§ 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.
Last modified: November 19, 2006