S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  6114

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                             March 16, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  ORTIZ,  RUSSELL, BARRETT, SCHIMEL, CRESPO --
  Multi-Sponsored by -- M.  of A. HEVESI -- read once  and  referred  to
  the Committee on Veterans' 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:

  Section  1.  The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section
7.42 to read as follows:
S 7.42 PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR VETERANS.
  (A) FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION THE TERM "PEER  SUPPORT  SERVICES"
SHALL  MEAN  ANY  SERVICE DESIGNATED BY THE OFFICE USED IN THE TREATMENT
AND RECOVERY OF MENTAL ILLNESS, ALCOHOL ABUSE, SUBSTANCE  ABUSE,  AND/OR
CHEMICAL DEPENDENCE THAT IS DELIVERED BY A CERTIFIED PEER COUNSELOR; AND
THE  TERM  "CERTIFIED  PEER  COUNSELOR"  SHALL  MEAN  AN INDIVIDUAL WITH
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AS A MENTAL HEALTH RECIPIENT AND/OR AN INDIVIDUAL IN
RECOVERY FROM ALCOHOL ABUSE, SUBSTANCE ABUSE,  AND/OR  CHEMICAL  DEPEND-
ENCE,  WHO  HAS  SERVED  IN  THE ACTIVE MILITARY OR NAVAL SERVICE OF THE
UNITED STATES AND HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM SUCH SERVICE OTHERWISE THAN  BY
DISHONORABLE  DISCHARGE AND AS DOCUMENTED BY HIS OR HER DISCHARGE PAPERS
OR WHO HAS BEEN FURLOUGHED TO THE RESERVE COMPONENTS OF THE ARMED FORCES
OF THE UNITED STATES WHO HAS TRAINING, CREDENTIALS OR EXPERIENCE  RECOG-
NIZED BY THE OFFICE.
  (B)  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THE
COMMISSIONER, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE  COMMISSIONER  OF  ALCOHOLISM  AND
SUBSTANCE  ABUSE  SERVICES,  AND  THE  STATE DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF
VETERANS' AFFAIRS SHALL DEVELOP AND ESTABLISH A MINIMUM OF TWO  REGIONAL
PEER  SUPPORT  SERVICES  PROGRAMS FOR VETERANS. SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE
PEER SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, PEER
COUNSELING FOR MENTAL ILLNESS INCLUDING POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS  DISORDER,
ALCOHOL  AND  SUBSTANCE  ABUSE  COUNSELING,  INFORMATION  ON  ACCESS  TO

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD03652-01-5
              

A. 6114                             2

SERVICES, FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES,  AND  WHERE  APPLICABLE,  SPECIALIZED
SERVICES FOR FEMALE VETERANS.
  (C)  THE  COMMISSIONER,  IN  CONJUNCTION  WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF THE
OFFICE OF ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES AND THE STATE DIRECTOR
OF THE DIVISION OF VETERANS'  AFFAIRS  SHALL  FOSTER  PROGRAMS  FOR  THE
TRAINING  AND  DEVELOPMENT  OF PERSONS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING THE SERVICES
SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A  PROCESS  OF
ISSUING,  EITHER DIRECTLY OR THROUGH CONTRACT, CREDENTIALS FOR CERTIFIED
PEER COUNSELORS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING:
  1. THE OFFICE SHALL ESTABLISH  MINIMUM  QUALIFICATIONS  FOR  CERTIFIED
PEER  COUNSELORS  IN  ALL PHASES OF DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO VETERANS WHO
ARE SUFFERING FROM ANY OR  A  COMBINATION  OF  THE  FOLLOWING:    MENTAL
ILLNESS, ALCOHOL ABUSE, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND/OR CHEMICAL DEPENDENCE THAT
SHALL  INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, COMPLETION OF APPROVED COURSES OF
STUDY OR EQUIVALENT ON-THE-JOB EXPERIENCE IN  MENTAL  HEALTH  COUNSELING
AND/OR ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING; AND
  2.  THE  OFFICE  SHALL  ESTABLISH  PROCEDURES FOR ISSUING, DIRECTLY OR
THROUGH CONTRACT, CREDENTIALS TO  CERTIFIED  PEER  COUNSELORS  WHO  MEET
MINIMUM  QUALIFICATIONS,  AND  SHALL  FURTHER  ESTABLISH  PROCEDURES  TO
SUSPEND, REVOKE, OR ANNUL SUCH CREDENTIALS FOR GOOD CAUSE.
  S 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth  day  after  it  shall
have  become  a  law; provided, however, that effective immediately, the
addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule  or  regulation  necessary
for  the  implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized
and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.