S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3787
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 8, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. COOK, SEAWRIGHT, JEAN-PIERRE, CRUZ -- read once
   and referred to the Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
 
 AN ACT to establish senior citizen substance use disorder  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 addiction services and
 supports has identified substance use disorders among  the  elder  popu-
 lation as a serious and growing problem. This can result from isolation,
 depression or the interaction of prescribed drugs.
   It is, therefore, the intention of the legislature to eliminate barri-
 ers  to  effective  substance use disorder services through this act, by
 establishing substance use disorder prevention, education and  treatment
 demonstration  programs  for  senior citizens in the office of addiction
 services and supports.
   § 2. The commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports
 in consultation with the director of the  office  for  the  aging  shall
 develop  comprehensive  substance use disorder prevention, education and
 treatment demonstration programs to address  the  unique  needs  of  the
 elderly.
   §  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
 addiction  services and supports in consultation with the office for the
 aging.
   § 4. In  reviewing  applications  for  funding,  the  commissioner  of
 addiction  services  and supports shall consider such factors as program
 cost-effectiveness; the ability of such proposals to  offer  programmat-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08273-01-3
              

 A. 3787                             2
 
 ically  appropriate, long-term, stable services; and the ability of such
 proposals to enable elderly persons to receive  substance  use  disorder
 services;  and  geographic need. While incidence and prevalence shall be
 significant factors in the distribution of funds, demonstration projects
 approved pursuant to this act shall be established in regions across the
 state.
   §  5. No expenditure shall be made until the commissioner of addiction
 services and supports  has  approved  a  program  and  fiscal  plan  for
 substance use disorder prevention, education and treatment demonstration
 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.