Establishes the capital infrastructure improvement and development for older New Yorkers grant program

BILL NUMBER:S5174

Title of bill

An act to amend the elder law and the public authorities law, in relation to establishing the capital infrastructure improvement and development for older New Yorkers grant program

Purpose or general idea of bill

To create the Capital infrastructure improvement and development for older New Yorkers (CIID NY) grant program which would administer available funds to encourage improvements in the operation and efficiency of the aging service provider network in New York state.

Summary of specific provisions

-Adds a new Title to the Elder Law, creating the Capital Infrastructure Improvement and Development for Older New Yorkers (CIID NY) grant program.

-Requires the director of the state office for the aging and the dormitory authority to develop criteria for the evaluation of applications for grant money.

-Requires that any projects recommended for approval be presented to the senate finance committee, director of the division of budget and the chair of the assembly ways and means committee and requires the dormitory authority to report quarterly to such chairpersons on awards made through the program.

-Requires the directors to publish priorities and goals to be achieved through grant funding.

-Requires any work performed pursuant to contracts awarded to applicants be deemed "public work" in compliance with articles eight, nine, and ten of the labor law

-Specifies that funds awarded to applicants must be devoted to ensuring the quality of community based service provided through the aging network and to assist seniors in living independently

-Specifies that a certain portion of CIID NY funds must go to support infrastructure improvement, technology upgrades, building repairs and design improvements, and other various capital improvements to help seniors as approved by the director

-Allows a certain portion of CIID NY funds to be awarded without a formal bidding process, provided the applicant fulfills meets certain criteria to the satisfaction of the director

-Amends section 1806-j of the public authorities law to authorize the issuance of bonds or notes to finance project costs authorized under the CIID NY program.

Justification

As the population of older New Yorkers continues to escalate, it is crucial that the state provide support to services offered by

community-based aging network providers. Senior centers, Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs), respite service providers and nutrition services providers, amongst others, offer critical assistance in the effort to help older adults successfully age in place in the living environments of their choice. In an effort to enable seniors to remain as independent as possible for as long as possible in their own homes and communities through the provision of home and community-based services, this bill creates the Capital infrastructure improvement and development for older New Yorkers (CIID NY) grant program administered by the state office for the aging. The primary goal of CIID NY is to improve the community-based continuum of services that utilizes meals delivery, social adult day services, case management, senior centers, transportation, and other non-medical services to manage the needs of older New Yorkers.

Prior legislative history

This is a new Bill.

Fiscal implications

No additional cost to the state. This program relies on funding already authorized under the public authorities law for the issuance of bonds for the health care efficiency and affordability law for New Yorkers (HEAL NY) capital grant program.

Effective date

Immediately.