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A01860 Summary:

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A01860 Floor Votes:

A01860 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          1860
 
                               2013-2014 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                       (Prefiled)
 
                                     January 9, 2013
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced by M. of A. MILLMAN, DINOWITZ, COLTON, CRESPO, JAFFEE, ROBIN-
          SON, LUPARDO, WEPRIN -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ABBATE, ARROYO,
          AUBRY,  BARRON, MAGEE, ROSENTHAL, SCHIMEL, SWEENEY, WEISENBERG -- read
          once and referred 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    §  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
 

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01009-01-3
        A. 1860                             2
 
     1    (e) increased coordination between the seniors utilizing  the  program
     2  and  program  operators to reduce incidents resulting in unnecessary law
     3  enforcement response.
     4    2. A model visiting program shall be developed to provide seniors with
     5  a visitor who can offer contact on a regular basis and companionship for
     6  seniors  who  lack a network of family and friends in their communities.
     7  The model visiting program shall include:

     8    (a) methods to obtain volunteers including by  partnering  with  local
     9  educational institutions;
    10    (b)  systems  to  screen  volunteers  to  both ensure a good match and
    11  protect seniors involved in the program;
    12    (c) systems to periodically check on both volunteers and the  seniors;
    13  and
    14    (d) responses to problems that may arise.
    15    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.