Bill Text: NY A02945 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Amended


Bill Title: Establishes a peer support program for veterans.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-19 - print number 2945a [A02945 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A02945-Amended.html



                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                         2945--A

                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    January 28, 2019
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by M. of A. ORTIZ, BARRETT, CRESPO, DenDEKKER, OTIS, MALLIO-
          TAKIS, MORINELLO, HEVESI, CUSICK -- read  once  and  referred  to  the
          Committee  on  Veterans'  Affairs  --  recommitted to the Committee on
          Veterans' Affairs in accordance  with  Assembly  Rule  3,  sec.  2  --
          committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
          recommitted to said committee

        AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation  to  establishing  a
          peer support program for veterans

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a  new  section
     2  7.42 to read as follows:
     3  § 7.42 Peer support program for veterans.
     4    (a)  For  the purpose of this section the term "peer support services"
     5  shall mean any service designated by the office used  in  the  treatment
     6  and  recovery  of mental illness, alcohol abuse, substance abuse, and/or
     7  chemical dependence that is delivered by a certified peer counselor or a
     8  veteran recognized pursuant to the provisions of this section;  and  the
     9  term  "certified  or  recognized  veteran  peer counselor" shall mean an
    10  individual who has served in the active military or naval service of the
    11  United States and has been released from such service otherwise than  by
    12  dishonorable  discharge  as documented by his or her discharge papers or
    13  who has been furloughed to the reserve components of the armed forces of
    14  the United States who has training, credentials or experience recognized
    15  by the office.
    16    (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to  the  contrary,  the
    17  commissioner, in conjunction with the commissioner of addiction services
    18  and  supports,  and  the  state  director  of  the division of veterans'
    19  affairs shall develop  and  establish  regional  or  county  based  peer
    20  support  services  programs for women veterans. Services provided by the
    21  recognized or certified woman  veteran  peer  support  services  program

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD07139-02-0

        A. 2945--A                          2

     1  shall  include,  but  not  be limited to, peer counseling techniques for
     2  mental illness including post-traumatic  stress  disorder,  alcohol  and
     3  substance  abuse counseling, family support services, domestic violence,
     4  mental health, child care, physical health and legal issues.
     5    (c)  The  commissioner,  in  conjunction  with the commissioner of the
     6  office of addiction services and supports and the state director of  the
     7  division of veterans' affairs shall foster programs for the training and
     8  development  of  persons  capable of providing the services set forth in
     9  this section, including, but not  limited  to,  a  process  of  issuing,
    10  either  directly  or  through  contract,  credentials  for recognized or
    11  certified veteran peer counselors in accordance with the following:
    12    1. The office shall establish minimum qualifications for recognized or
    13  certified veteran peer counselors in all phases of delivery of  services
    14  to  veterans who are evaluated and certified or recognized by the office
    15  on factors including, but not be  limited  to,  completion  of  approved
    16  courses  of  study  or equivalent on-the-job experience in mental health
    17  counseling and/or alcoholism and substance  abuse  counseling  or  other
    18  credentials established or recognized by the office; and
    19    2.  The  office  shall  establish  procedures for issuing, directly or
    20  through contract, credentials to  certified  peer  counselors  who  meet
    21  minimum  qualifications,  and  shall  further  establish  procedures  to
    22  suspend, revoke, or annul such credentials for good cause.
    23    § 2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become  a
    24  law.  Effective immediately the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any
    25  rule  or  regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its
    26  effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such
    27  date.
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