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OLR Bill Analysis
SB 817 (File 16, as amended by Senate "A")*
AN ACT CONCERNING SENIOR CENTERS.
SUMMARY
This bill establishes a 14-member statewide senior center working
group to develop a coordinated plan for senior centers and municipal
services for seniors. It also requires the Commission on Women,
Children, Seniors, Equity, and Opportunity, within available
appropriations, to assist senior centers and assign or appoint necessary
personnel to do so.
By law, municipalities must appoint a municipal agent for the
elderly to help seniors learn about community resources and file for
benefits. The bill expands the list of potential appointees to include
senior center staff members. Current law limits potential appointees to
(1) members of a municipal agency that serves the elderly or (2)
municipal residents with a demonstrated interest in the elderly or who
have been involved in aging programs.
The bill also authorizes any one or more municipalities, or private
organizations that serve older adults and are designated to act as
agents of one or more municipalities, to establish a “multipurpose
senior center,” which is a community facility that organizes and
provides a broad spectrum of senior services, including recreational
activities and health (including mental and behavioral health), social,
nutritional, and educational services (42 U.S.C. § 3002).
Additionally, the bill expands the scope of the state’s Community
Response Education Program to include resources for community
programs and education on senior sexual assault and abuse safety,
prevention, and risk reduction. This program, within available
appropriations, offers certain resources to neighborhoods and
municipalities that are notified that a registered sex offender is living 2021SB-00817-R01-BA.DOCX
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there or plans to do so.
Lastly, the bill makes technical changes.
*Senate Amendment “A” adds the provision expanding the scope of
the Community Response Education Program.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2021, except the provision on the
Community Response Education Program takes effect July 1, 2021.
§ 4 — STATEWIDE SENIOR CEN TER WORKGROUP
Membership
The bill establishes a 14-member statewide senior center working
group to develop a coordinated plan for senior centers and municipal
services for older adults. The group’s members must include:
1. the aging and disability services and social services
commissioners, or their designees;
2. the executive director of the Commission on Women, Children,
Seniors, Equity and Opportunity;
3. two representatives of the Connecticut Association of Senior
Center Personnel, appointed by the Senate majority leader, who
may be legislators;
4. one representative of the Connecticut Association of Municipal
Agents for the Elderly, appointed by the governor;
5. one representative of the Connecticut Local Administrators of
Social Services, appointed by the House minority leader and
who may be a legislator;
6. five representatives of senior centers, with one each from the
state’s five elderly planning and services areas, two each
appointed by the House Speaker and Senate President, and one
appointed by the House majority leader, who may be
legislators; 2021SB-00817-R01-BA.DOCX
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7. one representative of a nonprofit senior center, appointed by the
governor; and
8. one representative from a National Institute of Senior Centers
(NISC)-accredited senior center, appointed by the Senate
minority leader, who may be a legislator.
Appointing authorities must make initial appointments by October
31, 2021, and fill any vacancies. The commission’s executive director
serves as the working group’s chairperson and must hold the first
meeting by November 30, 2021.
The commission’s administrative staff serve as the working group’s
administrative staff.
Duties
The bill requires the working group to:
1. develop an annual plan to support and develop senior centers
and municipal services for older adults, including identifying
training needs and coordinating existing resources;
2. evaluate the feasibility of implementing standards for
delivering core services and make recommendations for these
standards, including those allowing for parity of core services
across municipalities while maintaining service delivery
flexibility;
3. consult with the five area agencies on aging and other agencies;
4. facilitate coordination and communication among senior centers
and municipal services for older adults with executive branch
departments, including the departments of aging and disability
services, housing, mental health and addiction services, public
health, social services, and transportation, as well as with
community agencies and initiatives impacting older adults;
5. develop and provide access to best practices and procedures for
senior centers and municipal services for older adults; and 2021SB-00817-R01-BA.DOCX
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6. recommend any necessary appropriations or legislative changes
to the legislature’s Aging, Housing, Human Services, Planning
and Development, Public Health, and Transportation
committees.
Report
By January 1, 2023, the working group must report its findings and
recommendations to the Aging, Housing, Human Services, Planning
and Development, Public Health, and Transportation committees. The
working group terminates when it submits the report or January 1,
2023, whichever is later.
§ 3 — COMMISSION ASSISTANC E TO SENIOR CENTERS
The bill requires the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors,
Equity and Opportunity, within available appropriations, to provide
assistance to senior centers and assign or appoint necessary personnel
to do so. Assistance may include:
1. establishing and maintaining a list of senior centers and
municipal services for older adults, as well as a list of resources
for their staff;
2. developing technical assistance for the staff, directly or by
referral to experts;
3. communicating regularly with the staff about local, state, and
federal support and services that interest them; and
4. facilitating the statewide senior center working group, as
described above.
§ 2 — MULTIPURPOSE SENIOR CENTERS
Under the bill, a multi-purpose senior center may provide the
following services:
1. nutrition services,
2. health and wellness programs, 2021SB-00817-R01-BA.DOCX
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3. employment assistance,
4. intergenerational initiatives,
5. community service and civic engagement opportunities,
6. public benefits counseling,
7. socialization and educational opportunities,
8. transportation,
9. peer counseling,
10. financial and retirement counseling,
11. arts and recreation programs, and
12. case management services.
§ 5 — COMMUNITY RESPONSE E DUCATION PROGRAM
The bill expands the allowable scope of the state’s Community
Response Education Program to include resources for:
1. police departments and municipal officials to provide programs
on senior citizen sexual assault and abuse safety, prevention,
and risk reduction and
2. educating seniors, in addition to families and children as under
current law, on preventing and avoiding sexual abuse and
assault.
Under existing law, the Court Support Services Division (in
conjunction with experts in related fields) administers the program,
within available appropriations, to help neighborhoods, parents, and
children learn how to better protect themselves from sexual assault
and sexual abuse. The bill specifies that neighborhoods include senior
centers or other facilities serving or housing seniors.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Aging Committee 2021SB-00817-R01-BA.DOCX
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Joint Favorable
Yea 15 Nay 0 (02/16/2021)