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

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S148-2013 Actions

• Feb 12, 2013: REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
• Jan 9, 2013: REFERRED TO AGING

S148-2013 Meetings

Aging: Feb 12, 2013

S148-2013 Votes

S148-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S148

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the elder law, in relation to requiring establishment of model
community programs for local agencies, including a model telephone
reassurance program and a model visiting program for elders

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To encourage the development of programs to assist seniors at the
local level.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Amends the Elder Law by adding a new section 203-a.
Requires the State Office for the Aging (SOFA) to develop model
community programs for a telephone reassurance program and visiting
program that would be provided to local area agencies on aging and
community based organizations upon request to assist them in
developing programs at the local level.

Section 2. Effective Date

EXISTING LAW:
None.

JUSTIFICATION:
Many programs function better at the local level, rather than being
established by a state agency. However, many local organizations do
not know how to proceed in organizing and establishing a program.
This bill would require SOFA to create a model program that could be
used by local area agencies on aging and community based
organizations as a template to establish a telephone reassurance
program or visiting program to assist seniors in their local
communities.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2012:      S.1898 - Notice of Committee Consideration Requested,
           Committee Discharged, Committed to Rules/A.1702 -
           Enacting Clause Stricken/A.9071 - Reported, Referred
           to Ways  and Means
2011:      S.1898 - Discharged from Aging, Committed to Local
           Government/A.1702 - Reported, Referred to Ways and Means
2009:      A.11305 - Reported, Referred to Ways and Means

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This Act shall take effect immediately.

S148-2013 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                     148

                         2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                                 (PREFILED)

                               January 9, 2013
                                 ___________

  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:


    Section 1. The elder law is amended by adding a new section  203-a  to
  read as follows:

    S  203-A. MODEL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOP-
  MENT OF ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS  THAT  PROMOTE  AGING  WITH  DIGNITY  IN
  COMMUNITIES,  THE  OFFICE  SHALL  DEVELOP MODEL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS TO BE
  DISTRIBUTED UPON REQUEST TO LOCAL AREA AGENCIES ON AGING  AND  COMMUNITY
  BASED  ORGANIZATIONS.  SUCH  MODEL  COMMUNITY PROGRAMS SHALL INCLUDE THE
  FOLLOWING:

    1. A MODEL TELEPHONE REASSURANCE PROGRAM SHALL BE DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE
  FOR THE FOLLOWING:

    (A) PHONE CALLS BY THE ORGANIZATION MAINTAINING THE PROGRAM TO PARTIC-
  IPATING SENIORS AT AN AGREED UPON TIME EACH DAY;
    (B) A SECONDARY CONTACT, WHERE APPLICABLE,  TO  BE  CONTACTED  IF  THE
  SENIOR DOES NOT ANSWER THE INITIAL CALL AND BEFORE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
  ARE CONTACTED;
    (C)  COORDINATION  WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ENSURE AN APPROPRIATE
  RESPONSE IN THE EVENT THE SENIOR CANNOT BE CONTACTED;
    (D) ADVANCE CONSENT TO ACCESS TO THE HOME BY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT  TO
  DETERMINE  THE STATUS OF THE SENIOR IF CONTACT WITH THE SENIOR COULD NOT
  BE MADE; AND
    (E) INCREASED COORDINATION BETWEEN THE SENIORS UTILIZING  THE  PROGRAM
  AND  PROGRAM  OPERATORS TO REDUCE INCIDENTS RESULTING IN UNNECESSARY LAW
  ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE.

   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD01009-01-3

 S. 148                              2

    2. A MODEL VISITING PROGRAM SHALL BE DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE SENIORS WITH
  A VISITOR WHO CAN OFFER CONTACT ON A REGULAR BASIS AND COMPANIONSHIP FOR
  SENIORS WHO LACK A NETWORK OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN  THEIR  COMMUNITIES.
  THE MODEL VISITING PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE:

    (A)  METHODS  TO  OBTAIN VOLUNTEERS INCLUDING BY PARTNERING WITH LOCAL
  EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS;
    (B) SYSTEMS TO SCREEN VOLUNTEERS TO  BOTH  ENSURE  A  GOOD  MATCH  AND
  PROTECT SENIORS INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM;
    (C)  SYSTEMS TO PERIODICALLY CHECK ON BOTH VOLUNTEERS AND THE SENIORS;
  AND
    (D) RESPONSES TO PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE.
    S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.