Establishes a pilot program to create an assistance hotline for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and complex behavioral needs.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6274--B
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
April 20, 2021
___________
Introduced by Sen. MANNION -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Disabilities -- committee
discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
to said committee -- reported favorably from said committee and
committed to the Committee on Finance -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing a
pilot program to create an assistance hotline for individuals with
intellectual and developmental disabilities and complex behavioral
needs
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 13.17 of the mental hygiene law is amended by
2 adding a new subdivision (e) to read as follows:
3 (e) 1. The commissioner shall establish and administer a three-year
4 pilot program to create an assistance hotline for individuals with
5 intellectual and developmental disabilities and complex behavioral
6 needs.
7 2. The assistance hotline shall be accessible via a toll-free tele-
8 phone number and video relay service or other technology accessible to
9 individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities,
10 that operates twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
11 3. The office shall recruit and train employees to assist individuals
12 with intellectual and developmental disabilities and complex behavioral
13 health needs with access to services offered by the office. Individuals
14 with intellectual and developmental disabilities and complex behavioral
15 health needs, or the parent or guardian of such individuals, may call
16 the hotline to receive assistance with access to services, referral to
17 services, and general information on services offered by the office.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10797-05-1
S. 6274--B 2
1 4. The hotline shall be accessible in English and the six most common
2 non-English languages spoken by individuals with limited-English profi-
3 ciency in New York state based on the most recent census and to those
4 who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities.
5 5. On or before the conclusion of the pilot program, the commissioner
6 shall submit a report to the governor, the speaker of the assembly, and
7 the temporary president of the senate evaluating the effectiveness of
8 the pilot program.
9 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
10 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment
11 and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation
12 of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
13 completed on or before such effective date.
