S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4013
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 31, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. PARKER, GALLIVAN, MARTINEZ, SEPULVEDA -- read twice
   and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee
   on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs
 
 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation  to  establishing  a
   peer support program for veterans

   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
 7.42 to read as follows:
 § 7.42 PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR VETERANS.
   (A)  FOR  THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION THE TERM "PEER SUPPORT SERVICES"
 SHALL MEAN ANY SERVICE DESIGNATED BY THE OFFICE USED  IN  THE  TREATMENT
 AND  RECOVERY  OF MENTAL ILLNESS, ALCOHOL ABUSE, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND/OR
 CHEMICAL DEPENDENCE THAT IS DELIVERED BY A CERTIFIED PEER COUNSELOR OR A
 VETERAN RECOGNIZED PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION;  AND  THE
 TERM  "CERTIFIED  OR  RECOGNIZED  VETERAN  PEER COUNSELOR" SHALL MEAN AN
 INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS SERVED IN THE ACTIVE MILITARY OR NAVAL SERVICE OF THE
 UNITED STATES AND HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM SUCH SERVICE OTHERWISE THAN  BY
 DISHONORABLE  DISCHARGE  AS  DOCUMENTED  BY  SUCH INDIVIDUAL'S DISCHARGE
 PAPERS OR WHO HAS BEEN FURLOUGHED TO THE RESERVE COMPONENTS OF THE ARMED
 FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES WHO HAS TRAINING, CREDENTIALS OR  EXPERIENCE
 RECOGNIZED BY THE OFFICE.
   (B)  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THE
 COMMISSIONER, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF ADDICTION SERVICES
 AND SUPPORTS, AND THE STATE COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF  VETERANS'
 SERVICES  SHALL  DEVELOP  AND  ESTABLISH  REGIONAL  OR COUNTY BASED PEER
 SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAMS FOR WOMEN VETERANS. SERVICES PROVIDED  BY  THE
 RECOGNIZED  OR  CERTIFIED  WOMAN  VETERAN  PEER SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM
 SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO,  PEER  COUNSELING  TECHNIQUES  FOR
 MENTAL  ILLNESS  INCLUDING  POST-TRAUMATIC  STRESS DISORDER, ALCOHOL AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07558-01-5
 S. 4013                             2
              

 
 SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING, FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES, DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE,
 MENTAL HEALTH, CHILD CARE, PHYSICAL HEALTH AND LEGAL ISSUES.
   (C)  THE  COMMISSIONER,  IN  CONJUNCTION  WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF THE
 OFFICE OF ADDICTION SERVICES AND SUPPORTS AND THE STATE COMMISSIONER  OF
 THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  VETERANS'  SERVICES  SHALL  FOSTER PROGRAMS FOR THE
 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONS CAPABLE OF  PROVIDING  THE  SERVICES
 SET  FORTH  IN THIS SECTION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A PROCESS OF
 ISSUING, EITHER DIRECTLY OR THROUGH CONTRACT, CREDENTIALS FOR RECOGNIZED
 OR CERTIFIED VETERAN PEER COUNSELORS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING:
   1. THE OFFICE SHALL ESTABLISH MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR RECOGNIZED OR
 CERTIFIED VETERAN PEER COUNSELORS IN ALL PHASES OF DELIVERY OF  SERVICES
 TO  VETERANS WHO ARE EVALUATED AND CERTIFIED OR RECOGNIZED BY THE OFFICE
 ON FACTORS INCLUDING, BUT NOT BE  LIMITED  TO,  COMPLETION  OF  APPROVED
 COURSES  OF  STUDY  OR EQUIVALENT ON-THE-JOB EXPERIENCE IN MENTAL HEALTH
 COUNSELING AND/OR ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE  ABUSE  COUNSELING  OR  OTHER
 CREDENTIALS ESTABLISHED OR RECOGNIZED BY THE OFFICE; AND
   2.  THE  OFFICE  SHALL  ESTABLISH  PROCEDURES FOR ISSUING, DIRECTLY OR
 THROUGH CONTRACT, CREDENTIALS TO  CERTIFIED  PEER  COUNSELORS  WHO  MEET
 MINIMUM  QUALIFICATIONS,  AND  SHALL  FURTHER  ESTABLISH  PROCEDURES  TO
 SUSPEND, REVOKE, OR ANNUL SUCH CREDENTIALS FOR GOOD CAUSE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become  a
 law.  Effective immediately the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any
 rule  or  regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its
 effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such
 date.