Relates to additional state payment assistance; provides that where there is no agreement in effect for federal administration of additional state payments the commissioner of the office of temporary and disability assistance is responsible for providing assistance to applicants for or recipients of such payments as it relates to applying for, modifying or maintaining such benefits.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2468
SPONSOR: Hevesi TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to additional state
payment assistance
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To amend the social services law, in relation to requiring the Office of
Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) to provide outreach and
assistance to applicants for or recipients of additional state supple-
ment payment (SSP) assistance.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends social service law by adding a new section 213, which
would require OTDA to contract with one or more not-for-profit providers
to provide outreach services to SSP applicants and recipients as it
relates to applying for, modifying, or maintaining benefits. The not-
for-profit provider would be required to provide a report annually to
the Governor and the legislature on their findings related to the
outreach they've performed.
Section 2 provides an effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
SSP provides additional state-funded financial assistance to aged, blind
and disabled individuals and is part of the monthly benefit paid to most
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients. In October 2014, OTDA
assumed administrative responsibility of SSP from the Social Security
Administration (SSA). When SSA also administered SSP as part of the SSI
application and payment process, individuals had the benefit of being
able to access SSA's supports, including being able to receive in-person
help at SSA offices throughout the state. These additional support
services were no longer available after OTDA assumed administrative
responsibility. This legislation would require OTDA to contract with
not-for profit agencies having relevant experience, with the purpose of
providing the outreach services previously provided by SSA.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-2022: A.2594;
2019-2020: A.7803
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2468
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 26, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. HEVESI -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to additional state
payment assistance
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section
2 213 to read as follows:
3 § 213. Additional state payment assistance. 1. If there is no agree-
4 ment in effect for federal administration of additional state payments
5 pursuant to section two hundred eleven of this title, the commissioner
6 of the office of temporary and disability assistance shall be responsi-
7 ble for providing assistance to applicants for or recipients of such
8 payments as it relates to applying for, modifying or maintaining such
9 benefits in order to ensure maximum participation by eligible individ-
10 uals. The commissioner shall contract with one or more not-for-profit
11 providers that have relevant experience with serving individuals with
12 disabilities and, availability and accessibility to this particular
13 population for the purpose of providing such assistance in accordance
14 with this section.
15 2. Such assistance shall include, but not be limited to: (a) assisting
16 with meeting eligibility requirements including gathering documentation
17 which may be necessary to determine eligibility or the appropriate level
18 of benefits; (b) explaining relevant documentation as it relates to an
19 individual's benefit to help ensure individuals understand their bene-
20 fits and are receiving the appropriate level of benefits; (c) assisting
21 individuals to access the fair hearing process by securing any necessary
22 documentation and providing referrals for legal advocacy; (d) providing
23 the option of in person assistance and when necessary, providing such
24 assistance at the individual's residence or other appropriate locations,
25 such as a hospital; and (e) identifying eligible individuals who are not
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05010-01-3
A. 2468 2
1 receiving such benefits and conducting outreach to provide them with
2 information and assistance as described in paragraphs (a) through (d) of
3 this subdivision to secure and maintain such benefits and identifying
4 systemic barriers encountered by individuals with disabilities applying
5 for and maintaining such benefits. Such not-for-profit provider shall
6 report on such findings on an annual basis to the governor, the tempo-
7 rary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, and the
8 chairs of the assembly and senate standing committee on social services,
9 with the initial report to be provided on January first, two thousand
10 twenty-four.
11 3. To the extent necessary and appropriate to facilitate and effectu-
12 ate the requirements of this title, such not-for-profit provider shall
13 coordinate and cooperate with the federal social security administration
14 as it pertains to individuals for which they are providing services as
15 required by this section.
16 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
