S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1953
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 13, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. CRUZ -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Mental Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the mental  hygiene  law,  in  relation  to  the  autism
   detection and education program and mapping of autism locations
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivisions (d) and (e) of section  13.42  of  the  mental
 hygiene law, as added by chapter 469 of the laws of 2016, are amended to
 read as follows:
   (d) (1) THERE IS HEREBY CREATED WITHIN THE BOARD THE AUTISM DETECTION,
 EDUCATION  AND  MAPPING PROGRAM.  THIS PROGRAM IS ESTABLISHED TO PROMOTE
 SCREENING AND DETECTION OF  AUTISM,  TO  EDUCATE  THE  PUBLIC  REGARDING
 AUTISM, TO PROVIDE COUNSELING AND REFERRAL SERVICES AND TO MAP LOCATIONS
 OF OCCURRENCE OF AUTISM.
   (2) THE PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE THE:
   (I)  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  A  STATEWIDE  PUBLIC  EDUCATION  AND  OUTREACH
 CAMPAIGN TO PUBLICIZE AUTISM  DETECTION  AND  EDUCATION  SERVICES,  SUCH
 CAMPAIGN  SHALL  INCLUDE:  GENERAL COMMUNITY EDUCATION, AUTISM SCREENING
 SERVICES, INFORMATION ON THE EXTENT OF COVERAGE  FOR  SUCH  SERVICES  BY
 HEALTH  INSURANCE,  ANY  AVAILABLE  MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND OTHER
 PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROGRAMS.
   (II) PROVISION OF GRANTS TO APPROVED ORGANIZATIONS  UNDER  SUBDIVISION
 (E) OF THIS SECTION; AND
   (III)  COMPILATION  OF DATA CONCERNING THE AUTISM DETECTION, EDUCATION
 AND MAPPING PROGRAM INCLUDING MAPPING OF THE FREQUENCY OF THE OCCURRENCE
 OF AUTISM IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN THE STATE  AND  DISSEMINATION  OF  THE
 DATA TO THE PUBLIC.
   (E) (1) THE BOARD SHALL MAKE GRANTS WITHIN THE AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED TO
 APPROVED ORGANIZATIONS, AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH TWO OF THIS SUBDIVISION,
 FOR  THE  PROVISION  OF SERVICES RELATING TO AUTISM SCREENING, DETECTION
 AND MAPPING AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM. SUCH SERVICES SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT
 BE LIMITED TO THE:
   (I) PROMOTION AND PROVISION OF DETECTION OF AUTISM;
 
              

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06173-01-1

 A. 1953                             2
 
   (II) PROVISION OF COUNSELING AND INFORMATION ON TREATMENT OPTIONS  AND
 REFERRAL FOR APPROPRIATE MEDICAL TREATMENT;
   (III) DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND TO HEALTH
 CARE  PROFESSIONALS  CONCERNING  AUTISM,  THE  BENEFITS OF DETECTION AND
 TREATMENT, AND THE AVAILABILITY OF AUTISM SERVICES;
   (IV) IDENTIFICATION OF LOCAL  AUTISM  SCREENING  SERVICES  WITHIN  THE
 APPROVED ORGANIZATION'S REGION;
   (V)  PROVISION  OF  INFORMATION,  COUNSELING  AND REFERRAL SERVICES TO
 INDIVIDUALS DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM; AND
   (VI) MAPPING OF THE FREQUENCY OF THE OCCURRENCE OF AUTISM  IN  VARIOUS
 LOCATIONS OF THE STATE.
   (2)  FOR  THE  PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "APPROVED ORGANIZATION" SHALL
 MEAN AN ORGANIZATION APPROVED BY THE BOARD, TO  PROVIDE  SERVICES  UNDER
 THIS  SUBDIVISION.  SUCH ORGANIZATIONS SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED
 TO, THE FOLLOWING:
   (I) A HOSPITAL LICENSED  UNDER  ARTICLE  TWENTY-EIGHT  OF  THE  PUBLIC
 HEALTH LAW;
   (II)  A  HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION LICENSED UNDER ARTICLE FORTY-
 THREE OF THE INSURANCE LAW OR CERTIFIED UNDER ARTICLE FORTY-FOUR OF  THE
 PUBLIC HEALTH LAW;
   (III) AN ORGANIZATION WITH PROGRAM EXPERTISE IN AUTISM RELATED ISSUES;
   (IV) A COUNTY OR CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT; OR
   (V) ANY COMBINATION OF THE ABOVE.
   (3)  THE BOARD SHALL DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
 AUTISM DETECTION, EDUCATION AND MAPPING PROGRAMS BY  APPROVED  ORGANIZA-
 TIONS WHICH SHALL ENSURE THE FOLLOWING:
   (I) INTEGRATION OF THE APPROVED ORGANIZATION WITH EXISTING HEALTH CARE
 PROVIDERS;
   (II) MAXIMIZING THIRD PARTY REIMBURSEMENT; AND
   (III)  PROVIDING  DATA  COLLECTION  FOR  MAPPING  OF THE OCCURRENCE OF
 AUTISM IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS OF THE STATE.
   (F) Such board shall meet at least quarterly. Special meetings may  be
 called  by  the  chair.  The  agenda and meeting place of all regular or
 special meetings shall be made available to the  public  in  advance  of
 such meetings.
   [(e)]  (G)  The  advisory  board  shall submit a written report to the
 governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker  of  the
 assembly  by no later than October first of the year next succeeding the
 effective date of this section and annually  thereafter,  setting  forth
 the  recommendations and activities of the council on matters within the
 scope of its duties as set forth in this  section.  SUCH  ANNUAL  REPORT
 SHALL  ALSO  INCLUDE  INFORMATION CONCERNING THE OPERATION OF THE AUTISM
 DETECTION, EDUCATION AND MAPPING PROGRAM,  AND  THE  EXPERIENCE  OF  THE
 PROGRAM  IN  PROVIDING DETECTION, EDUCATION AND MAPPING OF THE FREQUENCY
 OF THE OCCURRENCE OF AUTISM  IN  VARIOUS  LOCATIONS  AROUND  THE  STATE.
 APPROVED  ORGANIZATIONS  SHALL  PROVIDE  SUCH DATA AND ASSESSMENT AS THE
 BOARD MAY REQUIRE FOR SUCH REPORT. SUCH REPORT SHALL  ALSO  INCLUDE  ANY
 RECOMMENDATIONS  FOR  ADDITIONAL ACTION TO RESPOND TO THE HIGH INCIDENCE
 OF AUTISM IN THIS STATE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal  of  any  rule  or regulation necessary for the implementation of
 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made  and  completed
 on or before such effective date.