NY State Senate Bill 2021-S6305

Senate Bill S6305

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Requires the office for people with developmental disabilities to develop and maintain a community residence opportunities waitlist

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Disabilities Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to disabilities
Apr 21, 2021	referred to disabilities

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2021-S6305 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Disabilities
Law Section:: Mental Hygiene Law
Laws Affected:: Add §16.15, Ment Hyg L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S3142

2021-S6305 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires the office for people with developmental disabilities to develop and maintain a community residence opportunities waitlist which include the names and contact information of all individuals seeking placement in a community residence.

2021-S6305 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S6305

SPONSOR: MANNION
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to requiring the
office for people with developmental disabilities to develop and main-
tain a community residence opportunities waitlist

 
PURPOSE:

To require OPWDD to develop and maintain a community residential oppor-
tunity waitlist (CROW) and a CROW placement report identifying all indi-
viduals eligible for obtaining a certified residential opportunity in
the OPWDD certified setting.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: adds a new section 16.15 to the mental hygiene law providing
statutory authority for OPWDD do develop and maintain a community resi-
dence opportunities waitlist (CROW) and a CROW placement report, proce-

dures for providers of residential services to offer eligible individ-
uals a placement in a supervised living facility and provide due process
appeal rights to individuals seeking enrollment on the CROW.

Section 2: Provides a transition of individuals currently on a OPWDD
developed Certified Residential Opportunity Process list to the new
statutorily created CROW.

Section 3: Effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In 2015 OPWDD brought together a group of stakeholders to examine ques-
tions fundamental to the service system regulated and operated by the
OPWDD. Between February and December of 2015, the panel met extensively
to delve into questions surrounding residential services, care coordi-
nation, employment-related transportation, the workforce and self-direc-
tion. The Transformation Panel recommendations were released by OPWDD in
a report to the Legislature in February of 2016 titled Raising Expecta-
tions, Changing Lives. At the same time, OPWDD released a report to the
Legislature on its Residential Request List.  At that time, OPWDD indi-
cated:

OPWDD "as it seeks to evolve its housing strategies to better respond to
demand and changing models of support that can be more tailored to the
individual, has heard concerns from many individuals and families who
fear that they will be unable to access residential supports when they
are needed or plan a future for their loved one."

To assist in meeting residential service needs and to further its hous-
ing planning process, OPWDD surveyed the more than 11,000 individuals on
the Residential Request List (RRL). The RRL, formally known as NY CARES
(Creating Alternatives in Residential Environments and Services) was
launched in 1998 and served for many years as the primary initiative
creating certified residential opportunities in the OPWDD system. While
OPWDD indicated over time the development on which OPWDD based the
development of certified residential opportunities changed as OPWDD's
commitment grew to support people in more individualized and person-
controlled settings, 62% of the respondents surveyed indicated they
would prefer a residential setting where services and supports are
provided by an agency and 33% sought to own or rent a home where needed
supports and services would be available. 48% of family caregivers
reported that their family member on the RRL need help with almost all
basic activities and 46% of family caregivers reported being over the
age of 60. At the time, OPWDD also indicated the available supply of
residential opportunities, consisting of vacancies in existing capacity,
and opportunities created through the development of new capacity would
meet the priority one demand (now identified as "Emergency Need").
Recognizing the need to address new resources to assist in meeting the
needs of individuals living at home with family caregivers, $10 million
in new funding was then proposed in the FY 2017 Executive budget dedi-
cated for the development of residential opportunities for people with
priority two (now Substantial Need) and priority three (now Current
Need) status.

In its February 2016 report to the Legislature, OPWDD also reported that
in May of 2015, the agency had implemented the Certified Residential
Opportunity (CRO) protocol to provide direction and create consistency
in the management of certified housing opportunities. OPWDD indicated:

"The CRO process is one tool used to assess overall need for certified
residential services and inform the need for new residential service
capacity in the system. The CRO protocol is designed to ensure timely
response to urgent needs; to understand and address the unique needs of
each individual; and to apply consistent, statewide standards that allow
equal opportunity."

According to OPWDD, the CRO protocol reinforces the principles of indi-
vidual choice and the importance of helping individuals seek opportu-
nities to live in the community in the least restrictive environment.
The CRO protocol uses a system of priority level determinations based on
individual circumstances as determined by the OPWDD Front Door process.

In 2016, OPWDD indicated nearly 41,000 individuals received housing
supports, with approximately 38,000 individuals receiving services in
certified group residences and another 2,800 receiving rental subsidies.

