By: Lucio, et al. S.B. No. 1917
 
  (Meza)
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a public outreach campaign for aging adults with visual
  impairments.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 531.0319 to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.0319.  OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS FOR AGING ADULTS WITH
  VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS. (a)  The commission, in collaboration with the
  Texas State Library and Archives Commission and other appropriate
  state agencies, shall conduct public awareness and education
  outreach campaigns designed to provide information relating to the
  programs and resources available to aging adults who are blind or
  visually impaired in this state.  The campaigns must be:
               (1)  tailored to targeted populations, including:
                     (A)  aging adults with or at risk of blindness or
  visual impairment and the families and caregivers of those adults;
                     (B)  health care providers, including home and
  community-based services providers, health care facilities, and
  emergency medical services providers;
                     (C)  community and faith-based organizations; and
                     (D)  the general public; and
               (2)  disseminated through methods appropriate for each
  targeted population, including by:
                     (A)  attending health fairs; and
                     (B)  working with organizations or groups that
  serve aging adults, including community clinics, libraries,
  support groups for aging adults, veterans organizations,
  for-profit providers of vision services, and the state and local
  chapters of the National Federation of the Blind.
         (b)  To support campaigns conducted under this section, the
  commission shall:
               (1)  establish a toll-free telephone number for
  providing counseling and referrals to appropriate services for
  aging adults who are blind or visually impaired;
               (2)  post on the commission's Internet website
  information and training resources for aging adults, community
  stakeholders, and health care and other service providers that
  generally serve aging adults, including:
                     (A)  links to Internet websites that contain
  resources for persons who are blind or visually impaired;
                     (B)  existing videos that provide awareness of
  blindness and visual impairments among aging adults and the
  importance of early intervention;
                     (C)  best practices for referring aging adults at
  risk of blindness or visual impairment for appropriate services;
  and
                     (D)  training about resources available for aging
  adults who are blind or visually impaired for the staff of aging and
  disability resource centers established under the Aging and
  Disability Resource Center initiative funded in part by the federal
  Administration on Aging and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
  Services;
               (3)  designate a contact in the commission to assist
  aging adults who are diagnosed with a visual impairment and are
  losing vision and the families of those adults with locating and
  obtaining appropriate services; and
               (4)  encourage awareness of the reading services for
  persons who are blind or visually impaired that are offered by the
  Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
         (c)  The executive commissioner may adopt rules necessary to
  implement this section.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.