Establishes a direct service professional credit and career ladder tuition assistance grant program to develop training programs and improve existing workforce development programs for the purpose of training direct support professionals and establishing a career ladder for individuals working with individuals with developmental disabilities.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6106
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 16, 2019
___________
Introduced by Sen. CARLUCCI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health and Develop-
mental Disabilities
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law and the education law, in
relation to establishing a direct service professional credit and
career ladder tuition assistance grant program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 13.23 of the mental hygiene law is amended by
2 adding a new subdivision (d) to read as follows:
3 (d) The commissioner shall work cooperatively with the state universi-
4 ty boards of trustees and the city university boards of trustees to
5 establish a grant program pursuant to section sixty-three hundred
6 three-b of the education law in order to develop training programs and
7 improve existing workforce development programs for the purpose of
8 training direct support professionals and establishing a career ladder
9 for individuals working with individuals with developmental disabili-
10 ties. Within funds appropriated for such purpose, the commissioner may
11 establish a direct service professional credit and career ladder tuition
12 assistance grant program.
13 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6303-b to
14 read as follows:
15 § 6303-b. Direct service professional credit and career ladder tuition
16 assistance grant program. 1. For purposes of this section, the following
17 terms shall have the following meanings:
18 (a) "Direct service professional credit program" shall mean the commu-
19 nity college programs established pursuant to a memorandum of under-
20 standing between the commissioner of the office for people with develop-
21 mental disabilities and the board of trustees of the state university
22 and the city university to develop training programs and a college
23 certificate program that links theory with practice for the purpose of
24 training direct support professionals employed by agencies who are fund-
25 ed by the office for people with developmental disabilities and provid-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11876-01-9
S. 6106 2
1 ing supports and services to individuals with developmental disabili-
2 ties.
3 (b) "Career ladder program" shall mean the community college programs
4 established pursuant to a memorandum of understanding between the
5 commissioner of the office for people with developmental disabilities
6 and the board of trustees of the state university and the city universi-
7 ty to develop a career ladder supervisor/manager program leading to an
8 associate's degree in health/human services or a related major and asso-
9 ciated credit-bearing certificate programs in community residence
10 management or developmental disabilities for participants who do not
11 elect to obtain an associate's degree.
12 (c) "At least a part-time basis" shall mean enrollment for at least
13 six hours per semester or four hours per quarter.
14 (d) "Tuition" shall mean the total semester, quarter or classroom hour
15 cost of instruction at a state-operated community college, excluding
16 mandatory fees, book charges and room and board.
17 (e) "Grant programs" shall mean the direct service professional credit
18 program and the career ladder program.
19 2. The state university boards of trustees and the city university
20 board of trustees may establish grant programs for community colleges to
21 develop training programs and improve existing workforce development
22 programs for the purpose of training direct support professionals and
23 establishing a career ladder for individuals working with individuals
24 with developmental disabilities pursuant to a memorandum of understand-
25 ing with the commissioner of the office for people with developmental
26 disabilities.
27 3. Pursuant to a memorandum of understanding with the community
28 college and the commissioner of the office for people with developmental
29 disabilities and within funds appropriated for such purpose, the office
30 for people with developmental disabilities shall establish a tuition
31 assistance grant program to provide tuition assistance to direct support
32 professionals employed by agencies who are funded by such office and
33 providing supports and services to individuals with developmental disa-
34 bilities or for individuals working with individuals with developmental
35 disabilities enrolled on at least a part-time basis at a community
36 college as defined in section three hundred fifty of this chapter.
37 Any program established pursuant to this section shall provide tuition
38 assistance grants to such direct support professionals employed by agen-
39 cies who are funded by the office for people with developmental disabil-
40 ities and providing supports and services to individuals with develop-
41 mental disabilities or for individuals working with individuals with
42 developmental disabilities in an amount up to fifty percent of the
43 tuition required to be paid to such state-operated community college by
44 such direct support professionals employed by agencies who are funded by
45 such office and providing supports and services to individuals with
46 developmental disabilities or for individuals working with individuals
47 with developmental disabilities.
48 4. Upon successful completion of either the direct service profes-
49 sional credit program or the career ladder program the office for people
50 with developmental disabilities certified provider employing the direct
51 support professional or individuals working with individuals with devel-
52 opmental disabilities shall reimburse the community college for one-half
53 of the cost of such employee training or tuition.
54 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to academ-
55 ic semesters, quarters and classroom hours beginning on or after January
56 1, 2021.
