Section 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.