N.Y. Elder Law § 207: Foster grandparents program for vulnerable infants and children

§ 207. Foster grandparents program for vulnerable infants and

children. 1. Definitions. For purposes of this section the following

terms shall have the following meanings:

(a) "Qualified area agencies on aging" shall mean those agencies which

operate a foster grandparent program for the care of vulnerable infants

and children and for the assistance of high risk mothers.

(b) "Foster grandparents program" shall mean those activities for

which grants may be provided pursuant to subdivision six of section two

hundred three of this title, and shall include, but not be limited to,

(1) visiting participating hospitals or other interim care facilities

for a specified number of hours and providing care, love and stimulation

to one or more vulnerable infants and children; and (2) visiting high

risk mothers in their homes for a specified number of hours in order to

assist such mothers in developing parenting skills and in providing a

safe and suitable home for their children.

(c) "Vulnerable infants and children" shall mean infants or children

who reside in hospitals or other interim care facilities because no

suitable foster home or other appropriate placement is available.

(d) "High risk mothers" shall mean single young women for whom the

teaching of parenting skills is necessary either to prevent family

breakdown or to enable them to assume responsibility for their own child

or children who are in or awaiting foster care.

2. The director, in consultation with the commissioner of the office

of children and family services, is hereby authorized and directed,

within appropriations which are available therefor, to award grants to

qualified area agencies on aging to operate foster grandparent programs

for the care of vulnerable infants and children and for the assistance

of high risk mothers.

3. The duties of the director shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) the selection of qualified area agencies on aging to receive

grants for the operation of foster grandparent programs for the care of

vulnerable infants and children and for the assistance of high risk

mothers, which programs have been approved pursuant to this subdivision.

Applications for such grants shall demonstrate to the extent possible:

the need within the jurisdiction of the qualified area agency to provide

services to infants and children left in hospitals beyond medical

necessity and the need to provide services to infants and children

placed in interim care facilities, the experience of such agency in

providing such services to this or related populations, the capacity of

such agency in providing such services to effectively operate and

administer such program, the capacity of such agency to coordinate its

services with hospitals which provide social work counseling and home

visit assessments by social work staff to high risk mothers; and

(b) the reviewing of foster grandparent programs for the care of

vulnerable infants and children and for the assistance of high risk

mothers conducted by qualified area agencies on aging and the approval

of such programs for funding pursuant to paragraph (a) of this

subdivision.

4. The director may promulgate such rules and regulations as he or she

deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section.