NY State Senate Bill 2023-S9358

Senate Bill S9358

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Requires the New York state office for the prevention of domestic violence to establish trauma-informed standards for domestic violence abuse intervention programs

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Social Services 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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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 13, 2024	referred to social services

2023-S9358 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Social Services
Law Section:: Executive Law
Laws Affected:: Add §577, Exec L

2023-S9358 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires the New York state office for the prevention of domestic violence to establish trauma-informed standards for domestic violence abuse intervention programs; establishes requirements for such standards.

2023-S9358 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9358

SPONSOR: SALAZAR
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the executive law, in relation to requiring the New York
state office for the prevention of domestic violence to establish trau-
ma-informed standards for domestic violence abuse intervention programs

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of this bill is to ensure that domestic violence abuse
intervention programs in New York adhere to trauma-informed standards,
meaning a framework that involves understanding, recognizing, and
responding to all types of trauma in order to effectively work towards
survivor safety and well-being.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 - This Act shall be known as the "trauma-informed standards
for domestic violence abuse intervention program act".

Section 2 - Amends the executive law by adding a new section 577, which
provides, as follows:

577 (1) states the purpose is to establish a state-wide framework for
domestic violence abuse intervention programs that is rooted in trauma-
informed care principles, to enhance the safety, support, and recovery
of survivors while also promoting accountability and therapeutic engage-
ment for people who cause harm

577 (2) defines "trauma-informed care." and "domestic violence abuse
prevention programs.

577 (3) requires that all domestic violence abuse intervention programs
in the state adhere to trauma-informed standards: a) all staff and
administrators are trained in trauma-informed care, b) all participants
are assessed to identify trauma-related issues so intervention strate-
gies can be properly tailored to the individual, c) survivor safety and
empowerment, d) accountability and engagement for those who cause harm,
e) community collaboration and support for participants and survivors,
and f) ongoing evaluation and feedback to make continuous improvements
in the program.

577 (4) provides that the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence
will oversee the implementation of these trauma-informed standards and
shall establish a certification process for programs based on adherence
to the trauma-informed standards.

577 (5) requires the state to appropriate sufficient funds to meet the
standards set forth in this law.

Section 3 establishes an effective date of one year from enactment.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The intent of this bill is to recognize that effective intervention to
end abusive or battering conduct in an intimate relationship, and to
provide for safety and support for survivors, requires attention to the
many levels of trauma that may be present in such situations, including
prior trauma experienced by individuals who cause harm.  This is not to
excuse or justify any abusive or harmful conduct, but to look for mean-
ingful and effective intervention frameworks. This bill will mandate
that all certified DV abuse intervention programs will adhere to and be
based in a trauma-informed framework.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Not known. This bill does require appropriation of funds, but enactment
will also save money as the improvement of domestic violence abuse
intervention programs will result in a decrease in instances of domestic
or intimate partner violence, which will cause a decrease in state and
local law enforcement, medical, mental health, child welfare, incarcera-
tion, and other costly expenses.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
One year after it shall become law.

2023-S9358 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9358
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 13, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SALAZAR -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to requiring the New York
   state office for the prevention  of  domestic  violence  to  establish
   trauma-informed  standards  for  domestic  violence abuse intervention
   programs