In January of 2017, OPWDD provided an update to the Legislature on the
progress of the Transformation Panel's recommendations, indicating that
it anticipated, in the next three years (FY 2018 - FY2020) "approximate-
ly 4,900 individuals living at home may require a certified residential
opportunity and 1,400 individuals living at home may require a more
independent supportive housing opportunity.  OPWDD told the Legislature,
"OPWDD intends to meet these residential supports through a mixture of
existing and newly developed opportunities accessed based upon a
person-centered process." OPWDD indicated the FY2018 Executive Budget
would support approximately 2,100 individuals requiring certified and
non-residential opportunities. OPWDD also indicated it would continue to
provide the Legislature with quarterly updates on the progress of the
Transformation Panel's recommendations.

Unfortunately, it appears the promise of changed lives and raised expec-
tations, especially in relation to an evolving housing strategy as envi-
sioned by OPWDD in the winter of 2017 has been dashed. The CRO protocol
as implemented by OPWDD has not operated as it was intended when it was
created in 2015. Funding and housing opportunities for priority two and
priority three individuals have not materialized as the CRO protocol
prevents residential opportunities to be offered in a timely, person-
centered process to individuals living at home with aging caregivers,
who are not in "Emergency Need" for a housing opportunity. The current
CRO protocol, combined with recently announced reductions in certified
residential provider rates are reducing residential opportunities within
the OPWDD service system.  Recently, in response to questions raised at
the FY2022 Executive budget hearing, OPWDD indicated it currently
supports "approximately 35,000 certified residential opportunities", a
3,000 bed reduction in certified residential opportunities compared to
2016. At the same time, OPWDD indicates nearly 5300 individuals are
currently seeking a certified residential opportunity, far in excess of
the current system vacancies that can be filled.

OPWDD has ignored the Transformation Panel recommendations to develop a
Five Year Plan for meeting the housing needs of those living in or seek-
ing residential services; has failed to update the Residential Request
List to assist in long-term planning; has failed to evaluate the priori-
tization of access to residential services to ensure that those now at
home are treated fairly by reviewing the prioritization criteria which
drive the allocation of residential services; has failed to ensure that
individuals living at home and those living in institutional settings
have access to residential services based upon need. For over 4 years,
OPWDD has failed to provide promised updates to the Legislature on the
progress of the Transformation Panel's recommendations.

The legislation is necessary in order to reform the CRO process in ways
that comport with the needs of individuals and their families, partic-
ularly those whose housing needs are not being currently meet because
OPWDD has ignored the policy recommendations of the Transformation Panel
and to provide appropriate Legislative structure and oversight for the
delivery of residential supports in the OPWDD service delivery system.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be Determined.

 
LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
April 1, 2022

2021-S6305 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6305
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 21, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. MANNION -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Disabilities
 
 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in  relation  to  requiring  the
   office for people with developmental disabilities to develop and main-
   tain a community residence opportunities waitlist

   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
 16.15 to read as follows:
 § 16.15 COMMUNITY RESIDENCE OPPORTUNITIES WAITLIST AND PLACEMENT REPORT.
   (A) THE OFFICE SHALL DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN A COMMUNITY RESIDENCE OPPOR-
 TUNITIES  WAITLIST,  HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS THE CROW, WHICH INCLUDES
 THE NAMES AND CONTACT INFORMATION OF ALL INDIVIDUALS  SEEKING  PLACEMENT
 IN  A  COMMUNITY  RESIDENCE  AS  DEFINED  IN SUBDIVISION TWENTY-EIGHT OF
 SECTION 1.03 OF THIS CHAPTER, WHO HAVE BEEN DETERMINED BY THE OFFICE  TO
 REQUIRE  A  LEVEL  OF  SUPERVISION PROVIDED IN A COMMUNITY RESIDENCE AND
 HAVE BEEN ENROLLED OR ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE ENROLLED IN THE HOME AND COMMU-
 NITY-BASED SERVICES WAIVER FOR PERSONS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL  DISABILITIES.
 ENROLLMENT  IN  THE  CROW SHALL BE WITHOUT REGARD TO THE NATURE, TYPE OR
 URGENCY OF NEED OF THE INDIVIDUAL SEEKING ENROLLMENT IN THE CROW. A CROW
 PLACEMENT  REPORT  CONTAINING  INFORMATION  ABOUT  INDIVIDUALS  WHO  ARE
 ACTIVELY  LOOKING FOR HOUSING AND WHO HAVE BEEN DETERMINED BY THE OFFICE
 TO BE IN NEED OF CERTIFIED RESIDENTIAL OPPORTUNITY SHALL BE  DISTRIBUTED
 AT LEAST MONTHLY AND UPON REQUEST TO PROVIDERS OF SERVICES AS DEFINED IN
 SUBDIVISION FIVE OF SECTION 1.03 OF THIS CHAPTER.
   (B)  A  PROVIDER  OF SERVICES THAT HAS VACANCIES IN ONE OR MORE OF ITS
 SUPERVISED LIVING FACILITIES AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION TWENTY-EIGHT-A OF
 SECTION 1.03 OF THIS CHAPTER MAY REVIEW THE INDIVIDUALS  LISTED  IN  THE
 CROW PLACEMENT REPORT TO IDENTIFY AN INDIVIDUAL WHICH THE PROVIDER DEEMS
 APPROPRIATE FOR PLACEMENT IN THE VACANCY IN ITS SUPERVISED LIVING FACIL-
 ITY.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD09848-01-1

