S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5569
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 14, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. SIMON, SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to
   the Committee on Mental Health
 
 AN ACT in relation to establishing a task force to study aging in  place
   in  mental  health  housing;  and  providing  for  the  repeal of such
   provisions upon expiration thereof

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  1. A task force shall be established within the office of
 mental health to be known as the mental health housing  evaluation  task
 force  for  aging in place (hereinafter referred to as the "task force")
 to make recommendations including, but not limited to, the following:
   (a) solutions for removing barriers to ensure residents of  community-
 based mental health housing programs can successfully age in place while
 receiving adequate care;
   (b)  identifying  policy, procedure, or regulatory changes that aim to
 remove barriers to residents of community-based  mental  health  housing
 programs  to  receive both mental health and medical care, including the
 ability to hire health care professionals, including but not limited  to
 nurses and/or health home aides;
   (c)  an  action plan for making residences Americans with Disabilities
 Act compliant;
   (d) necessary training for residential staff to understand  the  needs
 of the elderly for which they are providing care; and
   (e)  types  of  assistance  to consider when transporting residents to
 medical appointments and ensuring the proper follow-up occurs.
   2. The task force shall consist of  nine  members  as  follows:  three
 members  shall  be  appointed  by  the  governor;  two  members shall be
 appointed by the speaker of the assembly; two members shall be appointed
 by the temporary president of the senate; one member shall be  appointed
 by  the minority leader of the senate; and one member shall be appointed
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03572-01-5
 A. 5569                             2
              

 
 by the minority leader of the assembly. The task force members shall  be
 appointed within 60 days after this act shall have become a law.
   Members  so appointed shall consist of at least: one representative of
 a statewide organization or  advocacy  group  for  residents  of  mental
 health  housing  programs;  at  least  one health care professional with
 expertise in the needs of the elderly/aging residents  of  a  congregate
 care setting with significant medical issues; at least one mental health
 professional  with expertise in the needs of elderly mental health hous-
 ing residents with a severe and persistent mental illness; and at  least
 one  member  shall  be  a director of a mental health housing program. A
 chairperson shall be nominated by a majority vote from among the members
 of the task force.
   3. No member, officer or employee of the task force shall be disquali-
 fied from holding any other public office or employment, nor shall  they
 forfeit  any  such  office  or employment by reason of their appointment
 hereunder, notwithstanding the provisions of any  general,  special,  or
 local law, ordinance or city charter.
   4.  The  members  of  the task force shall receive no compensation for
 their services but shall be allowed their actual and necessary  expenses
 incurred  in  the  performance of their duties hereunder. The task force
 shall meet at least three times, or more if  deemed  necessary,  at  the
 call of the chairperson to fulfill its duties.
   5.  The  task force shall make a report of its findings, including any
 recommendations required pursuant to subdivision one of this section  as
 well  as  any legislative or budgetary initiatives as it may deem neces-
 sary and appropriate. Such report shall be provided to the governor  and
 the  legislature  no  later than twelve months after this act shall have
 become a law.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  and  be
 deemed repealed thirty days after the report required pursuant to subdi-
 vision  five of section one of this act has been presented to the legis-
 lature; provided, further, that the commissioner of mental health  shall
 notify  the  legislative bill drafting commission upon the submission of
 the report required by subdivision five of section one of  this  act  to
 the  legislature,  in order that the commission may maintain an accurate
 and timely effective data base of the official text of the laws  of  the
 state  of  New  York  in  furtherance  of effectuating the provisions of
 section 44 of the legislative law and section 70-b of the  public  offi-
 cers law.