File #: Int 1184-2025    Version: * Name: Establishing a program to support older adults providing kinship care.
Type: Introduction Status: Committee
Committee: Committee on Aging
On agenda: 2/13/2025
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing a program to support older adults providing kinship care
Sponsors: Crystal Hudson, Farah N. Louis, Kevin C. Riley, Nantasha M. Williams
Council Member Sponsors: 4
Summary: This bill would require the Commissioner for the Aging to create a kinship care program that would support older adults who provide full-time care for someone who is not their biological child. At a minimum, the program would provide case assistance and workshops on issues related to kinship caregiving. The bill would require the Commissioner to provide written materials about the kinship care program to older adult centers and to provide in-person information sessions at older adult centers.
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 1184, 2. Int. No. 1184, 3. February 13, 2025 - Stated Meeting Agenda

Int. No. 1184

 

By Council Members Hudson, Louis, Riley and Williams

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing a program to support older adults providing kinship care

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Section 21-201 of the administrative code of the city of New York, subdivisions a through d of such section as added by local law number 9 for the year 1992, subdivision e of such section as amended by chapter 655 of the laws of 2021, and subdivision f of such section as added by local law 9 for the year 2015, is amended to read as follows:

§ 21-201 Definitions. [Whenever used in] As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

[a. “Commissioner” shall mean] Commissioner. The term “commissioner” means the commissioner of the department for the aging.

[b. “Department” shall mean] Department. The term “department” means the department for the aging.

Elder abuse. The term “elder abuse” means any knowing, intentional, or negligent act by a caregiver or any other person holding a trusting relationship with a vulnerable older adult, which causes harm or a serious risk of harm to that older adult including physical, emotional, sexual, or financial harm, or harm related to identity theft, or neglect, abandonment, or confinement.

Older adult. The term “older adult” means an individual 60 years of age or older.

Older adult center. The term “older adult center” means a facility, other than a social adult day care, operated by a person pursuant to a contract with the department to provide services to older adults on a regular basis, including but not limited to meals, recreation, and counseling.

[c. “Regularly scheduled activities” shall mean] Regularly scheduled activities. The term “regularly scheduled activities” means all activities which are funded in whole or in part by the city [of New York].

[d. “Senior center” shall mean facilities operated by the city of New York or operated by an entity that has contracted with the department to provide services to senior citizens on a regular basis including, but not limited to meals, recreation and counseling.] Senior center. The term “senior center” has the same meaning as the term “older adult center.”

[e. “Elder abuse” shall mean any knowing, intentional, or negligent act by a caregiver or any other person holding a trusting relationship with a vulnerable older adult, which causes harm or a serious risk of harm to that older adult including physical, emotional, sexual, or financial harm, or harm related to identity theft, or neglect, abandonment or confinement.

f. “Social adult day care”] Social adult day care. The term “social adult day care” has the same meaning as set forth in section [two hundred fifteen] 215 of the elder law and any regulations promulgated by the director of the office for the aging pursuant to such section.

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

§ 21-216 Kinship care program for older adults. a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the term “kinship care” means full-time care provided to an individual by a relative or non-relative who is acting as a parent.

b. Program established. 1. The commissioner shall establish a program to support older adults who provide kinship care. The program shall provide:

(a) Individualized case assistance to older adults on issues related to kinship care, including but not limited to housing, financial assistance, food security, and guardianship;

(b) Workshops for older adults consisting of at least 8 sessions that focus on the following topics, at a minimum: child development; providing discipline and guidance to children; caring for oneself as a provider of kinship care; rebuilding a family; living with teenagers; legal issues involved with the provision of kinship care; and advocacy for kinship care; and

(c) Any other services related to kinship care that the commissioner deems appropriate.

2. The commissioner shall make efforts to partner with the Cornell cooperative extension to provide the workshops required under subparagraph (b) of paragraph 1 of this subdivision.

c. Outreach. 1. No later than 60 days after the program required under subdivision b of this section is established, the commissioner shall develop written materials in English, each of the designated citywide languages, as such term is defined in section 23-1101, and Braille that describe and spread awareness of such program. The commissioner shall update such materials annually as necessary.

2. The commissioner shall provide such materials to older adult centers for distribution to older adults and post such materials on the department’s website.

3. At a frequency determined by the commissioner, the commissioner shall provide in-person information sessions concerning the program established under subdivision b of this section at older adult centers chosen by the commissioner.

§ 3. This local law takes effect 180 days after it becomes law.

 

JGP

LS #17422

02/07/2025 9:30 AM