Wisconsin Statutes 46.85 – Programs for older individuals
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Terms Used In Wisconsin Statutes 46.85
- Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
- Following: when used by way of reference to any statute section, means the section next following that in which the reference is made. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- Population: means that shown by the most recent regular or special federal census. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- Promulgate: when used in connection with a rule, as defined under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- Qualified: when applied to any person elected or appointed to office, means that such person has done those things which the person was by law required to do before entering upon the duties of the person's office. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- State: when applied to states of the United States, includes the District of Columbia, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the several territories organized by Congress. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- Week: means 7 consecutive days. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
(1) The department may establish and operate a Senior Companion Program modeled after the federal Senior Companion Program under 42 U.S. Code § 5011 (b), in effect on April 30, 1980. If operated, the program shall engage the services of low-income persons aged 60 or over to provide supportive person-to-person assistance in health, education, recreation, welfare and related fields to persons aged 60 or over with special needs who reside in their own homes, and it may engage other persons aged 60 or older, regardless of income, as volunteers in similar activities. The department may also establish and operate a Retired Senior Volunteer Program modeled after the federal Retired Senior Volunteer Program under 42 U.S. Code § 5001, in effect on April 30, 1980, to provide voluntary services in a community. If operated, the program shall engage persons aged 55 or older as volunteers.
(2) If the department establishes a program under this section, it shall promulgate rules for the operation of the program. Such rules shall include:
(a) A definition of “low income” which shall at least equal the guidelines of the federal ACTION program.
(b) A requirement that program units provide accident and liability insurance coverage during working hours for all program participants, including volunteers.
(c) A requirement that program units receiving federal funds establish advisory councils empowered according to, but not limited by, applicable federal guidelines. Council members may be reimbursed for transportation and other expenses incurred in service to the program.
(3m)
(a) From the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (dh), the department shall provide a state supplement to federally funded Senior Companion Program and Retired Senior Volunteer Program units that were in operation on December 1, 1988, and administered by qualified public and non-profit private agencies.
(b) From the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (dh), the department shall allocate funds, based on the percentage of the state’s population of low-income persons over age 60 who reside in each county or are members of an American Indian tribe, and distribute the funds to counties and federally recognized tribal governing bodies to supplement any of the following:
1. Federally and nonfederally funded senior companion and retired senior volunteer programs.
2. Federal projects providing supportive services under 42 U.S. Code § 3030d, congregate nutrition services under 42 U.S. Code § 3030e, home-delivered meals under 42 U.S. Code § 3030f and 3030g, in-home services for frail older individuals under 42 U.S. Code § 3030h, 3030i, 3030j and 3030k and preventive health services under 42 U.S. Code § 3030m, 3030n and 3030o.
(4) Low income older persons employed in a senior companion program shall be paid a stipend which compensates them for no more than 20 hours per week at an hourly rate not to exceed the federal minimum wage, and in addition shall receive reimbursement for the cost of one meal per working day.
(5) All persons engaged in a program under this section, whether for compensation or as volunteers, are eligible for:
(a) Transportation assistance, not to exceed mileage payments for 20 miles per day.
(b) Accident and liability insurance coverage during working hours.