Section 215-A. Senior vision services program

1. Definitions. As used in
  this section:
    (a)  "Senior  vision   services"   shall   mean   the   provision   of
  non-vocational  services to elderly persons who have a functional visual
  impairment.  These services may include, but not be limited  to,  client
  assessment,  information  and  referral,  client  and family counseling,
  referrals for opthalmological, optometric or other health care services,
  technical assistance and training for human services personnel to  serve
  persons who are blind or visually impaired, and low vision screening.
    (b)  "Functional  visual impairment" shall mean an impairment of sight
  that substantially  interferes  with  an  elderly  person's  ability  to
  perform  specific  daily  living  skills  and tasks. Persons who are not
  regarded as legally blind, pursuant to this section, but who  experience
  such  an impairment of sight, shall be deemed eligible for senior vision
  services pursuant to this section.
    (c) "Elderly" shall mean an individual over sixty years of age.
    (d) "Director" shall mean the director of the office for the aging.
    2. The director, in consultation with the New  York  state  commission
  for  the  blind  and  visually  handicapped,  is  hereby  authorized and
  directed, subject to the availability of appropriations, to establish  a
  program  of  senior vision services grants to assist in the provision of
  vision services to elderly persons with functional visual impairments.
    3. The director, in consultation with the New  York  state  commission
  for  the  blind  and  visually  handicapped,  shall  award senior vision
  services grants to not-for-profit corporations which demonstrate:
    (a) the ability to provide senior vision services;
    (b) a commitment to provide such services to visually impaired persons
  or specialized training in providing such services to  persons  who  are
  blind or visually impaired; and
    (c)  other  such  factors  as  may  be  determined  by the director in
  consultation with the  state  commission  for  the  blind  and  visually
  handicapped.
    4.   Grant   awards   shall   take  into  consideration  the  lack  of
  non-traditional and non-vocational services for elderly persons in  need
  of senior vision services and the ability of such senior vision services
  grants  to  establish  or  to expand existing blind or visually impaired
  services currently provided or available in the county or region  served
  by the not-for-profit corporation or through another source.
    5.  The  director shall ensure that in awarding the grants pursuant to
  this section that due consideration  is  given  to  the  geographic  and
  existing  service  demands for senior vision services within a county or
  region of the state.
    6. The director shall promulgate any rules and  regulations  necessary
  to  carry out the provisions of this section. Additionally, the director
  shall submit a report to the governor, the temporary  president  of  the
  senate  and the speaker of the assembly, prior to, but in no event later
  than, December thirty-first, in the year  following  enactment  of  this
  section,  and  annually  thereafter,  which  shall  include,  but not be
  limited to:
    (a) financial reports of  the  grant  project  operations  established
  pursuant to this section;
    (b)  an analysis of the grant project's ability to provide such senior
  vision services to elderly persons with functional visual impairments;
    (c) recommendations on the continuation of such grants  and  the  need
  for program expansion, if appropriate;
    (d) a profile of the grant recipient; and
    (e) other information deemed necessary by the director.