1. The department of health and senior services, in collaboration with other state agencies, shall devise and implement a competent, thorough and ongoing public education program aimed at at-risk elderly persons. The purpose of this public education program is to identify regularly and inform fully elderly citizens of the existence, eligibility criteria, means of access and location of existing federal and state elderly service programs that would serve to alleviate personal situations that would otherwise lead to hunger and deterioration of health. Such programs would include, but are not limited to, the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Program, the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Medical Assistance Spenddown Program, the availability of local food pantries, the availability of caseworkers to take application in the home for elderly service programs, and any other program that might become available to assist elderly persons in the future.

2. This public education program shall devise action steps with preference toward personal as opposed to mass media contacts. Among the methods to be used may be:

(1) Offering grants to local nonprofit service agencies to carry out public education programs;

(2) Producing brochures in easy-to-read language and formats using enlarged lettering;

(3) Holding information sessions at senior nutrition sites and with senior service agencies, such as the area agencies on aging, and with other agencies or service providers who serve the elderly;

(4) Organizing volunteer gatekeeper programs in communities with a high percentage of vulnerable elderly persons;

(5) Applying for a statewide Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) Program to assist the state in organizing volunteer public education efforts.