2018 -- S 2236

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LC004177

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- ELDERLY AFFAIRS

DEPARTMENT

     

     Introduced By: Senators Lynch Prata, Goodwin, Crowley, Metts, and Quezada

     Date Introduced: February 01, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 42-66-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-66 entitled "Elderly

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Affairs Department" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-66-4. Duties of the department.

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     (a) The department shall be the principal agency of the state to mobilize the human,

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physical, and financial resources available to plan, develop, and implement innovative programs

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to insure the dignity and independence of elderly persons, including the planning, development,

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and implementation of a home and long-term care program for the elderly in the communities of

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the state.

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     (b) (1) The department shall serve as an advocate for the needs of the adult with a

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disability as these needs and services overlap the needs and services of elderly persons.

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     (2) The department shall serve as the state's central agency for the administration and

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coordination of a long term care entry system, using community-based access points, that will

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provide the following services related to long term care: information and referral, initial screening

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for service and benefits eligibility, and a uniform assessment program for state supported long

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term care.

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     (3) The department shall investigate reports of elder abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self-

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neglect and shall provide and/or coordinate protective services.

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     (c) To accomplish these objectives, the director is authorized:

 

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     (1) To provide assistance to communities in solving local problems with regard to elderly

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persons including, but not limited to, problems in identifying and coordinating local resources to

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serve the needs of elderly persons;

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     (2) To facilitate communications and the free flow of information between communities

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and the offices, agencies and employees of the state;

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     (3) To encourage and assist communities, agencies, and state departments to plan,

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develop, and implement home and long-term care programs;

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     (4) To provide and act as a clearinghouse for information, data, and other materials

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relative to elderly persons;

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     (5) To initiate and carry out studies and analyses which will aid in solving local, regional,

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and statewide problems concerning elderly persons;

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     (6) To coordinate those programs of other state agencies designed to assist in the solution

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of local, regional, and statewide problems concerning elderly persons;

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     (7) To advise and inform the governor on the affairs and problems of elderly persons in

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the state;

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     (8) To exercise the powers and discharge the duties assigned to the director in the fields

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of health care, nutrition, homemaker services, geriatric day care, economic opportunity, local and

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regional planning, transportation, and education and pre-retirement programs;

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     (9) To further the cooperation of local, state, federal and private agencies and institutions

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providing for services or having responsibility for elderly persons;

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     (10) To represent and act on behalf of the state in connection with federal grant programs

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applicable to programs for elderly persons in the functional areas described in this chapter;

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     (11) To seek, accept, and otherwise take advantage of all federal aid available to the

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department, and to assist other agencies of the state, local agencies, and community groups in

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taking advantage of all federal grants and subventions available for elderly persons and to accept

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other sources of funds with the approval of the director of administration which shall be deposited

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as general revenues;

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     (12) To render advice and assistance to communities and other groups in the preparation

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and submission of grant applications to state and federal agencies relative to programs for elderly

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persons;

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     (13) To review and coordinate those activities of agencies of the state and of any political

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subdivision of the state at the request of the subdivision, which affect the full and fair utilization

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of community resources for programs for elderly persons, and initiate programs that will help

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assure such utilization;

 

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     (14) To encourage the formation of councils on aging and to assist local communities in

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the development of the councils;

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     (15) To promote, and coordinate day care facilities for the frail elderly who are in need of

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supportive care and supervision during the daytime;

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     (16) To provide and coordinate the delivery of in-home services to the elderly, as defined

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under the rules and regulations adopted by the department of elderly affairs;

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     (17) To advise and inform the public of the risks of accidental hypothermia;

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     (18) To establish a clearinghouse for information and education of the elderly citizens of

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the state;

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     (19) To establish and operate in collaboration with community and aging service agencies

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a statewide family-caregiver resource network to provide and coordinate family-caregiver

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training and support services to include counseling and , elder caregiver respite services which

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shall be subject to available funding and include home health/homemaker care, adult day

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services, assisted living and nursing facility care, and a web-based caregiver support information

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center;

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     (20) To supervise the citizens' commission for the safety and care of the elderly created

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pursuant to the provisions of chapter 1.4 of title 12.

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     (d) In order to assist in the discharge of the duties of the department, the director may

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request from any agency of the state information pertinent to the affairs and problems of elderly

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persons.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- ELDERLY AFFAIRS

DEPARTMENT

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     This act would add elder caregiver respite services to the web-based caregiver support

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information center.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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