S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10732
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 16, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. GUNTHER, M. L. MILLER -- read once and referred
   to the Committee on Mental Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law and the social services  law,  in
   relation  to  housing  navigation services for those with intellectual
   and developmental disabilities
 
   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
 13.44 to read as follows:
 § 13.44 HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES.
   (A) THE OFFICE SHALL ESTABLISH AND PROVIDE HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES
 FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH  A  DEVELOPMENTAL  OR  INTELLECTUAL  DISABILITY  AS
 DEFINED  IN  SECTION  1.03 OF THE MENTAL HYGIENE LAW. HOUSING NAVIGATION
 SERVICES SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (1) COLLABORATING WITH INDIVIDUALS TO DEVELOP AN INDIVIDUALIZED  HOUS-
 ING  ACTION PLAN, THAT AT A MINIMUM, SHALL ASSIST INDIVIDUALS IN FINDING
 APPROPRIATE HOUSING THAT MEETS THEIR SPECIFIC HOUSING GOALS;
   (2) SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS THAT APPLY FOR STATE AND FEDERAL ASSISTANCE
 PROGRAMS;
   (3) COORDINATING AND ASSISTING HOUSING  TRANSITIONS  FOR  INDIVIDUALS,
 TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS; AND
   (4)  COLLABORATING  WITH INDIVIDUALS TO CRAFT A HOUSING SUSTAINABILITY
 PLAN TO ENSURE THAT SUCH INDIVIDUALS ARE ABLE  TO  SECURE  AND  MAINTAIN
 STABLE HOUSING, AND HAVE ACCESS TO AND ARE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE NECESSARY
 SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO ACHIEVE THEIR HOUSING GOALS.
   (B) (1) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A HOUSING NAVIGA-
 TION  CURRICULUM  STATEWIDE,  FOR THE PURPOSES OF TRAINING APPLICANTS IN
 DELIVERING HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION (A)  OF
 THIS  SECTION.  IN  DEVELOPING  AND  IMPLEMENTING  SUCH  CURRICULUM, THE
 COMMISSIONER MAY CONTRACT WITH AN ENTITY THAT HAS DEMONSTRATED APPROPRI-
 ATE KNOWLEDGE, EXPERTISE, AND EXPERIENCE IN HOUSING  NAVIGATOR  SERVICES
 AND TRAINING CURRICULUMS.
   (2)  THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE REGIONAL OFFICES UNDER
 HIS OR HER JURISDICTION SHALL PERFORM A STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT OF THE NEED
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15940-01-8

