Bill Text: NY S05146 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishes a peer support program for veterans.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS [S05146 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S05146-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          5146

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                    February 23, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sens.  PARKER,  GALLIVAN,  SEPULVEDA  --  read twice and
          ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on
          Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs

        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 commissioner of the department of  veterans'
    19  services  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
    22  shall include, but not be limited to,  peer  counseling  techniques  for
    23  mental  illness  including  post-traumatic  stress disorder, alcohol and

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD05733-01-3
        S. 5146                             2

     1  substance abuse counseling, family support services, domestic  violence,
     2  mental health, child care, physical health and legal issues.
     3    (c)  The  commissioner,  in  conjunction  with the commissioner of the
     4  office of addiction services and supports and the state commissioner  of
     5  the  department  of  veterans'  services  shall  foster programs for the
     6  training and development of persons capable of  providing  the  services
     7  set  forth  in this section, including, but not limited to, a process of
     8  issuing, either directly or through contract, credentials for recognized
     9  or certified veteran peer counselors in accordance with the following:
    10    1. The office shall establish minimum qualifications for recognized or
    11  certified veteran peer counselors in all phases of delivery of  services
    12  to  veterans who are evaluated and certified or recognized by the office
    13  on factors including, but not be  limited  to,  completion  of  approved
    14  courses  of  study  or equivalent on-the-job experience in mental health
    15  counseling and/or alcoholism and substance  abuse  counseling  or  other
    16  credentials established or recognized by the office; and
    17    2.  The  office  shall  establish  procedures for issuing, directly or
    18  through contract, credentials to  certified  peer  counselors  who  meet
    19  minimum  qualifications,  and  shall  further  establish  procedures  to
    20  suspend, revoke, or annul such credentials for good cause.
    21    § 2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become  a
    22  law; provided however, that if section 2 of part PP of chapter 56 of the
    23  laws  of  2022  shall  not have taken effect on or before such date then
    24  this act shall take effect on the same date and in the  same  manner  as
    25  such  section  of  such  part  of such chapter of the laws of 2022 takes
    26  effect. Effective immediately the addition, amendment and/or  repeal  of
    27  any  rule  or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on
    28  its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or  before
    29  such date.