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "trauma-in-
 formed standards for domestic violence abuse intervention programs act".
   §  2. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 577 to read
 as follows:
   § 577. TRAUMA-INFORMED STANDARDS FOR DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE  ABUSE  INTER-
 VENTION  PROGRAMS.  1. PURPOSE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION IS TO ESTAB-
 LISH A STATEWIDE FRAMEWORK  FOR  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE  ABUSE  INTERVENTION
 PROGRAMS  THAT  IS  ROOTED IN TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE PRINCIPLES, ENHANCING
 THE SAFETY, SUPPORT, AND RECOVERY OF SURVIVORS WHILE PROMOTING  ACCOUNT-
 ABILITY AND THERAPEUTIC ENGAGEMENT FOR PEOPLE WHO CAUSE HARM.
   2. DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
   (A) "TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE" MEANS A FRAMEWORK THAT INVOLVES UNDERSTAND-
 ING,  RECOGNIZING, AND RESPONDING TO THE EFFECTS OF ALL TYPES OF TRAUMA,
 EMPHASIZING PHYSICAL,  PSYCHOLOGICAL,  AND  EMOTIONAL  SAFETY  FOR  BOTH
 PROVIDERS  AND  SURVIVORS,  AND  HELPING  REBUILD A SENSE OF CONTROL AND
 EMPOWERMENT.
   (B) "DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ABUSE INTERVENTION PROGRAM" MEANS  ANY  PROGRAM
 OR  SERVICE  DESIGNED  TO ADDRESS AND MITIGATE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH
 EDUCATION, THERAPY, AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT  FOR  THE  PERSON  WHO  CAUSES
 HARM, WITH A PRIMARY FOCUS ON SURVIVOR SAFETY AND WELL-BEING.
   3. TRAUMA-INFORMED STANDARDS. ALL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ABUSE INTERVENTION
 PROGRAMS  OPERATING WITHIN THE STATE SHALL ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING TRAU-
 MA-INFORMED STANDARDS:
   (A) COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING WHICH SHALL  REQUIRE  THAT  ALL  STAFF  AND
 ADMINISTRATORS ARE TRAINED IN TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE PRACTICES;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15258-01-4

 S. 9358                             2
 
   (B)  PARTICIPANT  ASSESSMENT  WHICH  SHALL REQUIRE CONDUCTING THOROUGH
 ASSESSMENTS  OF  PARTICIPANTS  TO  IDENTIFY  TRAUMA-RELATED  ISSUES  AND
 TAILORING INTERVENTION STRATEGIES ACCORDINGLY;
   (C) SURVIVOR SAFETY AND EMPOWERMENT WHICH SHALL PRIORITIZE THE SAFETY,
 CONFIDENTIALITY, AND AUTONOMY OF SURVIVORS IN ALL PROGRAM ACTIVITIES AND
 DECISIONS;
   (D)  ACCOUNTABILITY  AND  ENGAGEMENT  WHICH SHALL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO
 CAUSE HARM'S ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THEIR  ACTIONS  AND  ENGAGEMENT  IN  THE
 HEALING  PROCESS,  RECOGNIZING THE IMPACT OF THEIR BEHAVIOR ON SURVIVORS
 AND THE COMMUNITY;
   (E) COLLABORATION AND COMMUNITY LINKAGES WHICH  SHALL  FOSTER  COLLAB-
 ORATION  WITH  LOCAL  AGENCIES,  COMMUNITY  ORGANIZATIONS,  AND  SUPPORT
 SERVICES TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT FOR  PARTICIPANTS  AND  SURVI-
 VORS; AND
   (F)  EVALUATION  AND FEEDBACK WHICH SHALL IMPLEMENT ONGOING EVALUATION
 MECHANISMS TO ASSESS PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS, INCORPORATING FEEDBACK  FROM
 PARTICIPANTS, SURVIVORS, AND STAFF TO MAKE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS.
   4. IMPLEMENTATION.  (A) THE OFFICE SHALL OVERSEE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
 THESE  TRAUMA-INFORMED  STANDARDS AND SHALL PROVIDE GUIDANCE, RESOURCES,
 AND MONITORING TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE.
   (B) THE OFFICE SHALL ESTABLISH A CERTIFICATION  PROCESS  FOR  DOMESTIC
 VIOLENCE  ABUSE INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, BASED ON ADHERENCE TO THE TRAUMA-
 INFORMED STANDARDS OUTLINED IN THIS SECTION.
   5. FUNDING. THE STATE SHALL APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE TRAINING,
 IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION OF THE TRAUMA-INFORMED DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE
 ABUSE  INTERVENTION  PROGRAMS  ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT  TO THIS SECTION IN
 ORDER TO ENSURE THAT ADEQUATE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO MEET THE STAND-
 ARDS SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION.
   § 3. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become  a
 law.

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