Creates a caregiver support program for grandparents and other older adult relative caregivers who are providing primary care for children aged 18 and under either formally or informally to provide technical assistance, counseling and other resources.

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S865-2013 Actions

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

S865-2013 Meetings

Aging: Mar 12, 2013

S865-2013 Votes

S865-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S865

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the elder law, in relation to authorizing the state office
for the aging to implement a caregiver support program for grandparents
and other older relatives who are caring for children

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to provide assistance for grandparents who
are raising their grandchildren.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Amends the Elder Law by adding a new section 224.
Authorizes the State Office for the Aging (SOFA) to establish a
Grandparent Caregiver Support program to provide support services for
grandparents and other older relatives who are providing primary care
for a child.

Allows for the creation of grandparent caregiver resource centers by
local Area Agencies on Aging, provides information and referral for
grandparent caregivers, provides technical assistance and training
for grandparent caregiver support groups, provides counseling for
grandparent caregivers, and provides publications related to the
services available to grandparent caregivers.

Section 2. Effective Date

EXISTING LAW:
None.

JUSTIFICATION:
There are over 240,000 children being raised in grandparent-headed
households in New York State. Many grandparents assume responsibility
for their grandchildren under critical circumstances, such as drug
addiction or incarceration of the parents, death of the parents, and
mental health or disability issues faced by the parents. However,
grandparent caregivers are often unaware of services available to
them for assistance. The Grandparent Caregiver Support Program
proposed by this legislation would provide grandparent caregivers
with the resources and assistance they need to care for their
grandchildren.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2012: S.270 - Referred to Aging/A.266 - Referred to Aging
2011: S.270 - Reported and Committed to Finance/A.266 -
      Referred to Aging
2010: S.1557 - Reported and Committed to Finance/A.1840 - Reported,
      Referred to Ways and Means
2009: S.1557 - Advanced to Third Reading/A.1840 - Reported Referred to
      Ways and Means
2008: S.8266 - Referred to Aging/A.10013 - Passed Assembly

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.


EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

S865-2013 Text

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

                                     865

                         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  authorizing  the  state
    office  for  the  aging  to  implement a caregiver support program for
    grandparents and other older relatives who are caring for children

    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 224 to
  read as follows:

    S 224. GRANDPARENT CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM. 1. THE DIRECTOR IS HERE-
  BY AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED, TO THE EXTENT APPROPRIATIONS  ARE  AVAILABLE
  THEREFOR,  TO  DEVELOP  AND  ESTABLISH  A  GRANDPARENT CAREGIVER SUPPORT
  PROGRAM FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING SUPPORT SERVICES TO GRANDPARENTS OR
  OTHER OLDER ADULT RELATIVE CAREGIVERS WHO ARE PROVIDING PRIMARY CARE FOR
  A CHILD.
    2. DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:

    (A) "GRANDPARENT OR OTHER OLDER ADULT RELATIVE CAREGIVERS" SHALL  MEAN
  A  GRANDPARENT OR STEPGRANDPARENT OF A CHILD OR A RELATIVE OF A CHILD BY
  BLOOD OR MARRIAGE WHO:

    (I) IS SIXTY YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, AND
    (II) LIVES WITH THE CHILD, AND
    (III) PROVIDES PRIMARY CARE FOR THE CHILD BECAUSE  THE  BIOLOGICAL  OR
  ADOPTIVE  PARENTS  ARE UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO SERVE AS THE PRIMARY CARE-
  GIVER OF THE CHILD, AND
    (IV) IS THE CUSTODIAN OR GUARDIAN OF THE  CHILD,  OR  IS  RAISING  THE
  CHILD INFORMALLY.
    (B)  "CHILD"  SHALL MEAN AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR
  YOUNGER.
    3. THE GRANDPARENT CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM MAY INCLUDE, BUT  IS  NOT
  LIMITED TO:


   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD00432-01-3

 S. 865                              2

    (A)  THE  CREATION  OF GRANDPARENT CAREGIVER RESOURCE CENTERS BY LOCAL
  OFFICES FOR THE AGING IN NEW YORK STATE,
    (B)  TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING FOR GRANDPARENT AND OTHER OLDER
  ADULT RELATIVE CAREGIVERS SUPPORT GROUPS,
    (C) INFORMATION AND REFERRAL FOR GRANDPARENT  AND  OTHER  OLDER  ADULT
  RELATIVE CAREGIVERS,
    (D) ASSISTANCE TO GRANDPARENTS AND OTHER OLDER ADULT RELATIVE CAREGIV-
  ERS IN GAINING ACCESS TO AVAILABLE SERVICES,
    (E) COUNSELING TO GRANDPARENTS AND OTHER OLDER ADULT RELATIVE CAREGIV-
  ERS  IN MAKING DECISIONS AND SOLVING PROBLEMS RELATING TO THEIR CAREGIV-
  ING ROLES, AND
    (F) THE PUBLICATION AND DISSEMINATION OF PRINTED MATERIAL  RELATED  TO
  SERVICES  AVAILABLE TO GRANDPARENTS AND OTHER OLDER ADULT RELATIVE CARE-
  GIVERS.
    S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.