2023 New York Laws › ELD - Elder › Article 2 - Programs for the Elderly › Title 1 - State Office for the Aging › 202 - General Powers and Duties of Office.

§  202. General powers and duties of office. The office shall have the
following powers and duties:
1. to advise and assist the governor in developing  policies  designed
to  help  meet  the  needs  of  the  aging  and  to  encourage  the full
participation of the aging in society;
2. to coordinate state programs and activities relating to the aging;
3. to stimulate community interest in the problems of the aging;
4. to promote public awareness of resources available for  the  aging,
and  to  refer the public to the appropriate departments and agencies of
the state and federal governments for advice, assistance  and  available
services in connection with particular problems;
5. to cooperate with and assist political subdivisions of the state in
the development of local programs for the aging;
6.   to   consult   and  cooperate  with  universities,  colleges  and
institutions in the state for the development of courses  of  study  for
persons engaged in public and private programs for the aging;
7. to make such studies of needs of the aging as the director may deem
appropriate or as may be requested by the governor;
8.  to  foster and support studies, research and education relating to
problems of and services for the aging;
9. to serve as a clearinghouse for information relating to  the  needs
of the aging;
10.  to  sponsor  conferences relating to problems of and services for
the aging;
11.  to  enter  into  contracts,  within  the  amount   available   by
appropriation    therefor,    with    individuals,   organizations   and
institutions, in the exercise of any of its powers or the performance of
any of its duties;
12. to make recommendations to the governor for the presentation of an
annual  award  to  a  senior  citizen  for   outstanding   and   unusual
contribution to his or her community;
13.  to  conduct  a  program  of  education  and  information  on  age
discrimination and the preparation and filing of complaints relating  to
persons sixty years of age or older;
14. to, in cooperation with the department of state:
(a)  prepare  or  cause  to  be prepared and made available to cities,
towns and villages model zoning  and  planning  guidelines  that  foster
age-integrated  communities  including provisions to allow for accessory
senior citizen units in areas zoned for single family residences and for
mixed-use development accommodating senior citizen residential  housing;
and
(b) make recommendations, in consultation with the division of housing
and  community  renewal,  to  the governor and legislature for assisting
mixed-use   age-integrated   housing   development   or    redevelopment
demonstration  projects in urban, suburban and rural areas of the state.
The director of the office for the aging and secretary  of  state  shall
establish  an  advisory committee for purposes of this subdivision. Such
committee shall include, but not be limited to, top  representatives  of
local  government,  senior  citizen  organizations,  developers,  senior
service providers and planners;
15. to periodically,  in  consultation  with  the  state  director  of
veterans' services, review the programs operated by the office to ensure
that the needs of the state's aging veteran population are being met and
to develop improvements to programs to meet such needs;
16.  to  the  extent appropriations are available, and in consultation
with the office of  children  and  family  services,  conduct  a  public
education  campaign that emphasizes zero-tolerance for elder abuse. Such
campaign shall include information about the signs and symptoms of elder

abuse, identification of potential causes of elder abuse, which includes
identity theft, resources available to assist in the prevention of elder
abuse, where suspected elder abuse can be reported, contact  information
for  programs  offering  services  to  victims  of  elder  abuse such as
counseling, and assistance with arranging  personal  care  and  shelter.
Such  campaign  may  include, but not be limited to: printed educational
and informational materials; audio, video, electronic, other media;  and
public service announcements or advertisements; and
17. subject to an appropriation, make available to designated agencies
as  defined  in  paragraph (a) of subdivision one of section two hundred
fourteen of this title, a training program for the  purpose  of  raising
awareness,  removing  barriers  and  improving services for older adults
based on their sexual orientation and gender identity or  expression  as
defined  in  section  two  hundred ninety-two of the executive law. Such
training program may include:
(i) an overview of the history, unique needs, and concerns of lesbian,
gay, bisexual, transgender, asexual, gender  non-conforming  and  gender
non-binary older adults;
(ii)  reasons why lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, asexual, gender
non-conforming and gender non-binary older  adults  may  choose  not  to
self-identify; and
(iii)  tools  that  may be used to incorporate lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, asexual, gender non-conforming and gender non-binary  older
adult  concerns  into direct care and steps that may be taken to improve
the quality of services and support provided.