S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3856
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 8, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. GUNTHER, SANTABARBARA, ZEBROWSKI -- read once and
   referred to the Committee on Mental Health
 
 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.
   (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-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04879-01-3
 A. 3856                             2
              

 
 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.
   § 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
 A. 3856                             3
 
 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, 2025. 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.