He taught history and government at James Wilson Young High School in Bayport, New York, from 1955 through 1974, and he spent a year in Great Britain as a Fulbright-Hays Exchange Teacher.
As a result, an appropriation of over $26 million and other remedial legislation was enacted by the NYS Legislature to deal with this problem and the Community Support Services was established.
Harenberg received the Mental Health Advocate Award from the Long Island Council of the Federation of Parents Organizations.
Appointed Chairman of the NYS Assembly Committee on Aging in 1981, Paul Harenberg brought to the job a strong personal commitment to promote the independence and health of older New Yorkers.
Through these visits and hearings, and with the advice of its Advisory Council under Harenberg's leadership, the Committee on Aging developed and enacted significant legislation to improve the lives of older persons.
Other gains the Committee won for the older New Yorkers in 1984 included the statutory establishment of Enriched Housing programs and further funding increases for Community Services for the Elderly.
Harenberg was successful in securing enactment of spousal impoverishment legislation, allowing the community spouse of a nursing home resident to retain a considerable portion of the couple's joint income and assets.