Int. No. 2320
By Council Members Chin, Yeger, Gennaro, Dinowitz, Rivera, Dromm, Vallone and Levine
A Local Law in relation to a senior center reopening plan
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Senior center reopening plan. a. Definitions. For purposes of this local law, the following terms have the following meanings:
COVID-19. The term “COVID-19” means the disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
Department. The term “department” means the department for the aging.
Senior center. The term “senior center” means facilities operated by the city of New York or operated by an entity that has contracted with the department to provide services to senior citizens on a regular basis including, but not limited to meals, recreation and counseling.
b. No later than 30 days after the effective date of this local law, the commissioner for the aging, in consultation with the commissioner of health and mental hygiene and any other relevant office or agency, shall submit to the mayor and speaker of the council, and post on the department’s website, a plan describing the timeline for reopening senior centers. Such plan shall include, at a minimum:
1. Guidance on safety measures, including but not limited to social distancing, advanced registration and availability of and requirement for personal protective equipment, that senior centers should implement;
2. A description of the services that will be provided at senior centers, which shall include, but not be limited to, congregate meals, grab and go meals, individual case work, counseling services, outdoor group activities and programs and indoor group activities and programs, provided that the services described in this paragraph may be offered on a phase reopening schedule;
3. Maximum occupancy based on size of the senior center and other relevant criteria as determined by the department;
4. A description of how the department, or any other relevant office or agency, will provide public communications, written or otherwise, in the designated citywide languages, as defined in section 23-1101 of the administrative code of the city of New York, and whether communications in any additional languages are needed based on the demographics of current or anticipated vulnerable populations; and
5. Any other relevant matters, including those related to accommodating individuals at higher risk for developing serious health complications as a result of a COVID-19 infection.
c. Prior to finalizing the plan required pursuant to subdivision b of this section, the department shall solicit and incorporate input from senior center operators and providers and nonprofit organizations with expertise in senior issues.
§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.
JSA
LS #17480
5/21/21