STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3253
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 27, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. EACHUS -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Health
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to persons with
serious mental illness residing in adult homes
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
2 461-v to read as follows:
3 § 461-v. Persons with serious mental illness residing in an adult
4 home. 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law or regulation to the
5 contrary, the commissioner shall not limit the census of persons with
6 serious mental illness residing in an adult home as defined in section
7 two of this chapter, provided that the adult home meets the following
8 requirements:
9 (a) it is organized as a not-for-profit corporation;
10 (b) it is operated by an organization that also operates a continuum
11 of housing and residential services, including supportive housing and
12 independent housing;
13 (c) it assesses each adult home resident on a periodic basis to ensure
14 that the resident is living in the most integrated setting appropriate
15 to the resident's needs; and
16 (d) it actively addresses the needs of the adult home residents with
17 serious mental illness by:
18 i. fostering the development of independent living skills;
19 ii. ensuring access to and quality of mental health services;
20 iii. encouraging community involvement and integration; and
21 iv. fostering a homelike atmosphere.
22 2. For purposes of this section "persons with serious mental illness"
23 means individuals who meet criteria established by the commissioner of
24 mental health, which shall be persons who have a designated diagnosis of
25 mental illness under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06615-01-5
A. 3253 2
1 Disorders (DSM-IV-TR, American Psychiatric Association, July 2000), and
2 whose severity and duration of mental illness results in substantial
3 functional disability.
4 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
