S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  7313

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                               May 5, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. HEVESI -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on Mental Health

AN  ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to the powers and duties
  of the justice center

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1. Subdivisions 26, 27 and paragraph (c) of subdivision 28 of
section 553 of the executive law, subdivisions 26 and  27  as  added  by
section 3 of part A of chapter 501 of the laws of 2012 and paragraph (c)
of  subdivision  28  as  added  by  chapter 394 of the laws of 2014, are
amended and a new subdivision 29 is added to read as follows:
  26. To review the cost effectiveness of mental  hygiene  programs  and
procedures  provided for by law with particular attention to efficiency,
effectiveness and economy in the management, supervision and delivery of
such programs. Such review may include but is not limited to: (a) deter-
mining reasons for rising costs and possible means of controlling  them;
(b)  analyzing and comparing expenditures in mental hygiene to determine
the factors associated with variations in costs; and (c)  analyzing  and
comparing  achievements  in  selected  samples  to determine the factors
associated with variations in program success and their relationship  to
mental hygiene costs; [and]
  27.  In  its discretion, to review the policies and practices relating
to the prevention of abuse or neglect in facilities  or  provider  agen-
cies,  including  staffing  patterns  of  various service models and the
supervision required to help ensure the safety of service recipients[.];
  (c) Procedures to facilitate the preparation of pertinent information,
including clinical information, necessary to safely conduct an  investi-
gation  pursuant  to  this section, including timely notification by the
justice center to the appropriate administrative personnel of the agency
serving such vulnerable person that such information will  be  required.
Such  information  shall be readily available to the justice center on a

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD09008-01-5
              

A. 7313                             2

form it prescribes prior to any contact between the justice  center  and
such individual[.]; AND
  29.  TO  DEVELOP  GUIDANCE  DOCUMENTS  RELATING  TO THE PROCEDURES FOR
REVIEW OF REPORTABLE INCIDENTS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION THREE
OF THIS SECTION. ALL SUCH DOCUMENTS SHALL BE  ADDRESSED  TO  EACH  STATE
OVERSIGHT  AGENCY IDENTIFIED IN SUBDIVISION FOUR OF SECTION FIVE HUNDRED
FIFTY OF THIS ARTICLE AND SHALL CONTAIN A UNIQUE SET OF INSTRUCTIONS FOR
EACH SUCH AGENCY TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION EACH SUCH AGENCY'S PARTICULAR
MISSION AND CONSTITUENCY. EACH SUCH AGENCY SHALL, AT THE REQUEST OF  THE
JUSTICE  CENTER, PRODUCE FOR THE JUSTICE CENTER'S REVIEW, CURRENT PROCE-
DURES AND PRACTICES UTILIZED IN RECORDING AND REPORTING REPORTABLE INCI-
DENTS. TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY ACROSS STATE AGENCIES, THE  JUSTICE  CENTER
SHALL  DEVELOP  OR  IDENTIFY  A  UNIFORM  SET  OF  CORE PRINCIPLES TO BE
INCLUDED IN ANY GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS PRODUCED.
  S 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day  after  it  shall
have become a law.