A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the department of the aging to report on senior centers

Int. No. 1759

By Council Members Vallone and Chin

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the department of the aging to report on senior centers

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Chapter 2 of title 21 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 21-207 to read as follows:

§21-207 Senior citizen centers a. For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meaning:

Activity. The term “activity” means any activity designed to encourage socialization, mental wellness, healthy living, or physical exercise.

Senior citizen. The term “senior citizen” means a person 60 years of age and older.

Services. The term “services” means services designed to improve the quality of life of senior citizens. Such services include, but are not limited to, abuse prevention services, health-related services, self-support services for the disabled, housekeeping services, special services for   the blind, housing improvement services, home care assistance, personal care assistance, home delivered meals, education and job training services, and care giver support services.

b. Not later than September 1, 2018, and annually thereafter on September 1, the department shall submit to the speaker of the council and post to its website an annual report regarding the programs, services, costs, and rates of utilization for all senior centers under the department’s jurisdiction.

c. The annual report shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:

1. The total costs associated with each senior citizen center;

2. The total number and percentage of senior citizens who visited each senior center and the name of the senior center, further disaggregated by ethnicity, age, and gender;

3. The average daily attendance at each senior center;

4. The total number of meals and the time they are served at each senior center;

5. The total number and percentage of seniors who have meals delivered to their homes;

6. The total number and percentage of elder abuse cases documented at each senior center;

7. The total time it takes to identify, investigate, and resolve an elder abuse case at each senior center;

8. The case management ratio of a case manager to senior citizens at each senior center;

9. The total number, including the descriptions, of the services that are offered at each senior center;

10. The total number, including the descriptions, of activities offered at each senior center;

11. The total number and percentage of senior citizens who were offered home care assistance;

12. The total number and percentage of senior citizens who accepted home care assistance;

13. The total number and percentage of senior citizens who refused home care assistance;

14. The total number and percentage of senior citizens who are receiving home care assistance, further disaggregated by seniors citizens who are receiving home care assistance for free, and those who pay for home care assistance; and

15. The total number of home care hours provided to senior citizens, and further disaggregated by whether the home care assistance was for housekeeping or personal care;

d. All information required by this section shall be disaggregated by borough, council district, and community district.

e. No information that is otherwise required to be reported pursuant to this section shall be reported in a manner that would violate any applicable provision of federal, state, or local law relating to the privacy of a senior citizen’s information or that would interfere with law enforcement investigations or otherwise conflict with the interests of law enforcement.

§2. This local law takes effect immediately.

KG

LS #10672

10/25/17