 A. 10732                            2
 
 FOR HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES, AND SHALL PROVIDE  ADDITIONAL  OUTREACH
 REGARDING  THE AVAILABILITY OF HOUSING NAVIGATION TRAINING IN REGIONS OF
 THE STATE WHERE THERE IS THE GREATEST DEMONSTRATED NEED.
   (C)  (1)  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL ESTABLISH A HOUSING NAVIGATION TASK
 FORCE TO PERFORM TASKS THAT WILL HELP TO ENSURE THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMEN-
 TATION OF THE HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES ESTABLISHED BY  THIS  SECTION.
 THE  TASKFORCE  SHALL  BE  CO-CHAIRED  BY THE COMMISSIONER OR HIS OR HER
 DESIGNEE, THE COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE  OF  TEMPORARY  AND  DISABILITY
 ASSISTANCE  OR  HIS  OR  HER  DESIGNEE, AND A REPRESENTATIVE OF NEW YORK
 STATE HOMES AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL. ENSURING ADEQUATE  GEOGRAPHIC  REPRE-
 SENTATION, AN ADDITIONAL TEN INDIVIDUALS SHALL BE SELECTED FOR THE TASK-
 FORCE. SUCH INDIVIDUALS SHALL HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELDS
 OF  AFFORDABLE  HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, BANKING, FINANCIAL PLANNING, AND IN
 DELIVERING HOUSING SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL OR INTEL-
 LECTUAL DISABILITIES AS A NON-PROFIT PROVIDER.   THE  MEMBERS  SHALL  BE
 SELECTED BY THE COMMISSIONER IN CONSULTATION WITH THE OTHER STATE AGENCY
 REPRESENTATIVES ON THE TASK FORCE.
   (2)  THE  TASK  FORCE SHALL MEET AS OFTEN AS IS NECESSARY, BUT NO LESS
 THAN THREE TIMES PER YEAR, AND UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES AS ARE APPROPRIATE TO
 FULFILLING ITS DUTIES AS REQUIRED UNDER THIS SECTION.
   (3) MEMBERS OF THE TASKFORCE SHALL SERVE WITHOUT COMPENSATION, BUT MAY
 BE REIMBURSED FOR ACTUAL COSTS INCURRED FOR PARTICIPATION ON SUCH  TASK-
 FORCE.
   (4) THE TASK FORCE SHALL:
   (I)  COORDINATE WITH THE COMMISSIONER AND THE REGIONAL OFFICES TO HELP
 ENSURE ACCESS TO HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES IN THE REGIONS OF THE STATE
 WITH THE GREATEST DEMONSTRATED NEED;
   (II) CREATE OR UTILIZE WRITTEN INFORMATION  THAT  MAY  BE  USED  AS  A
 RESOURCE FOR INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF HOUSING NAVIGATION RESOURCES
 AS  WELL  AS EDUCATING PARENTS, INDIVIDUALS, PROVIDER AGENCIES AND OTHER
 STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR NON-CERTIFIED  HOUSING  IN  ALL
 FIVE REGIONS OF THE OFFICE;
   (III)  PROVIDE  RECOMMENDATIONS  ON THE APPROPRIATENESS OF AND WAYS TO
 IMPLEMENT A HOUSING NAVIGATOR TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM USING THE  HOUS-
 ING NAVIGATOR TRAINING CURRICULUM;
   (IV)  ASSIST  IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH METHODS WHICH MEASURE THE
 CORRELATION BETWEEN THE HOUSING NAVIGATOR MODEL AND SOCIAL  DETERMINANTS
 OF HEALTH;
   (V)  EVALUATE HOUSING NAVIGATION AS A REIMBURSABLE SERVICE AND MEASUR-
 ING OUTCOMES BASED ON VALUE-BASED  PAYMENT  METHODOLOGIES  AND  ARRANGE-
 MENTS; AND
   (VI)  EXAMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF EXPANDING HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES
 TO OTHER SYSTEMS OF CARE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE  DELIVERY  OF  HOUSING
 SERVICES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO HIGH UTILIZATION MEDICAID SERVICE
 ENROLLEES WHO RESIDE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
   § 2. Section 366 of the social services law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 7-d to read as follows:
   7-D.  THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER
 OF THE OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES  IS  AUTHORIZED
 TO  SUBMIT  THE APPROPRIATE WAIVERS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THOSE
 AUTHORIZED PURSUANT TO SECTION ELEVEN HUNDRED  FIFTEEN  OF  THE  FEDERAL
 SOCIAL  SECURITY  ACT,  IN  ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE PURPOSE OF HIGH-QUALITY
 HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES PURSUANT TO  SECTION  13.44  OF  THE  MENTAL
 HYGIENE  LAW FOR A POPULATION OF PERSONS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL OR INTELLEC-
 TUAL DISABILITIES, AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED  IN  SECTION  1.03  OF  THE
 MENTAL HYGIENE LAW.

 A. 10732                            3
 
   §  3.  Subdivision  (b)  of  section 5.07 of the mental hygiene law is
 amended by adding a new paragraph 5 to read as follows:
   (5) THE COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISA-
 BILITIES  SHALL  INCLUDE  THE  FOLLOWING IN THE PORTION OF THE STATEWIDE
 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REQUIRED BY THIS SUBDIVISION FOR SERVICES PROVIDED TO
 PERSONS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL OR INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES: (I) INFORMATION
 RELATED TO PROGRESS IMPLEMENTING AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HOUSING  NAVI-
 GATION  SERVICES  AS DEFINED IN SECTION 13.44 OF THE MENTAL HYGIENE LAW,
 AND (II) ANY OTHER INFORMATION DEEMED APPROPRIATE BY SUCH COMMISSIONER.
   § 4. This act shall take effect April 1, 2019. Effective  immediately,
 the  addition,  amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
 sary for the implementation of  this  act  on  its  effective  date  are
 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.