Requires the state office for the aging to report on the delivery of services to and needs of traditionally underserved populations in their annual report to the governor and legislature

Summary of specific provisions

The bill requires that the State Office of the Aging, in its annual report to the Governor and the Legislature, include recommendations for expanding or replicating service programs to populations including, but not limited to, populations based on actual or perceived race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military status, sex, marital status, disability, familial status, and language.

The bill requires that the State Office of the Aging, in its annual report to the Governor and the Legislature, assess the progress, problems, and effectiveness of provisions or services to seniors administered by the Office to populations including, but not limited to, actual or perceived race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military status, sex, marital status, disability, familial status, and language, or people associated with an individual who is or is perceived to be a member of any of these traditionally underserved populations.

The bill requires that the Office of the Aging, in its annual report to the Governor and the Legislature, report on the needs of traditionally underserved senior populations including, but not limited to, populations based on actual or perceived race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military status, sex, marital status, disability, familial status, and language.

The bill authorizes the director of the Office of the Aging to make grants-in-aid available, through a request for proposals process, for the purpose of providing training, outreach, and education to appropriate entities who provide services to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender senior populations.

Justification

The experience of marginalization place many traditionally underserved senior populations at a higher risk for isolation, poverty, homelessness, and premature institutionalization. Moreover, many members of traditionally underserved populations are members of multiple underrepresented groups, and as a result, are doubly marginalized. Due to these factors, many seniors avoid accessing

elder programs and services, even when their health, safety, and security depend on it.

By the year 2025, it is projected that there will be 4.4 million New Yorkers 60 years of age and older, thereby increasing the number of seniors who are receiving inadequate services. For the first time in our state's history, we will have two very large generations of senior citizens in New York. It is important to ensure that as we craft new policies and expand existing services to meet the needs of seniors statewide, that we ensure that underrepresented groups are adequately assessed during the planning and development of programs and services.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) seniors, in particular, often lack social and familial support networks that are more commonly available to non-LGBT seniors. LGBT seniors are twice as likely to live alone as compared to heterosexual seniors, and more than four times as likely to have no children.

LGBT seniors face stigma from many senior care providers who do not consider that their older clients may be LGBT. As a result, LGBT seniors may be as much as five times less likely to access needed health and social services because of fear of discrimination.

Since disease prevention strategies tend to ignore LGBT seniors, and HIV trials generally do not include older participants, LGBT seniors may also face greater health risks.

Additionally, same-sex couples have less access to financial benefits as compared to heterosexual married couples. A surviving same-sex partner, for example, will be denied social security benefits and be required to pay taxes on the transfer of assets upon the death of a partner.

Making grants-in-aid available from the New York State Office of the Aging, will provide important assistance to individuals, agencies, and other appropriate entities to improve their delivery of services to LGBT senior populations.

Prior legislative history

2009: S1385 (Duane), Died in Aging; A3956 (Kellner), Passed Assembly 2010: S1385 (Duane), Died in Aging; A3956 (Kellner), Passed Assembly

Fiscal implications

Unknown.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.