Requires the office of temporary and disability assistance, in conjunction with the office of mental health and the office of children and family services, to develop a mental illness training course to be utilized by providers of temporary housing assistance to focus on recognizing signs and symptoms of mental illness.
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1856
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 14, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL, DE LOS SANTOS -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to mental illness
training in temporary housing
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Article 2-A of the social services law is amended by adding
a new title 3 to read as follows:
TITLE 3
MENTAL ILLNESS TRAINING IN TEMPORARY HOUSING
SECTION 47. TRAINING TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL
ILLNESS.
§ 47. TRAINING TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS.
1. THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE, IN CONJUNCTION
WITH THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY
SERVICES, SHALL DEVELOP A TRAINING COURSE TO BE UTILIZED BY PROVIDERS OF
TEMPORARY HOUSING ASSISTANCE. SUCH TRAINING COURSE SHALL FOCUS ON IDEN-
TIFYING BEST PRACTICES TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL
ILLNESS AND PROVIDING REFERRALS, AS APPROPRIATE, TO INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY
BE SUFFERING FROM A MENTAL ILLNESS.
2. PROVIDERS OF TEMPORARY HOUSING ASSISTANCE SHALL INCLUDE, BUT ARE
NOT LIMITED TO, A FAMILY SHELTER, A SHELTER FOR ADULTS, A HOTEL, AN
EMERGENCY APARTMENT, A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER, A RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS
YOUTH SHELTER, OR A SAFE HOUSE FOR REFUGEES OPERATING IN THE STATE.
3. SUCH TRAINING SHALL BE PROVIDED TO ALL EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS
WORKING OR VOLUNTEERING AT A PROVIDER OF TEMPORARY HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
4. PROVIDERS OF TEMPORARY HOUSING ASSISTANCE SHALL ENSURE AT LEAST ONE
EMPLOYEE OR VOLUNTEER WHO PROVIDES INTAKE SERVICES AND HAS RECEIVED SUCH
TRAINING IS AT THE FACILITY AT ALL TIMES, WHEN APPLICABLE LAW, REGU-
LATION, CODE, OR OPERATING PLAN APPROVED BY A SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT
OR THE COMMISSIONER OTHERWISE REQUIRES EMPLOYEES OR VOLUNTEERS TO BE AT
THE PREMISES.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
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