S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8576
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                            September 13, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. COOK, ORTIZ, CRESPO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M.
   of A.  GOTTFRIED, LENTOL, 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  alcoholism
 and substance abuse services.
   §  2.  The  commissioner of alcoholism and substance abuse services in
 consultation with the director of the office for the aging shall develop
 comprehensive chemical abuse prevention, education and treatment  demon-
 stration 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.
                                                            LBD13681-01-9
              

 A. 8576                             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  alco-
 holism  and  substance  abuse  services  shall  consider such factors as
 program cost-effectiveness; the  ability  of  such  proposals  to  offer
 programmatically appropriate, long-term, stable services; and the abili-
 ty of such proposals to enable elderly persons to receive chemical abuse
 and dependence services; and geographic need. While incidence and preva-
 lence  shall be significant factors in the distribution of funds, demon-
 stration projects approved pursuant to this act shall be established  in
 regions across the state.
   § 5. No expenditure shall be made until the commissioner of alcoholism
 and  substance abuse services has approved a program and fiscal plan for
 chemical 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.