Senate Bill S7677

Vetoed By Governor
2015-2016 Legislative Session

Relates to a study on the recruitment and retention of direct support professionals working with people with developmental disabilities

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Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status Via A10409 - Vetoed by Governor


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Vetoed By Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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Bill Amendments

2015-S7677 - Details

Law Section:
Health

2015-S7677 - Summary

Directs the commissioner of the office for people with developmental disabilities to study and report on the recruitment and retention of direct support professionals working with people with developmental disabilities by November 1, 2016.

2015-S7677 - Sponsor Memo

2015-S7677 - Bill Text download pdf

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

                                  7677

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              May 12, 2016
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  ORTT  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health and Develop-
  mental Disabilities

AN ACT to direct the commissioner of health and the commissioner of  the
  office  for people with developmental disabilities to study and report
  on the recruitment and retention of direct support professionals work-
  ing with people with developmental disabilities

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

  Section  1.  Legislative  findings.  The Legislature hereby finds that
Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) are the lynchpin of  the  system  of
supports for people with developmental disabilities. These dedicated and
skilled direct support professionals allow more than 100,000 New Yorkers
to lead safe, fulfilling lives.  More than 90% of all funding to support
the  salaries  of these highly trained professionals comes from Medicaid
or other state funds.
  The Legislature further finds the current  funding  for  these  highly
trained  professionals  is  insufficient to pay a fair wage for the work
these skilled professionals do, leaving these dedicated workers in short
supply.  Recent surveys by voluntary  agencies  employing  these  valued
professionals  indicate  a  high  and increasing statewide vacancy rate,
high and increasing  staff  turnover  rates  and  increasing  difficulty
recruiting and retaining these valuable employees.
  The  Legislature  further  finds  that  women  and  minorities are the
cornerstone of the direct support professional  workforce  in  New  York
State.  According to recent surveys, 73 percent of direct care staff are
women and 56.5 percent are either African-American, black or of Hispanic
and Latino origin. It is critically important  that  these  skilled  and
dedicated professionals receive the fair wage they deserve, for the work
they do.
  The  Legislature further finds that in his April 2012 Report to Gover-
nor Cuomo, Clarence Sundram, the Governor's Special Advisor  on  Vulner-
able  Persons,  found  that "a strong, well trained and committed direct
support staff" is essential to safeguard and care for  vulnerable  indi-

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

co-Sponsors

2015-S7677A (ACTIVE) - Details

Law Section:
Health

2015-S7677A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Directs the commissioner of the office for people with developmental disabilities to study and report on the recruitment and retention of direct support professionals working with people with developmental disabilities by November 1, 2016.

2015-S7677A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S7677A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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

                                 7677--A

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              May 12, 2016
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  ORTT  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health and Develop-
  mental Disabilities -- committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
  reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

AN ACT to direct the commissioner of the office for people with develop-
  mental  disabilities  to  study  and  report  on  the  recruitment and
  retention of direct support professionals  working  with  people  with
  developmental disabilities

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

  Section 1. Legislative findings. The  Legislature  hereby  finds  that
Direct  Support  Professionals  (DSPs) are the lynchpin of the system of
supports for people with developmental disabilities. These dedicated and
skilled direct support professionals allow more than 100,000 New Yorkers
to lead safe, fulfilling lives.  More than 90% of all funding to support
the salaries of these highly trained professionals comes  from  Medicaid
or other state funds.
  The  Legislature  further  finds  the current funding for these highly
trained professionals is insufficient to pay a fair wage  for  the  work
these skilled professionals do, leaving these dedicated workers in short
supply.    Recent  surveys  by voluntary agencies employing these valued
professionals indicate a high and  increasing  statewide  vacancy  rate,
high  and  increasing  staff  turnover  rates  and increasing difficulty
recruiting and retaining these valuable employees.
  The Legislature further  finds  that  women  and  minorities  are  the
cornerstone  of  the  direct  support professional workforce in New York
State. According to recent surveys, 73 percent of direct care staff  are
women and 56.5 percent are either African-American, black or of Hispanic
and  Latino  origin.  It  is critically important that these skilled and
dedicated professionals receive the fair wage they deserve, for the work
they do.
  The Legislature further finds that in his April 2012 Report to  Gover-
nor  Cuomo,  Clarence Sundram, the Governor's Special Advisor on Vulner-
able Persons, found that "a strong, well trained  and  committed  direct

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

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