S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3790
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 31, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. ORTIZ, SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to
   the Committee on Mental Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to  directing  local
   government units providing services to individuals with mental illness
   or  developmental  disabilities  to  create  a  single point of access
   system

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1.  Subdivision (a) of section 41.13 of the mental hygiene law
 is amended by adding a new paragraph 17 to read as follows:
   17.  CREATE,  DIRECT  AND EXERCISE SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY OVER A SINGLE
 POINT  OF  ACCESS  SYSTEM  TO  FACILITATE  ENTRY  TO  CARE  COORDINATION
 SERVICES,  RESIDENTIAL  PLACEMENT,  REHABILITATIVE  SERVICES,  AND OTHER
 SERVICES FOR HIGH NEED ADULTS AND CHILDREN. THE SINGLE POINT  OF  ACCESS
 SYSTEM  MAY  BE  OPERATED  EITHER INDIVIDUALLY BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL
 UNIT OR COLLECTIVELY IN COOPERATION WITH ONE OR MORE OTHER LOCAL GOVERN-
 MENTAL UNITS. SEPARATE SINGLE POINT OF ACCESS SYSTEMS MAY BE ESTABLISHED
 IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF A TARGETED POPULATION BASED ON CRITERIA
 INCLUDING, BUT NOT  LIMITED  TO,  AGE,  DISABILITY,  VETERAN  STATUS  OR
 SPECIFIC SERVICE NEED SUCH AS HOUSING OR CARE COORDINATION. SINGLE POINT
 OF ACCESS SYSTEMS SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO:
   (I)  RECEIVE  REFERRALS  OF  ALL  PERSONS  WITH A MENTAL DISABILITY AS
 DEFINED IN SECTION 1.03 OF THIS CHAPTER WHO ARE  IDENTIFIED  AS  A  HIGH
 NEED PERSON BY THE COMMISSIONER;
   (II)  RECEIVE  REFERRALS  REGARDLESS OF AGE, ABILITY TO PAY, OR HEALTH
 INSURANCE STATUS;
   (III) REQUIRE THE COOPERATION OF PROVIDERS OF CARE COORDINATION, HOUS-
 ING, HEALTH CARE, AND MANAGED CARE OPERATING WITHIN THE JURISDICTION  OF
 THE  LOCAL  GOVERNMENTAL UNIT TO DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF CARE
 AND SERVICE DELIVERY FOR DESIGNATED HIGH NEED PERSONS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD08124-01-9