S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2945
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 28, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. ORTIZ, BARRETT, CRESPO, DenDEKKER, OTIS, MALLIO-
   TAKIS, MORINELLO -- read once and referred to the Committee on  Veter-
   ans' Affairs
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing a
   peer support program for veterans
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section
 7.42 to read as follows:
 § 7.42 PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR VETERANS.
   (A) FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION THE TERM "PEER  SUPPORT  SERVICES"
 SHALL  MEAN  ANY  SERVICE DESIGNATED BY THE OFFICE USED IN THE TREATMENT
 AND RECOVERY OF MENTAL ILLNESS, ALCOHOL ABUSE, SUBSTANCE  ABUSE,  AND/OR
 CHEMICAL DEPENDENCE THAT IS DELIVERED BY A CERTIFIED PEER COUNSELOR; AND
 THE  TERM  "CERTIFIED  PEER  COUNSELOR"  SHALL  MEAN  AN INDIVIDUAL WITH
 PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AS A MENTAL HEALTH RECIPIENT AND/OR AN INDIVIDUAL IN
 RECOVERY FROM ALCOHOL ABUSE, SUBSTANCE ABUSE,  AND/OR  CHEMICAL  DEPEND-
 ENCE,  WHO  HAS  SERVED  IN  THE ACTIVE MILITARY OR NAVAL SERVICE OF THE
 UNITED STATES AND HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM SUCH SERVICE OTHERWISE THAN  BY
 DISHONORABLE  DISCHARGE AND AS DOCUMENTED BY HIS OR HER DISCHARGE PAPERS
 OR WHO HAS BEEN FURLOUGHED TO THE RESERVE COMPONENTS OF THE ARMED FORCES
 OF THE UNITED STATES WHO HAS TRAINING, CREDENTIALS OR EXPERIENCE  RECOG-
 NIZED BY THE OFFICE.
   (B)  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THE
 COMMISSIONER, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE  COMMISSIONER  OF  ALCOHOLISM  AND
 SUBSTANCE  ABUSE  SERVICES,  AND  THE  STATE DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF
 VETERANS' AFFAIRS SHALL DEVELOP AND ESTABLISH A MINIMUM OF TWO  REGIONAL
 PEER  SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAMS FOR VETERANS.  ONE REGIONAL PEER SUPPORT
 SERVICES PROGRAM SHALL BE LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF NEW  YORK  AND  ONE
 REGIONAL  PEER  SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM SHALL BE LOCATED IN UPSTATE NEW
 YORK OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK OR LONG ISLAND.  SERVICES  PROVIDED
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD07139-01-9

 A. 2945                             2
 
 BY  THE  PEER SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED
 TO, PEER COUNSELING FOR MENTAL ILLNESS INCLUDING  POST-TRAUMATIC  STRESS
 DISORDER,  ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING, INFORMATION ON ACCESS
 TO  SERVICES, FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES, AND WHERE APPLICABLE, SPECIALIZED
 SERVICES FOR FEMALE VETERANS.
   (C) THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONJUNCTION  WITH  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF  THE
 OFFICE OF ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES AND THE STATE DIRECTOR
 OF  THE  DIVISION  OF  VETERANS'  AFFAIRS  SHALL FOSTER PROGRAMS FOR THE
 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONS CAPABLE OF  PROVIDING  THE  SERVICES
 SET  FORTH  IN THIS SECTION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A PROCESS OF
 ISSUING, EITHER DIRECTLY OR THROUGH CONTRACT, CREDENTIALS FOR  CERTIFIED
 PEER COUNSELORS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING:
   1.  THE  OFFICE  SHALL  ESTABLISH MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR CERTIFIED
 PEER COUNSELORS IN ALL PHASES OF DELIVERY OF SERVICES  TO  VETERANS  WHO
 ARE  SUFFERING  FROM  ANY  OR  A  COMBINATION OF THE FOLLOWING:   MENTAL
 ILLNESS, ALCOHOL ABUSE, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND/OR CHEMICAL DEPENDENCE THAT
 SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, COMPLETION OF APPROVED COURSES  OF
 STUDY  OR  EQUIVALENT  ON-THE-JOB EXPERIENCE IN MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING
 AND/OR ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING; AND
   2. THE OFFICE SHALL ESTABLISH  PROCEDURES  FOR  ISSUING,  DIRECTLY  OR
 THROUGH  CONTRACT,  CREDENTIALS  TO  CERTIFIED  PEER COUNSELORS WHO MEET
 MINIMUM  QUALIFICATIONS,  AND  SHALL  FURTHER  ESTABLISH  PROCEDURES  TO
 SUSPEND, REVOKE, OR ANNUL SUCH CREDENTIALS FOR GOOD CAUSE.
   §  2.  This  act  shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
 have become a law.  Effective immediately the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary  for  the  implementation  of
 this  act  on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
 on or before such date.