S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  4469--A
     Cal. No. 539
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 5, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  MANNION,  GAUGHRAN,  HARCKHAM  --  read twice and
   ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on
   Disabilities  --  recommitted  to  the  Committee  on  Disabilities in
   accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- reported favorably from  said
   committee,  ordered  to  first  and  second report, ordered to a third
   reading, passed by Senate and delivered  to  the  Assembly,  recalled,
   vote  reconsidered,  restored  to  third  reading, amended and ordered
   reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading
 
 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 THIS CHAPTER. 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.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD02469-03-2
 S. 4469--A                          2
 
   (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
 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  TASK  FORCE  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, THE COMMISSIONER FOR THE OFFICE OF
 MENTAL HEALTH OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE, THE COMMISSIONER FOR THE OFFICE OF
 ADDICTION SERVICES AND SUPPORTS OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE, AND A  REPRESEN-
 TATIVE  OF NEW YORK STATE HOMES AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL. ENSURING ADEQUATE
 GEOGRAPHIC  REPRESENTATION,  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 INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES AS A NON-PROFIT  PROVID-
 ER.    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 TASK FORCE 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.
 S. 4469--A                          3
 
   § 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.
   §  3.  Subdivision  (b)  of  section 5.07 of the mental hygiene law is
 amended by adding a new paragraph 6 to read as follows:
   (6) 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 THIS  CHAPTER,  AND  (II)
 ANY OTHER INFORMATION DEEMED APPROPRIATE BY SUCH COMMISSIONER.
   §  4. This act shall take effect April 1, 2023. 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.