BILL NUMBER: S3180
SPONSOR: SANDERS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the elder law, in relation to providing elder abuse
prevention training
 
PURPOSE:
This bill ensures senior service providers are trained in the detection
and reporting of elder abuse by the New York State of Aging in cooper-
ation with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services,
and the Division of State Police.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 adds a new section 219-a of the elder law, providing the
director shall develop a program to train senior service providers in
the detection and reporting of elder abuse, including training on the
counseling of elder abuse victims. The director shall require that
employees of senior centers and entities that contract with the Office
for the Aging and the Office of Children and Family Services to provide
services to senior citizens - be trained in elder abuse detection,
reporting and counseling, and receive supplemental refresher training at
least once every three years. This requirement applies to employees with
significant and direct person to person contact with senior citizens.
Further, the director shall require senior centers to hold at least two
educational sessions per year during which guests and members of the
senior center will receive counseling regarding elder abuse prevention
and awareness and be instructed on how to detect and report instances of
elder abuse.
Section 2 provides this act shall take effect on the one hundred twenti-
eth day after it shall have become a law.
 
EXISTING LAW:
The director of the New York State of Aging, in cooperation with the New
York State Office of Children and Family Services, and the Division of
State Police, is required to develop, maintain and disseminate educa-
tional material relating to elder abuse, as well as establish and imple-
ment written procedures and policies for when state police encounters
such abuse.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Elder abuse takes on numerous forms, including physical, sexual,
emotional and financial. With such abuse against vulnerable persons .
increasingly a problem, a proactive approach is necessary. Thislin-
cludes ensuring senior service providers and employees of senior.Centers
are properly trained in elder abuse detection, reporting and counseling.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2022 REFERRED TO SENATE AGING
2022 referred to assembly aging
2021 PASSED SENATE
2021 referred to assembly aging
2020 REFERRED TO SENATE AGING
2019 REFERRED TO SENATE AGING
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
TBD
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it
shall have become a law.