Senate Bill S4256B

                                BILL NUMBER:S4256

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
vocational rehabilitation services for enhancing communication support

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: To offer consumers of vocational
rehabilitation services in the State of New York access to
communication support services in order to improve their ability to
secure gainful and meaningful employment outcomes.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section 1: The education law is
amended by adding a new section 1004-c, Communication support
services. This new section directs the commissioner of education to
promulgate new regulations to include communication support services
as a vocational rehabilitation service, defines individuals eligible
for such support and how services should be rendered, and defines
'communication support services' for the purposes of this legislation.

Section 2: Effective Date

JUSTIFICATION: In New York State, unemployment rates are substantially
higher for people with disabilities. Vocational rehabilitation
services are instrumental by providing employment and rehabilitation
services to those seeking gainful and meaningful employment. The
inclusion of communication support services in the suite of vocational
rehabilitation services offered through programs like ACCES VR could
              

improve employment outcomes for some job-seekers, particularly those
with autism.

Many individuals with disabilities, including those on the autism
spectrum, may have difficulty with interpersonal communication that
can hinder their ability to find and maintain employment, even when
they possess job skills, higher education, and access to existing
vocational rehabilitation services.

This bill addresses these shortcomings by directing the commissioner
of the New York State Education Department to promulgate new
regulations to rehabilitation services program staff to include
communication support among the suite of services currently offered to
job seekers.

In the context of this bill, communication support is defined as
treatment and services that focus on improving communication-related
skills. These include, but are not limited to, dialog strategies for
initiating and exiting communication of intent, topic maintenance,
dissolving hostile situations resulting from ineffective attempts at
independent communication, preparing, strategizing and organizing
information for written communication, and preparing for upcoming
interpersonal communication situations.

Finally, this legislation requires that these services be provided by
qualified providers including licenses speech-language
pathologists-audiologists, or individuals otherwise trained in
treatment for social pragmatic language impairment.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: New legislation.


FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect January 1, 2016.

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S4256A

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the education law, in relation to vocational
rehabilitation services for enhancing communication support

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

To offer consumers of vocational rehabilitation services in the State
of New York access to communication support services in order to
improve their ability to secure gainful and meaningful employment
outcomes.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 1: The education law is amended by adding a new section
1004-c, Communication support services. This new section directs the
commissioner of education to promulgate new regulations to include
communication support services as a vocational rehabilitation service,
defines individuals eligible for such support and how services should
be rendered, and defines 'communication support services' for the
purposes of this legislation.

Section 2: Effective Date

              

 JUSTIFICATION :

In New York State, unemployment rates are substantially higher for
people with disabilities. Vocational rehabilitation services are
instrumental by providing employment and rehabilitation services to
those seeking gainful and meaningful employment. The inclusion of
communication support services in the suite of vocational
rehabilitation services offered through programs like ACCES VR could
improve employment outcomes for some job-seekers, particularly those
with autism.

Many individuals with disabilities, including those on the autism
spectrum, may have difficulty with interpersonal communication that
can hinder their ability to find and maintain employment, even when
they possess job skills, higher education, and access to existing
vocational rehabilitation services.

This bill addresses these shortcomings by directing the commissioner
of the New York State Education Department to promulgate new
regulations to rehabilitation services program staff to include
communication support among the suite of services currently offered to
job seekers.

In the context of this bill, communication support is defined as
treatment and services that focus on improving communication--related
skills. These include, but are not limited to, dialog strategies for
initiating and exiting communication of intent, topic maintenance,
dissolving hostile situations resulting from ineffective attempts at
independent communication, preparing, strategizing and organizing
information for written communication, and preparing for upcoming
interpersonal communication situations.

Finally, this legislation requires that these services be provided by
qualified providers.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New legislation.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :
None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect January 1, 2016.