S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4532
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 4, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. COOK, GRIFFIN, ABINANTI, SEAWRIGHT, JEAN-PIERRE,
   CRUZ -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. GOTTFRIED,  J. RIVERA  --  read
   once and referred to the Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
 
 AN  ACT  to  establish  senior citizen alcoholism treatment and training
   demonstration programs

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. Legislative intent. The latest New York State census iden-
 tifies twelve and three-tenths percent of the state's residents  as  age
 sixty-five  or  older.  The  New  York  state  office  of alcoholism and
 substance abuse services has identified chemical  abuse  and  dependence
 among  the  elder  population as a serious and growing problem. This can
 result from isolation,  depression  or  the  interaction  of  prescribed
 drugs.  Too  many professionals: doctors, nurses, pharmacists and social
 workers are unfamiliar with the science of gerontology and  the  special
 physiological  and psychological needs of the elderly. In addition, many
 community-based programs and facilities, nursing homes and senior  citi-
 zen centers are not aware of the incidence of chemical abuse and depend-
 ence  among the elderly and do not have the expertise to recognize their
 clients' problems, resulting in a barrier to prevention,  detection  and
 treatment.
   It is, therefore, the intention of the legislature to eliminate barri-
 ers to effective chemical abuse and dependence services through this act
 by  establishing  chemical  abuse  prevention,  education  and treatment
 demonstration programs for senior citizens in the  office  of  addiction
 services and supports.
   §  2. The commissioner of addiction services and supports in consulta-
 tion with the director of the office for the aging shall develop compre-
 hensive chemical abuse prevention, education and treatment demonstration
 programs to address the unique needs of the elderly.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07807-01-1
              

 A. 4532                             2
 
   § 3. Subject to appropriation,  funds  for  support  of  demonstration
 projects  for  the  purposes  stated in section two of this act shall be
 allocated to eligible local  governments  and  not-for-profit  providers
 through  a  request for proposal process to be designed by the office of
 alcoholism  and substance abuse services in consultation with the office
 for the aging.
   § 4. In  reviewing  applications  for  funding,  the  commissioner  of
 addiction  services  and supports shall consider such factors as program
 cost-effectiveness; the ability of such proposals to  offer  programmat-
 ically  appropriate, long-term, stable services; and the ability of such
 proposals to enable  elderly  persons  to  receive  chemical  abuse  and
 dependence services; and geographic need. While incidence and prevalence
 shall be significant factors in the distribution of funds, demonstration
 projects  approved  pursuant to this act shall be established in regions
 across the state.
   § 5. No expenditure shall be made until the commissioner of  addiction
 services  and supports has approved a program and fiscal plan for chemi-
 cal abuse and dependence  prevention,  education  and  treatment  demon-
 stration  projects.  Such plan shall include, but not be limited to, the
 following:
   i. Specific criteria to be applied  in  evaluating  the  requests  for
 proposal;
   ii. Uniform program and cost standards;
   iii.  Criteria to be used to evaluate the outcome of the demonstration
 projects, including specific requirements to  be  met  by  providers  of
 service.
   §  6. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law.