§ 3607. Grants for expansion of services. 1. The commissioner is
hereby authorized, within the amount allocated pursuant to subdivisions
one, two and three of section thirty-six hundred fifteen of this
article, to make grants to certified public and voluntary non-profit
home health agencies for the purpose of increasing the availability of
home health care services. Such grants shall be utilized to increase the
number of persons provided services, the kind of services provided,
including medical, social and environmental services, the sharing of
services or to improve or expand the method or frequency of the delivery
of home health care services. Grant applications shall include specific
plans to provide the following:

a. an expansion of the types of services made available to persons at
home as provided for in subdivision two of section thirty-six hundred
two of this chapter;

b. an increase in the number of persons provided home care services by
the certified home health agency, directly or through contractual
arrangement, or to provide for the availability of certified home health
agency services on a seven-day-a-week basis;

c. the development of training programs approved by the commissioner
to improve the quality of services provided by the certified home health
agency;

d. the development of programs to coordinate the work of the certified
home health agency with other community resources, including but not
limited to other certified home health agencies, hospitals, and social
services agencies;

e. demonstration projects to provide care in the home by using
methods, programs, or arrangements not ordinarily used by certified home
health agencies, and that will help to determine the most appropriate
means of reducing institutional care and of providing better quality
home care services, most cost-effective home care services, and more
accessible home care services;

f. the development of programs to improve home care patients' access
to primary health services; or

g. the development of "home care volunteer programs for maternal and
child health" pursuant to subdivision two of this section.

2. a. For purposes of this section, "home care volunteer program for
maternal and child health" shall mean a program developed, coordinated
and provided by a certified home health agency for purposes of assisting
pregnant women and children. Such assistance shall include but not be
limited to: guidance in self care related to prenatal care and post
partum care such as information concerning proper nutrition, exercise,
hygiene, drug, tobacco and alcohol use, and breast feeding; guidance in
infant care; friendly visiting; and telephone reassurance. Such
assistance may also include home maintenance, child care and shopping.
Additional services which the agency may provide in conjunction with the
program shall include nursing, social work, home health aide and other
approved agency services necessary to serve this population.

b. In providing such program, a certified home health agency shall
utilize volunteers, especially women who have had children and who are
willing and able to provide non-medical assistance to women for prenatal
care and infant care.

c. The certified home health agency shall recruit, train and supervise
volunteers for the program and shall assure that such volunteers are
competent to perform the required tasks and are suited to the client.
The agency shall designate a person responsible for management of the
program.

d. Certified home health agencies which provide home care volunteer
programs for maternal and child health shall establish provisions for
referral and case coordination with prenatal care providers as defined
in section three hundred sixty-five-k of the social services law.

3. A public or voluntary non-profit certified home health agency may
make application for such grant in the manner and form prescribed by the
commissioner. Grant applications may be made for up to a three-year
period; however, grant awards shall be for one-year periods, subject to
annual renewal upon approval by the commissioner.

4. A grant amount available under this program shall not exceed the
total cost of providing the additional services, as specified in the
application, less any income from governmental, third party or any other
sources accruing as a result of the provision of such additional
services. Grants may not be used for agency capital construction
purposes. The initial grant and first year renewal may be no more than
one hundred percent of the net cost of providing such additional
services. Any grants provided for a third year shall be no more than
seventy-five percent of the initial year's grant. No grant shall exceed
one hundred thousand dollars per annum.

5. A grantee must certify to the commissioner that all available
reimbursement for services has been and will be sought. To be eligible
for a renewal grant, the level and amount of services provided during
any previous grant period may not be decreased without the prior
approval of the commissioner, and the grantee shall identify and certify
that sufficient funds are available to maintain previous levels and
amounts of service.

6. In awarding grants pursuant to this section, the commissioner and
the advisory group established pursuant to subdivision six of section
thirty-six hundred fifteen of this article shall take into
consideration, in relation to the area served, the following factors:
the number of patients awaiting discharge from hospitals or residential
health care facilities for whom home care services are appropriate, the
proportion of patients inappropriately placed in hospitals and
residential health care facilities who could be served by in-home care,
the scope, quantity and accessibility of currently available home health
services, the ability of the agency to continue the expanded services
upon expiration of the grant, and such other factors as the commissioner
may determine are relevant to the public need for home health services.

7. In addition to the requirements of this section, the commissioner
shall approve grant applications in accordance with the provisions of
subdivisions five, six and seven of section thirty-six hundred fifteen
of this article.

8. Funds for such grants shall be made available pursuant to the
funding formula and allocations provided in subdivisions one, two and
three of section thirty-six hundred fifteen of this article.

9. The commissioner, shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary
to administer this section.