By: Lucio S.B. No. 1917     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.