§ 837-f-1. Missing vulnerable adults clearinghouse. There is hereby established within the division a missing vulnerable adults clearinghouse to provide a comprehensive and coordinated approach to the problem of missing vulnerable adults.

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1. For purposes of this section:

(a) "Vulnerable adult" shall mean an individual eighteen years of age or older who has a cognitive impairment, mental disability, or brain disorder and whose disappearance has been determined by law enforcement to pose a creditable threat of harm to such missing individual.

(b) "Missing vulnerable adult alert" shall mean a method to disseminate information regarding a missing vulnerable adult to the general public in a manner consistent with paragraph (n) of subdivision two of this section.

2. The commissioner shall be authorized to:

(a) plan and implement programs to ensure the most effective use of federal, state, and local resources in the investigation of missing vulnerable adults;

(b) disseminate a directory of resources to assist in locating missing vulnerable adults;

(c) cooperate with the department of health, office of mental health, office for people with developmental disabilities, office for the aging, and other public and private organizations to develop education and prevention programs concerning the safety of vulnerable adults;

(d) assist federal, state, and local agencies in the investigation of cases involving missing vulnerable adults;

(e) utilize available resources to duplicate photographs and posters of vulnerable adults reported as missing by police and disseminate this information throughout the state;

(f) provide assistance in returning missing vulnerable adults who are located out of state;

(g) develop a curriculum for the training of law enforcement personnel investigating cases involving missing vulnerable adults, including recognition and management of vulnerable adults;

(h) operate a toll-free twenty-four hour hotline for the public to use to relay information concerning missing vulnerable adults;

(i) establish a case database that shall include non-identifying information on reported missing vulnerable adults and facts developed in the phases of a search; and analyze such data for the purposes of assisting law enforcement in their current investigations of missing vulnerable adults, developing prevention programs and increasing understanding of the nature and extent of the problem;

(j) prescribe general guidelines to enable state agencies to assist in the location and recovery of missing vulnerable adults. The guidelines shall provide information relating to:

(i) the form and manner in which materials and information pertaining to missing vulnerable adults, including, but not limited to, biographical data and pictures, sketches, or other likenesses, may be included in stationary, newsletters, and other written or electronic printings, provided such guidelines are consistent with paragraph (n) of this subdivision;

(ii) appropriate sources from which such materials and information may be obtained;

(iii) the procedures by which such materials and information may be obtained; and

(iv) any other matter the clearinghouse may deem important;

(k) maintain and make available to appropriate state and local law enforcement agencies information concerning technological advances that may assist in facilitating the recovery of missing vulnerable adults;

(l) take such other steps as necessary to assist in education, prevention, service provision, and investigation of cases involving missing vulnerable adults;

(m) (i) In consultation with the division of state police and other appropriate agencies, develop, regularly update, and distribute model missing vulnerable adult prompt response and notification plans. Such plans shall be available for use by local communities and law enforcement personnel, and shall involve a proactive, coordinated response that may be promptly triggered by law enforcement personnel upon confirmation by a police officer, peace officer, or police agency of a report of a missing vulnerable adult, as defined in subdivision one of this section.

(ii) Such plans shall, at a minimum, provide that: (A) the name of the missing vulnerable adult, a description of the missing individual, and other pertinent information may be promptly dispatched over the police communication system pursuant to subdivision three of section two hundred twenty-one of this chapter; (B) such information may be immediately provided, in a manner consistent with paragraph (n) of this subdivision, both (1) orally, electronically, or by facsimile transmission to one or more radio stations and other broadcast media outlets serving the community including, but not limited to, those who have voluntarily agreed in advance to promptly notify other such radio stations and broadcast media outlets in like manner and (2) by electronic mail message to one or more internet service providers and commercial mobile service providers serving the community including, but not limited to, those which have voluntarily agreed in advance to promptly notify other such internet service providers in like manner; (C) participating radio stations and other participating broadcast media outlets serving the community may voluntarily agree to promptly broadcast a missing vulnerable adult alert providing pertinent details concerning the missing vulnerable adult's disappearance, breaking into regular programming where appropriate; (D) participating internet service providers and commercial mobile service providers serving the community may voluntarily agree to promptly provide by electronic mail message a missing vulnerable adult alert providing pertinent details concerning the missing vulnerable adult's disappearance; (E) police agencies not connected with the basic police communication system in use in such jurisdiction may transmit such information to the nearest or most convenient electronic entry point, from which point it may be promptly dispatched in conformity with the orders, rules, or regulations governing the system; (F) a statewide response may be initiated as soon as the division deems it is necessary to find the missing vulnerable adult. Such a plan may not require the issuance of an alert if the investigating police department, in its discretion, advises that the release of such information may jeopardize the investigation or the safety of the missing vulnerable adult or the investigating police department requests forbearance for any reason.

(iii) The commissioner shall also designate a unit within the division that shall assist law enforcement agencies and representatives of radio stations, broadcast media outlets, internet service providers, and commercial mobile service providers in the design, implementation, and improvement of missing vulnerable adult response and notification plans. Such unit shall make ongoing outreach efforts to local government entities and local law enforcement agencies to assist such entities and agencies in the implementation and operation of such plans with the goal of implementing and operating such plans in every jurisdiction in New York state.

(n) disseminate specific medical information about a missing vulnerable adult to the extent that such medical information indicates a physical quality or behavioral trait that is readily apparent and contributes to a physical or behavioral description of the missing vulnerable adult, provided that more extensive information relating to the missing vulnerable adult's medical diagnosis and condition may be provided to law enforcement personnel as needed.

3. The commissioner shall submit an annual report to the governor and legislature regarding the activities of the missing vulnerable adults clearinghouse, including statistical information involving reported cases of missing vulnerable adults and a summary of the division's efforts with respect to the activities authorized under subdivision two of this section.