Assembly Bill A531

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    531
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. HEVESI -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Children and Families
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing a
   statewide kinship navigator program
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  title heading of title 10 of article 6 of the social
 services law, as added by section 4 of part F of chapter 58 of the  laws
 of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
               KINSHIP GUARDIANSHIP ASSISTANCE AND STATEWIDE
                         KINSHIP NAVIGATOR PROGRAM
   §  2. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 458-g
 to read as follows:
   § 458-G. STATEWIDE KINSHIP NAVIGATOR PROGRAM. 1. THE STATEWIDE KINSHIP
 NAVIGATOR PROGRAM (HEREINAFTER THE  "PROGRAM"),  IS  HEREBY  ESTABLISHED
 WITHIN THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES.
   2. SUCH PROGRAM SHALL ASSIST KINSHIP CAREGIVERS WHO ARE SEEKING INFOR-
 MATION OR ASSISTANCE RELATED TO SERVICES AND BENEFITS THAT MAY BE AVAIL-
 ABLE  TO  THE CAREGIVER OR CHILD.  WITHIN APPROPRIATIONS AVAILABLE, SUCH
 INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A) REFERRAL SERVICES;
   (B) ACCESS TO A FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION FOR KINSHIP CAREGIVERS IN NEED
 OF LEGAL ASSISTANCE OR ASSISTANCE UNDERSTANDING THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS;
   (C) ASSISTANCE APPLYING FOR   PUBLICLY FUNDED BENEFITS  INCLUDING  BUT
 NOT  LIMITED  TO PUBLIC   ASSISTANCE, MEDICAID, CHILD HEALTH PLUS, CHILD
 CARE  SUBSIDIES,  AND  THE  SUPPLEMENTAL  NUTRITION  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM
 (SNAP); AND
   (D)  INFORMATION  RELATED  TO  SERVICES  AVAILABLE PURSUANT TO SECTION
 THREE HUNDRED NINETY-TWO OF THIS CHAPTER.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01536-01-5
              

 A. 531                              2
 
   3. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "KINSHIP CAREGIVER"  SHALL  HAVE  THE
 SAME  MEANING  AS  DEFINED  BY  SUBDIVISION  TWENTY-TWO OF SECTION THREE
 HUNDRED SEVENTY-ONE OF THIS CHAPTER, WHO IS CURRENTLY CARING FOR A CHILD
 OR IS A PROSPECTIVE KINSHIP CAREGIVER.  IT SHALL ALSO  INCLUDE  RELATIVE
 GUARDIANS AND PROSPECTIVE RELATIVE GUARDIANS, AS DEFINED IN SECTION FOUR
 HUNDRED FIFTY-EIGHT-A OF THIS TITLE.
   4. (A) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ADMINISTER THE STATEWIDE KINSHIP NAVIGA-
 TOR PROGRAM, EITHER DIRECTLY OR THROUGH CONTRACT. IN ADDITION TO PROVID-
 ING  INFORMATION  AND ASSISTANCE, AS REQUIRED BY SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS
 SECTION, THE PROGRAM SHALL ALSO  HAVE  THE  FOLLOWING  RESPONSIBILITIES,
 WITHIN  APPROPRIATIONS AVAILABLE, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED
 TO:
   (I) STATEWIDE COORDINATION  OF  SERVICES,  INCLUDING  COORDINATION  OF
 EFFORTS AMONG THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, THE DEPARTMENT
 OF  HEALTH,  THE  OFFICE  FOR  THE  AGING, THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, THE
 OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE, THE OFFICE  OF  ADDICTION
 SERVICES  AND  SUPPORTS,  THE  OFFICE  OF  MENTAL HEALTH, THE OFFICE FOR
 PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES  DISTRICTS
 AND RELEVANT COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS;
   (II) THE PROVISION OF INFORMATION AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF, ELIGIBIL-
 ITY  CRITERIA  FOR, AND APPLICATION PROCEDURE FOR AVAILABLE BENEFITS AND
 SERVICES;
   (III) COMPILATION OF STATISTICAL DATA FROM STATE  AND  LOCAL  AGENCIES
 AND DISSEMINATION TO THE PUBLIC;
   (IV)  OPERATION  OF A TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER THAT  MAY  BE  CALLED
 TO OBTAIN  BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF, AND SERVICES AVAILABLE
 TO KINSHIP CAREGIVERS;
   (V) OPERATION OF LOCAL RESPITE SERVICES;
   (VI) TRAINING RELATED TO CARING FOR CHILDREN; AND
   (VII) THE CONSOLIDATION OF EXISTING PROGRAMS WITH EXISTING CONTRACTORS
 THAT ARE SATISFACTORILY PERFORMING AS DETERMINED BY THE OFFICE OF  CHIL-
 DREN  AND  FAMILY  SERVICES  AND  THE  EXPANSION OF SERVICE PROVISION TO
 COMPLY WITH FEDERALLY APPROVED STANDARDS; SUCH CONSOLIDATION PLAN  SHALL
 PROVIDE  FOR  SUBMISSION OF INFORMATION REGARDING OUTCOME-BASED MEASURES
 THAT DEMONSTRATE QUALITY OF SERVICES PROVIDED AND PROGRAM  EFFECTIVENESS
 TO  THE  OFFICE OF  CHILDREN  AND  FAMILY  SERVICES IN A FORM AND MANNER
 AND AT SUCH TIMES AS REQUIRED BY SUCH OFFICE.
   (B) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL DIVIDE THE STATE INTO NOT LESS  THAN  SEVEN
 AND  NOT GREATER THAN TWELVE REGIONS IN ORDER FOR THE KINSHIP CARE NAVI-
 GATOR  PROGRAM  TO  DEVELOP  REGIONAL  EXPERTISE  IN  CARRYING  OUT  THE
 PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
   5.  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  MAKE GRANTS, WITHIN AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED
 THEREFOR, TO A COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION OR CONSORTIA  OF  COMMUNITY-
 BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO OPERATE THE STATEWIDE KINSHIP NAVIGATOR PROGRAM.
   6.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE ANY RULES AND REGULATIONS NECES-
 SARY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.