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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a public outreach campaign for aging adults with visual |
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impairments. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 531.0319 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 531.0319. OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS FOR AGING ADULTS WITH |
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VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS. (a) The commission, in collaboration with the |
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Texas State Library and Archives Commission and other appropriate |
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state agencies, shall conduct public awareness and education |
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outreach campaigns designed to provide information relating to the |
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programs and resources available to aging adults who are blind or |
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visually impaired in this state. The campaigns must be: |
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(1) tailored to targeted populations, including: |
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(A) aging adults with or at risk of blindness or |
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visual impairment and the families and caregivers of those adults; |
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(B) health care providers, including home and |
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community-based services providers, health care facilities, and |
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emergency medical services providers; |
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(C) community and faith-based organizations; and |
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(D) the general public; and |
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(2) disseminated through methods appropriate for each |
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targeted population, including by: |
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(A) attending health fairs; and |
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(B) working with organizations or groups that |
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serve aging adults, including community clinics, libraries, |
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support groups for aging adults, veterans organizations, |
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for-profit providers of vision services, and the state and local |
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chapters of the National Federation of the Blind. |
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(b) To support campaigns conducted under this section, the |
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commission shall: |
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(1) establish a toll-free telephone number for |
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providing counseling and referrals to appropriate services for |
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aging adults who are blind or visually impaired; |
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(2) post on the commission's Internet website |
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information and training resources for aging adults, community |
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stakeholders, and health care and other service providers that |
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generally serve aging adults, including: |
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(A) links to Internet websites that contain |
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resources for persons who are blind or visually impaired; |
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(B) existing videos that provide awareness of |
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blindness and visual impairments among aging adults and the |
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importance of early intervention; |
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(C) best practices for referring aging adults at |
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risk of blindness or visual impairment for appropriate services; |
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and |
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(D) training about resources available for aging |
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adults who are blind or visually impaired for the staff of aging and |
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disability resource centers established under the Aging and |
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Disability Resource Center initiative funded in part by the federal |
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Administration on Aging and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid |
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Services; |
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(3) designate a contact in the commission to assist |
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aging adults who are diagnosed with a visual impairment and are |
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losing vision and the families of those adults with locating and |
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obtaining appropriate services; and |
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(4) encourage awareness of the reading services for |
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persons who are blind or visually impaired that are offered by the |
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Texas State Library and Archives Commission. |
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(c) The executive commissioner may adopt rules necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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