BILL NUMBER: S4704

SPONSOR: SALAZAR
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the social services law, in relation
to mental health training for intake workers at homeless shelters

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill will establish a training course for homeless shelter profes-
sionals that will provide employees with leading practices for identify-
ing signs of mental illness so that they can connect incoming recipients
with appropriate services.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Amends Section 17 of the Social Service law by adding a subdivision E-1.
(E-1) in conjunction with the commissioner of the office for mental
health, develop and require participation of all employees or volunteers
at a homeless shelter who provide intake services in a training course.
Such course shall focus on best practices for identifying individuals
with signs of mental illness and for connecting individuals who suffer,
              

or are reasonably likely to suffer from mental illness with all appro-
priate services. Such training shall be conducted live and in person so
that the trainer can interact with the trainees.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Between 2007 and 2015, homelessness nationwide decreased by 11 percent.
Yet it increased in New York by 41 percent; making it the largest
increase of any state from 62,601 to 88,250 individuals. Between 2014
and 2015 alone, New York State's homelessness population jumped by
7,7660- again the largest increase in the nation for the one-year peri-
od. This dramatic increase of 7,660 accounted for nearly 33 percent of
New York State's total homeless population growth in the eight-year
period since 2007. Roughly 98 percent (7,513) of 7,660 new homeless live
in New York City, accounting for an 11 percent rise in New York City's
total homeless population.

Research indicates that one of the primary reasons for homelessness
among single adults is mental illness and substance abuse. In a study
from 2004, hospitalization results indicated that about two-thirds of
the hospitalization among 48,045 homeless people were due to mental
health problems. Per the Coalition for the Homeless, 70% of homeless
adults have mental health issues and serious health problems and tend to
be disproportionally evicted from shelters. Once evicted, these individ-
uals are not further evaluated for mental or physical impairments, even
if those impairments are related to the eviction cause, such as non-com-
pliance.

An increase access to mental health services, including psychiatric
consultations and preventative health care will lead to a reduction in
hospitalizations, allow for emergency intervention through case manage-
ment professionals, increase the possibility for obtaining needed
psychiatric treatment which secures the safety of other shelter users,
and will lead to an overall reduction in shelter re-entry population,
reducing homeless figures.

Those wide ranges of social and psychiatric services are only available
to those who are place in supportive permanent housing, which restricts
the individual's ability to build long-term stable housing solutions.
Because of this, this bill is crucial for establishing an intake process
that will connect homeless from the beginning with appropriate services.
This bill intends to standardize the training process for shelter intake
professionals that will meditate the issue relating to inappropriate
staff response or handling of individuals with psychiatric disabilities.
It will also further instruct individuals on how to properly identify
the symptoms relating to psychiatric condition, which will greatly
improve the client's ability to receive the needed treatment, reduce the
longevity of shelter use, and more accurately vet those individuals to
connect them with proper services in a more efficient manner.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.