[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 45, Volume 4]
[Revised as of October 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 45CFR2551.23]

[Page 751-752]
 
                        TITLE 45--PUBLIC WELFARE
 
       CHAPTER XXV--CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
 
PART 2551_SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM--Table of Contents
 
         Subpart B_Eligibility and Responsibilities of a Sponsor
 
Sec.  2551.23  What are a sponsor's program responsibilities?

    A sponsor shall:
    (a) Focus Senior Companion resources on critical problems affecting 
the frail elderly and other adults with special needs within the 
project's service area.
    (b) Assess in collaboration with other community organizations or 
utilize existing assessment of the needs of the client population in the 
community and develop strategies to respond to those needs using the 
resources of Senior Companions.
    (c) Develop and manage a system of volunteer stations by:
    (1) Ensuring that a volunteer station is a public or non-profit 
private organization, whether secular or faith-based, or an eligible 
proprietary health care agency, capable of serving as a volunteer 
station for the placement of Senior Companions;
    (2) Ensuring that the placement of Senior Companions is governed by 
a Memorandum of Understanding:
    (i) That is negotiated prior to placement;
    (ii) That specifies the mutual responsibilities of the station and 
sponsor;
    (iii) That is renegotiated at least every three years; and
    (iv) That states the station assures it will not discriminate 
against volunteers or in the operation of its program on the basis of 
race; color; national origin, including individuals with limited English 
proficiency; sex; age; political affiliation; religion; or on the basis 
of disability, if the participant or member is a qualified individual 
with a disability; and
    (3) Reviewing volunteer placements regularly to ensure that clients 
are eligible to be served.

[[Page 752]]

    (d) Develop service opportunities that consider the skills and 
experiences of the Senior Companion.
    (e) Consider the demographic make-up of the project service area in 
the enrollment of Senior Companions, taking special efforts to recruit 
eligible individuals from minority groups, persons with disabilities, 
and under-represented groups.
    (f) Provide Senior Companions with assignments that show direct and 
demonstrable benefits to the adults and the community served, the Senior 
Companions, and the volunteer station; with required cost reimbursements 
specified in Sec.  2551.45; with not less than 40 hours of orientation 
of which 20 hours must be pre-service, and an average of 4 hours of 
monthly in-service training.
    (g) Encourage the most efficient and effective use of Senior 
Companions by coordinating project services and activities with related 
national, state and local programs, including other Corporation 
programs.
    (h) Conduct an annual appraisal of volunteers' performance and 
annual review of their income eligibility.
    (i) Develop, and annually update, a plan for promoting senior 
service within the project's service area.
    (j) Annually assess the accomplishments and impact of the project on 
the identified needs and problems of the client population in the 
community.
    (k) Establish written service policies for Senior Companions that 
include but are not limited to annual and sick leave, holidays, service 
schedules, termination, appeal procedures, meal and transportation 
reimbursements.

[64 FR 14115, Mar. 24, 1999, as amended at 67 FR 60998, Sept. 27, 2002; 
69 FR 60095, Oct. 7, 2004]