Creates an interagency coordinating committee for streamlined services for the aging; directs the development of a simplified application for seniors to access needs-based programs.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3758
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 30, 2021
___________
Introduced by Sen. SERINO -- 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 the interagency coordinat-
ing committee for streamlined services for the aging
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Article 2 of the elder law is amended by adding a new title
2 2 to read as follows:
3 TITLE 2
4 NEW YORK STATE INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COMMITTEE FOR STREAMLINED
5 SERVICES FOR THE AGING
6 Section 230. New York State interagency coordinating committee for
7 streamlined services for the aging.
8 § 230. New York State interagency coordinating committee for stream-
9 lined services for the aging. 1. There is hereby created a committee to
10 be known as "the interagency coordinating committee for streamlined
11 services for the aging," to be comprised of seventeen members. The
12 director for the state office for the aging or his or her designee shall
13 serve as chairperson. The members shall be the following, or a duly
14 designated representative: the commissioner of health; the commissioner
15 of transportation; the commissioner of housing and community renewal;
16 the commissioner of the office of mental health; the commissioner of the
17 office for people with developmental disabilities; the commissioner of
18 the office of children and family services; the commissioner of the
19 office of temporary and disability assistance; secretary of state; the
20 director of the office of information technology services; and the
21 commissioner of taxation and finance. Six additional members, all of
22 whom shall be aging not-for-profits, organizations, or service providers
23 and consumers representing the aging community shall be appointed to
24 serve a term of three years as follows: two by the temporary president
25 of the senate, two by the speaker of the assembly, one by the minority
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07817-01-1
S. 3758 2
1 leader of the senate, and one by the minority leader of the assembly.
2 Such additional members shall be broadly representative of consumers and
3 providers when making such appointments. Members of the committee shall
4 receive no salary.
5 2. The committee shall have the following powers and duties:
6 (a) Develop a statewide survey to identify where there are gaps and
7 barriers to access to services for the elderly. The committee shall
8 develop recommendations for the distribution of the survey to reach a
9 representative sample of the senior population in New York to identify
10 trends in areas including, but not limited to, mental health services,
11 transportation, public health and housing.
12 (b) Develop a simplified senior application for need-based programs in
13 the state that seniors may qualify for.
14 (c) Coordinate with local offices for the aging to supplement the
15 simplified senior application as articulated in paragraph (b) of this
16 subdivision to create regional specific addendums including applications
17 for public transportation, wellness programs, emergency contact forms,
18 and other regionally-specific programs.
19 (d) Develop an online application tool to be utilized by a designated
20 lead agency to supply the simplified senior application as articulated
21 in paragraph (b) of this subdivision for consumers on the internet.
22 (e) Make recommendations to the office for data sharing across agen-
23 cies with the intent to track enrollment and identify trends in service
24 needs.
25 (f) Develop a standard medical expense deduction worksheet for seniors
26 as well as informational materials regarding qualifying expenses for
27 certain needs-based programs.
28 (g) Make recommendations regarding simplified certification and
29 re-certification procedures across programs to establish eligibility.
30 (h) Develop informational materials and a public awareness campaign to
31 disseminate general information about the availability of services for
32 the elderly, including recommendations for distributing information to
33 families or caregivers.
34 (i) Develop recommendations to target and distribute simplified appli-
35 cations to New York seniors.
36 3. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the committee or its members
37 from pursuing federal funding to implement any of the provisions in this
38 section.
39 4. The committee shall meet as necessary to carry out its functions,
40 powers, and duties, but such meetings shall occur at least once each
41 quarter.
42 5. The committee shall provide a report to the governor, the temporary
43 president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, and the chairs of
44 the aging committees in the senate and the assembly on or before Septem-
45 ber first of each year, beginning in two thousand twenty-two. Such
46 report shall summarize the committee's activity during the preceding
47 year and shall detail legislative recommendations appropriate to effec-
48 tuate the purposes of this section, and any other recommendations for
49 improving the provision of services. It shall include information
50 detailing increases in enrollment in needs based programs for seniors
51 administered by the agencies listed in subdivision one of this section.
52 Such report shall also include a proposed agenda consisting of specific
53 issues that the committee plans to address during the following fiscal
54 year.
55 6. Members of the committee shall be appointed within ninety days
56 after the effective date of this section, however, the committee may
S. 3758 3
1 proceed with their business and effectuating the duties of this section
2 in ninety days without regard to the completion of the appointment proc-
3 ess.
4 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
