Bill Text: NY S00479 | 2015-2016 | General Assembly | Introduced


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

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-01-06 - REFERRED TO AGING [S00479 Detail]

Download: New_York-2015-S00479-Introduced.html
                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                          479
                              2015-2016 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 7, 2015
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sen.  DIAZ  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
         printed to be committed 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.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD00163-01-5
       S. 479                              2
    1    2. A MODEL VISITING PROGRAM SHALL BE DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE SENIORS WITH
    2  A VISITOR WHO CAN OFFER CONTACT ON A REGULAR BASIS AND COMPANIONSHIP FOR
    3  SENIORS WHO LACK A NETWORK OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN  THEIR  COMMUNITIES.
    4  THE MODEL VISITING PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE:
    5    (A)  METHODS  TO  OBTAIN VOLUNTEERS INCLUDING BY PARTNERING WITH LOCAL
    6  EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS;
    7    (B) SYSTEMS TO SCREEN VOLUNTEERS TO  BOTH  ENSURE  A  GOOD  MATCH  AND
    8  PROTECT SENIORS INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM;
    9    (C)  SYSTEMS TO PERIODICALLY CHECK ON BOTH VOLUNTEERS AND THE SENIORS;
   10  AND
   11    (D) RESPONSES TO PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE.
   12    S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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