§ 11. Use of personal confidential information obtained from veterans
or family members of veterans receiving services from the state and
political subdivisions thereof. 1. Departments, divisions, bureaus,
boards, commissions and agencies of the state and political subdivisions
thereof, which provide assistance, treatment, counseling, care,
supervision or custody in service areas involving health, mental health,
family services, criminal justice or employment shall be required to
solicit information on whether their customer or client is a veteran as
defined in section eighty-five of the civil service law or family member
of a veteran. Any new forms created after the effective date of this
section shall contain the following questions: "Have you served in the
United States military?" "Has someone in your family served in the
United States military?"

2. Individuals identifying themselves as having served in the military
or a family member shall be advised that the department of veterans'
services and local veterans service agencies established pursuant to
section seventeen of this article provide assistance to veterans
regarding benefits under federal and state law. Information regarding
veterans and military status provided by assisted persons solely to
implement this section shall be protected as personal confidential
material, and used only to assist in the diagnosis, treatment,
assessment and handling of the veteran's or family member's problems
within the agency requesting such information and in referring the
veteran or family member to the department of veterans' services for the
information and assistance with regard to benefits and entitlements
under federal and state law.