To amend chapter 208, RSMo, by adding four new sections relating to the elders volunteer for elders project.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI,

AS FOLLOWS:

Section A. Chapter 208, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto four new sections, to be known as sections 208.309, 208.311, 208.313 and 208.315, to read as follows:

208.309. 1. Sections 208.309 to 208.315 shall be known as the "Elders Volunteer for Elders Project (EVE) Act." Subject to appropriations, the department of social services, division of aging, shall review applications and award grants to at least three community provider organizations for the provisions of services which shall establish a three-year demonstration project designed to prevent the premature or unnecessary institutionalization of Missouri's low income elderly citizens in specifically defined neighborhoods located in a city not within a county, a city with a population of more than three hundred fifty thousand inhabitants which is located in more than one county and in region 2 of the Missouri area agencies on aging.

2. As used in sections 208.309 to 208.315, the following terms mean:

(1) "Community Provider Organizations", any:

(a) Charitable organization as defined in section 407.453, RSMo;

(b) Not for profit corporation established pursuant to chapter 355, RSMo; or

(c) An organization that has obtained an exemption from the payment of federal income taxes as provided in section 501(c)(3), 501(c)(7) or 501(c)(8) of Title 26, United States Code, as amended.

(2) "Division", division of aging of the department of social services;

(3) "Elderly Low Income Person", a Missouri citizen who is sixty years of age or older and whose income is at or below one hundred and fifty percent of the federal poverty level;

(4) "Project", a demonstration project directed at Missouri's low income elderly who are at risk of involuntary and unnecessary institutionalization;

(5) "Recipient", any elderly low income person who is in need of assistance with at least one of the activities of daily life or assistance with instrumental activities of daily living. The highest priority will be given to those at risk of incapacity adjudication.

208.311. The purpose of the EVE projects shall be:

(1) To help low income elderly, adjudicated or not, who live within a project's geographical location to obtain access to services to retain their independence and postpone consignment to nursing homes and to improve their quality of life;

(2) To advocate for low income elderly during an incapacity adjudication hearing;

(3) To help those low income elderly who become institutionalized and who can be restored sufficiently to return home, to do so; and

(4) To train and support mostly senior volunteers and to add volunteer work opportunities for healthy senior citizens.

208.313. 1. The division shall review applications and make grant awards to three community provider organizations who meet the criteria and requirements set forth in subsection 2 of this section. One of the community provider organizations shall be located in a city not within a county and the second shall be located in a city with a population of more than three hundred fifty thousand inhabitants which is located in more than one county and the third shall be located in region 2 of the Missouri area agencies on aging.

2. In order to be considered for selection as a demonstration project site a community provider organization shall file an application with the division and present the following information:

(1) A proposed program, including the approximate number of elderly citizens that the project is designed to reach in a specifically defined neighborhood;

(2) A proposed budget;

(3) A proposed program to recruit, train and retain volunteers as case managers and advocates for the low-income elderly of the defined neighborhood;

(4) A proposed client eligibility and screening process; and

(5) A proposed format to file an annual external audit and annual comprehensive evaluation of the services provided to the low income elderly to the division of aging for consideration of potential statewide implementation.

208.315. The division of aging may continue or expand such programs within appropriations.