§ 7. Information on status of veterans receiving assistance.
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, including but not limited to the office of addiction
services and supports, office of mental health, office of probation and
correctional alternatives, office of children and family services,
office of temporary and disability assistance, department of health,
department of labor, local workforce investment boards, office for
people with developmental disabilities, and department of corrections
and community supervision, shall request assisted persons to provide
information with regard to their veteran status and military
experiences. Individuals identifying themselves as veterans, including
individuals requesting and obtaining a veteran notation on such
individual's driver's license or non-driver identification card pursuant
to sections four hundred ninety and five hundred two of the vehicle and
traffic law, shall be advised that the department of veterans' services
and local veterans' service agencies established pursuant to section
fourteen of this article provide assistance to veterans regarding
benefits under federal and state law. Information regarding veterans
status and military service provided by assisted persons solely to
implement this section shall be protected as personal confidential
information under article six-A of the public officers law against
disclosure of confidential material, and used only to assist in the
diagnosis, treatment, assessment and handling of the veteran's problems
within the agency requesting such information and in referring the
veteran to the department of veterans' services for information and
assistance with regard to benefits and entitlements under federal and
state law.