Senate Bill S479

                            
                    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:

  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.
              

                                                           LBD00163-01-5

S. 479                              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.