Senate Bill S2575C

                                BILL NUMBER:S2575

PURPOSE:

To address the alarming trend of homeless persons are veterans and
parents.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section I amends section 353 of the executive law by adding new
subdivision 6-a concerning the performance of a study conducted by the
New York State Division of Veterans' Affairs, the Office of Temporary
and Disability Service, Department of Labor and the Office of Children
and Family Services to determine the number of homeless persons in New
York State who are veterans. It will also determine the number of
offspring of the veterans and current placement, and whether such
veterans suffered military sexual trauma. Once the study is completed
a written report will be delivered to the governor and the
legislature.

Section II sets forth the effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:

A report released in 2013 by The United States Department of Housing
and Urban Development estimates that 57,849 veterans are homeless on
              

any given night. This number is likely to increase given the amount of
veterans who are struggling with excessive economic burdens.
Veterans, especially those with disabilities including post-traumatic
stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries, are more likely to
become homeless. Often a higher percentage of veterans returning from
the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq demonstrate these
characteristics.

In 2009, homeless veterans were mostly male while 4 percent were
female. Today, the United States Government Accountability Office
reports that women veterans identified as homeless by the VA increased
more than 140 percent, from 1,350 in fiscal year 2006 to 3,328 in
fiscal year 2010. Women veterans are also 4 times more likely than
their male .counterparts to end up homeless. Homeless female veterans
who are single mothers have a tough time finding adequate shelter,
daycare services, and finding gainful employment.  About 3,000 of
these veterans could not access shelter and one-third had some sort of
disability. These statistics are alarming and become even more
distressing when you take into account that many of these women have
children. The study and analysis would gather information on the
number of homeless veterans in New York and how many of them have
children.

Further, the study would include cases of military sexual trauma (MST)
experienced by homeless veterans while on active duty or during
military training, including a breakdown of the collected data based
upon the gender of the victim. Data from the VA reveals that when
veterans are screened for health care and asked if he or she has
experienced MST, approximately 1 in 4 women and 1 in 100 men respond
saying that they have. The amount of veterans who have experienced MST
is unknown given that this screening program reveals data relevant to


veterans who have sought out health care provided by the VA. The
outcome from this study would produce recommendations and solutions to
combat the growing problems among the men and women who have served
our country.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2013-14: S.908C(Parker)/A.7259 - Referred to Veterans, Homeland
Security and Military Affairs
2012: S.6343(Huntley) - Referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and
Military Affairs

FISCAL IMPACT ON STATE:

To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after the bill shall
become law.

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S2575A

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the executive law, in relation to the performance of a
study regarding homeless persons who are veterans in the state of New
York

 PURPOSE :

To address the alarming trend of homeless persons are veterans and
parents.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section I amends section 353 of the executive law by adding new
subdivision 6-a concerning the performance of a study conducted by the
New York State Division of Veterans' Affairs, the Office of Temporary
and Disability Service, Department of Labor and the Office of Children
and Family Services to determine the number of homeless persons in New
York State who are veterans. It will also determine the number of
offspring of the veterans and current placement, and whether such
veterans suffered military sexual trauma. Once the study is completed
a written report will be delivered to the governor and the
legislature.

              

Section II sets forth the effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

A report released in 2013 by The United States Department of Housing
and Urban Development estimates that 57,849 veterans are homeless on
any given night. This number is likely to increase given the amount of
veterans who are struggling with excessive economic burdens.
Veterans, especially those with disabilities including post-traumatic
stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries, are more likely to
become homeless. Often a higher percentage of veterans returning from
the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq demonstrate these
characteristics.

In 2009, homeless veterans were mostly male while 4 percent were
female. Today, the United States Government Accountability Office
reports that women veterans identified as homeless by the VA increased
more than 140 percent, from 1,350 in fiscal year 2006 to 3,328 in
fiscal year 2010.  Women veterans are also 4 times more likely than
their male counterparts to end up homeless. Homeless female veterans
who are single mothers have a tough time finding adequate shelter,
daycare services, and finding gainful employment. About 3,000 of these
veterans could not access shelter and one-third had some sort of
disability. These statistics are alarming and become even more
distressing when you take into account that many of these women have
children. The study and analysis would gather information on the
number of homeless veterans in New York and how many of them have
children.

Further, the study would include cases of military sexual trauma (MST)
experienced by homeless veterans while on active duty or during
military training, including a breakdown of the collected data based
upon the gender of the victim. Data from the VA reveals that when
veterans are screened for health care and asked if he or she has
experienced MST, approximately 1 in 4 women and 1 in 100 men respond
saying that they have. The amount of veterans who have experienced MST
is unknown given that this screening program reveals data relevant to
veterans who have sought out health care provided by the VA. The
outcome from this study would produce recommendations and solutions to

combat the growing problems among the men and women who have served
our country.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2013-14: S.908C(Parker)/A.7259 - Referred to Veterans, Homeland
Security and Military Affairs
2012: S.6343 (Huntley) - Referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and
Military Affairs

 FISCAL IMPACT ON STATE :

To be determined.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after the bill shall
become law.

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S2575B

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the public housing law, in relation
to the performance of a study regarding homeless persons who are
veterans in the state of New York

 PURPOSE :

To address the alarming trend of homeless persons are veterans and
parents.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section I amends section 353 of the executive law by adding new
subdivision 6-a concerning the performance of a study conducted by the
New York State Division of Veterans' Affairs, the Office of Temporary
and Disability Service, Department of Labor and the Office of Children
and Family Services to determine the number of homeless persons in New
York State who are veterans. It will also determine the number of
offspring of the veterans and current placement, and whether such
veterans suffered military sexual trauma. Once the study is completed
a written report will be delivered to the governor and the
legislature.

Section II sets forth the effective date.

              

 JUSTIFICATION :

A report released in 2013 by The United States Department of Housing
and Urban Development estimates that 57,849 veterans are homeless on
any given night. This number is likely to increase given the amount of
veterans who are struggling with excessive economic burdens.
Veterans, especially those with disabilities including post-traumatic
stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries, are more likely to
become homeless. Often a higher percentage of veterans returning from
the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq demonstrate these
characteristics.

In 2009, homeless veterans were mostly male while 4 percent were
female. Today, the United States Government Accountability Office
reports that women veterans identified as homeless by the VA increased
more than 140 percent, from 1,350 in fiscal year 2006 to 3,328 in
fiscal year 2010. Women veterans are also 4 times more likely than
their male counterparts to end up homeless. Homeless female veterans
who are single mothers have a tough time finding adequate shelter,
daycare services, and finding gainful employment. About 3,000 of these
veterans could not access shelter and one-third had some sort of
disability. These statistics are alarming and become even more
distressing when you take into account that many of these women have
children. The study and analysis would gather information on the
number of homeless veterans in New York and how many of them have
children.

Further, the study would include cases of military sexual trauma (MST)
experienced by homeless veterans while on active duty or during
military training, including a breakdown of the collected data based
upon the gender of the victim. Data from the VA reveals that when
veterans are screened for health care and asked if he or she has
experienced MST, approximately 1 in 4 women and 1 in 100 men respond
saying that they have. The amount of veterans who have experienced MST
is unknown given that this screening program reveals data relevant to
veterans who have sought out health care provided by the VA. The
outcome from this study would produce recommendations and solutions to
combat the growing problems among the men and women who have served
our country.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2013-14: S.908C(Parker)/A.7259 - Referred to Veterans, Homeland Secur
y and Military Affairs
2012: S.6343 (Huntley) - Referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and
Military Affairs

 FISCAL IMPACT ON STATE :

To be determined.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after the bill shall
become law.