Section 7.41. Geriatric service demonstration program

(a)  The  office  shall  establish  a  geriatric service demonstration
  program to provide grants, within appropriations therefor, to  providers
  of mental health care to the elderly. Such program shall be administered
  by  the  office  in  cooperation with the state office for the aging and
  such other state  agencies  as  the  commissioner  shall  determine  are
  necessary for the operation of the program.
    (b)  Grants may be awarded by the office to providers of care to older
  adults with mental disabilities for the purposes which may  include  one
  or more of the following:
    (1)  Community  integration.  Programs  which enable older adults with
  mental disabilities to age in the community and prevent the  unnecessary
  use of institutional care;
    (2)  Improved  quality  of  treatment. Programs for older adults which
  improve the quality of mental health care in the community;
    (3) Integration of services. Programs which  integrate  mental  health
  and  aging  services  with  alcohol,  drug,  health  and  other  support
  services;
    (4) Workforce. Programs which make more efficient use of mental health
  and health professionals by developing  alternative  service  roles  for
  paraprofessionals  and  volunteers,  including  peers, and programs more
  effective in recruitment and retention  of  bi-lingual,  bi-cultural  or
  culturally competent staff;
    (5)   Family  support.  Programs  which  provide  support  for  family
  caregivers, to include the provision of care to older adults by  younger
  family members and by older adults to younger family members;
    (6)  Finance. Programs which have developed and implemented innovative
  financing methodologies to support the delivery of best practices;
    (7) Specialized populations. Programs which  concentrate  on  outreach
  to, engagement of and effective treatment of cultural minorities;
    (8)  Information clearinghouse. Programs which compile, distribute and
  make available information on clinical developments, program innovations
  and policy developments which improve the  care  to  older  adults  with
  mental disabilities; and
    (9) Staff training. Programs which offer on-going training initiatives
  including   improved   clinical  and  cultural  skills,  evidence  based
  geriatric mental health skills, and the identification and management of
  mental, behavioral and substance abuse disorders among older adults.
    (c) The commissioner may adopt  rules  and  regulations  necessary  to
  implement the provisions of this section.