 S. 6305                             2
 
   (C)  IF  A  PROVIDER  IDENTIFIES  AN  INDIVIDUAL ON THE CROW PLACEMENT
 REPORT WHO THE PROVIDER, FOLLOWING A PERSON-CENTERED  PLANNING  PROCESS,
 DEEMS  APPROPRIATE FOR PLACEMENT IN ONE OF ITS SUPERVISED LIVING FACILI-
 TIES, THE PROVIDER MAY ACCEPT SUCH PERSON FOR PLACEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY
 RESIDENCE  FACILITY  AND  SHALL  NOTIFY  THE  OFFICE  IN WRITING OF SUCH
 ACCEPTANCE.  SUCH INDIVIDUAL SHALL BE DEEMED ACCEPTED  AND  ENROLLED  IN
 SUCH  PROGRAM  FOR  ALL PURPOSES INCLUDING ELIGIBILITY FOR REIMBURSEMENT
 FOR THE PROVISION OF RESIDENTIAL HABILITATION  SERVICES  UNDER  THE  NEW
 YORK  STATE  MEDICAID  PROGRAM,  INCLUDING  UNDER THE HOME AND COMMUNITY
 BASED SERVICES WAIVER PROGRAM PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (C) OF SECTION  ONE
 THOUSAND  NINE  HUNDRED  FIFTEEN  OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND
 ELIGIBILITY FOR PAYMENT OR REIMBURSEMENT OF ALL OTHER  FUNDING  PROVIDED
 FOR OPERATION OF A COMMUNITY RESIDENCE.
   (D)  (1)  IF  THE OFFICE RECEIVES AN APPLICATION FOR ENROLLMENT IN THE
 CROW, THE OFFICE SHALL ACT ON SUCH APPLICATION  WITHIN  THIRTY  DAYS  OF
 RECEIPT.  IF AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS APPLIED FOR ENROLLMENT IN THE CROW IS
 DENIED ENROLLMENT, SUCH INDIVIDUAL MAY APPEAL SUCH DENIAL TO THE COMMIS-
 SIONER WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF RECEIPT OF NOTIFICATION OF SUCH DENIAL.
   (2) UPON RECEIPT OF SUCH APPEAL, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PERSONALLY  OR
 BY  WAY  OF  A  HEARING OFFICER CONDUCT A HEARING WITHIN FIFTEEN DAYS OF
 SUCH A REQUEST AND RENDER A DECISION BY THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE CONCLUSION
 OF SUCH HEARING. A REVIEW OF THE DECISION  RENDERED  BY  A  COMMISSIONER
 PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SECTION BY THE INDIVIDUAL MAY BE HAD IN A PROCEEDING
 PURSUANT TO ARTICLE SEVENTY-EIGHT OF THE CIVIL PRACTICE  LAW  AND  RULES
 COMMENCED WITHIN FOUR MONTHS OF THE DETERMINATION OF THE COMMISSIONER.
   §  2. As of the effective date of this act, any individual who is then
 listed on any community or certified residential opportunity waitlist or
 the equivalent maintained by the office shall be deemed automatically to
 be placed on the CROW without any further action or application  by  the
 individual and without any review or approval by the office.
   § 3. This act shall take effect April 1, 2022.

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Senate Bill S6305

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Sponsored By

John W. Mannion