S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9431
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               March 7, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. HUNTER -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Veterans' 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 OR A
 VETERAN  RECOGNIZED  PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION; AND THE
 TERM "CERTIFIED OR RECOGNIZED VETERAN  PEER  COUNSELOR"  SHALL  MEAN  AN
 INDIVIDUAL 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 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 RECOGNIZED
 BY THE OFFICE.
   (B)  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THE
 COMMISSIONER, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF ADDICTION SERVICES
 AND SUPPORTS, AND THE  STATE  DIRECTOR  OF  THE  DIVISION  OF  VETERANS'
 AFFAIRS  SHALL  DEVELOP  AND  ESTABLISH  REGIONAL  OR  COUNTY BASED PEER
 SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAMS FOR WOMEN VETERANS. SERVICES PROVIDED  BY  THE
 RECOGNIZED  OR  CERTIFIED  WOMAN  VETERAN  PEER SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM
 SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO,  PEER  COUNSELING  TECHNIQUES  FOR
 MENTAL  ILLNESS  INCLUDING  POST-TRAUMATIC  STRESS DISORDER, ALCOHOL AND
 SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING, FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES, DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE,
 MENTAL HEALTH, CHILD CARE, PHYSICAL HEALTH AND LEGAL ISSUES.
   (C)  THE  COMMISSIONER,  IN  CONJUNCTION  WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF THE
 OFFICE OF ADDICTION SERVICES AND SUPPORTS AND THE STATE DIRECTOR OF  THE
 DIVISION OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS SHALL FOSTER PROGRAMS FOR THE TRAINING AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD09173-01-1
 A. 9431                             2
 
 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 RECOGNIZED OR
 CERTIFIED VETERAN PEER COUNSELORS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING:
   1. THE OFFICE SHALL ESTABLISH MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR RECOGNIZED OR
 CERTIFIED  VETERAN PEER COUNSELORS IN ALL PHASES OF DELIVERY OF SERVICES
 TO VETERANS WHO ARE EVALUATED AND CERTIFIED OR RECOGNIZED BY THE  OFFICE
 ON  FACTORS  INCLUDING,  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 OR OTHER
 CREDENTIALS ESTABLISHED OR RECOGNIZED BY THE OFFICE; 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 one year 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.