Authorizes the director of the office for the aging to establish a long term care worker training pilot program

1 Co-sponsor

• Ruben Diaz

BILL NUMBER:S3729A

Title of bill

An act to amend the elder law, in relation to establishing a long term care worker training pilot program; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof

Purpose

To provide a long term care worker training pilot program which shall be established in the office for the aging.

Summary of provisions

This bill would amend the elder law by adding a new section 218-a, under which the director of the office for the aging would establish the long term care worker training pilot program for the purpose of improving the quality of services provided to New York's elderly persons, by providing education and training where a lack of and access to training opportunities exist on aging and geriatrics for health care, social service and other providers of long term care services. Colleges or universities having an institute on gerontology, would assist the director in the implementation of the long term care worker training pilot program.

Justification

New York State has some 3.2 million persons age 60 and older, who make up 17% of the state's population. With this statistic, many communities are challenged by increasing numbers of older adults who need supportive services, such as recreation, income assistance, transportation, and wellness education, and who have long term chronic health problems that require home health care, supportive housing, or institutional care. Many areas face problems recruiting and retaining skilled front-line workers, as well as specialists with knowledge of the particular social and medical needs of older adults, and especially lack the resources of "state of the art" education and training programs.

This pilot program would improve the quality and access of services provided to New York's elders by making available training on aging issues to health care and social service practitioners and other providers of qualified long term care services in counties across New York State where:

* a higher than average growth in the older population is evident; and

* there are significant problems with retention and recruitment of long term care workers.

The program would also increase the opportunity for front line long term care workers to continually update their gerontology skills through a variety of educational approaches.

Legislative history

2004: A.9671; Referred to Aging 2005: A.5359A; Referred to Aging; S.2775 - Referred to Aging 2006: A.5359A; Referred to Ways and Means; S.2775A; Referred to Finance 2008: A.10465A; Recommitted to Rules; S7304A; Amend & Recommit to Rules

Fiscal implications

To be determined.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on April one next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law and shall remain in force and effect until the sixth year anniversary of said effective date on which date it shall be deemed to be repealed.