2019 -- S 0439

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LC000807

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT - ELDERLY AFFAIRS

DEPARTMENT

     Introduced By: Senator Erin Lynch Prata

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

Affairs Department" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     42-66-4. Duties of the division.

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

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

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

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

the state.

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

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

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

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

provide the following services related to long-term care: information and referral; initial

screening for service and benefits eligibility; and a uniform assessment program for state-

supported long-term care.

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

neglect and shall provide and/or coordinate protective services.

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

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

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

serve the needs of elderly persons;

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

and the offices, agencies, and employees of the state;

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

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

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

relative to elderly persons;

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

and statewide problems concerning elderly persons;

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

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

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

the state;

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

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

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

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

providing for services or having responsibility for elderly persons;

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

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

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

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

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

sources of funds with the approval of the director of administration that shall be deposited as

general revenues;

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

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

persons;

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

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

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

such utilization;

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

the development of the councils;

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

supportive care and supervision during the daytime;

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

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

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

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

the state, including, but not limited to, and subject to available funding, a web-based caregiver

support information center;

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

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

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

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

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

center;

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

pursuant to the provisions of chapter 1.4 of title 12.

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

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

persons.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC000807

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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

information center.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC000807

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