S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8690
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 10, 2022
                                ___________
 
 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; and
   to amend a chapter of the laws of 2021 amending the mental hygiene law
   relating to the autism detection and education program and mapping  of
   autism locations, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 2911 and
   A. 1953, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivisions (d), (e), (f) and (g) of section 13.42 of  the
 mental hygiene law, as amended by a chapter of the laws of 2021 amending
 the  mental  hygiene  law relating to the autism detection and education
 program and mapping of autism  locations,  as  proposed  in  legislative
 bills numbers S. 2911 and A. 1953, 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] THE BOARD
 SHALL MEET QUARTERLY to [promote] DISCUSS  screening  and  detection  of
 autism,  HOW  to  [educate]  PROMOTE  EDUCATION  OF the public regarding
 autism, to [provide] PROMOTE counseling and  referral  services  and  to
 [map] DISCUSS AND REPORT ON PREVIOUSLY MAPPED locations of occurrence of
 autism  AS  PROVIDED FOR IN THE RECENT AUTISM MAPPING STUDY COMPLETED BY
 THE STATE AND CITY UNIVERSITIES OF NEW YORK AND PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL
 OF NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS, ENTITLED "EXPLORATORY SPATIAL  ANALYSIS
 OF AUTISM RATES IN NEW YORK SCHOOL DISTRICTS".
   [(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

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

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   (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;
   (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.
   [(g)] (F) 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] DISCUSSION OF SCREENING AND DETECTION OF
 AUTISM, HOW TO PROMOTE EDUCATION OF  THE  PUBLIC  REGARDING  AUTISM,  TO
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 PROMOTE  COUNSELING  AND  REFERRAL  SERVICES,  AND TO DISCUSS PREVIOUSLY
 MAPPED LOCATIONS OF THE OCCURRENCE OF AUTISM in various locations around
 the state[.  Approved organizations shall provide such data and  assess-
 ment as the board may require for such report] AS DETAILED IN THE RECENT
 AUTISM MAPPING STUDY COMPLETED BY THE STATE AND CITY UNIVERSITIES OF NEW
 YORK,  AND  PUBLISHED  IN  THE  JOURNAL OF NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS,
 ENTITLED "EXPLORATORY SPATIAL ANALYSIS  OF  AUTISM  RATES  IN  NEW  YORK
 SCHOOL  DISTRICTS". Such report shall [also] include any recommendations
 for additional action to respond to the high incidence of autism in this
 state.
   § 2. Section 2 of a chapter of the laws of 2021  amending  the  mental
 hygiene  law  relating to the autism detection and education program and
 mapping of autism locations, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S.
 2911 and A. 1953, is amended to read as follows:
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have  become  a  law AND SHALL EXPIRE AND BE DEEMED REPEALED ON DECEMBER
 31, 2022. 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.
   §  3.  This  act  shall  take  effect on the same date and in the same
 manner as a chapter of the laws of 2021 amending the mental hygiene  law
 relating  to  the  autism detection and education program and mapping of
 autism locations, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S.  2911  and
 A. 1953, takes effect.