STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
479
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE(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:
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
21 (e) increased coordination between the seniors utilizing the program
22 and program operators to reduce incidents resulting in unnecessary law
23 enforcement response.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00163-01-5
S. 479 2
1 2. A model visiting program shall be developed to provide seniors with
2 a visitor who can offer contact on a regular basis and companionship for
3 seniors who lack a network of family and friends in their communities.
4 The model visiting program shall include:
5 (a) methods to obtain volunteers including by partnering with local
6 educational institutions;
7 (b) systems to screen volunteers to both ensure a good match and
8 protect seniors involved in the program;
9 (c) systems to periodically check on both volunteers and the seniors;
10 and
11 (d) responses to problems that may arise.
12 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
