S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  6037--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 26, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. HUNTER, RAGA, K. BROWN, BURDICK -- read once and
   referred  to  the  Committee  on  Veterans'   Affairs   --   committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee
 
 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:
   1. THE TERM "VETERAN PEER SUPPORT SERVICES" SHALL INCLUDE ANY FORM  OF
 PEER  TO  PEER  COUNSELING  SERVICES  FOR  THE TREATMENT AND RECOVERY OF
 MENTAL ILLNESS, ALCOHOL ABUSE, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND/OR CHEMICAL  DEPEND-
 ENCE THAT ARE DELIVERED BY A VETERAN PEER COUNSELOR TO VETERANS.
   2. THE TERM "VETERAN PEER COUNSELOR" SHALL MEAN A VETERAN WHO PROVIDES
 VETERAN PEER SUPPORT SERVICES.
   3. THE TERM "VETERAN" MEANS A PERSON:
   (I)  WHO SERVED IN THE ACTIVE MILITARY, NAVAL, AIR OR SPACE SERVICE OF
 THE UNITED STATES AND WHO WAS DISCHARGED  OR  RELEASED  THEREFROM  UNDER
 CONDITIONS OTHER THAN DISHONORABLE; OR
   (II)  HAS  A  QUALIFYING  CONDITION,  AS DEFINED IN SECTION ONE OF THE
 VETERANS' SERVICES LAW, AND HAS RECEIVED  A  DISCHARGE  OTHER  THAN  BAD
 CONDUCT OR DISHONORABLE FROM SUCH SERVICE; OR
   (III)  IS  A DISCHARGED LGBT VETERAN, AS DEFINED IN SECTION ONE OF THE
 VETERANS' SERVICES LAW, AND HAS RECEIVED  A  DISCHARGE  OTHER  THAN  BAD
 CONDUCT OR DISHONORABLE FROM SUCH SERVICE; OR
   (IV) IS A "VETERAN" AS DEFINED BY LOCAL LAW.
   (B) 1. THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF
 ADDICTION  SERVICES  AND  SUPPORTS  AND  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF VETERANS'
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07558-02-5
              

 A. 6037--A                          2
 
 SERVICES SHALL ESTABLISH RECOMMENDED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR  VETERAN
 PEER  COUNSELORS.    SUCH RECOMMENDED QUALIFICATIONS SHALL BE CONSISTENT
 WITH THE GOALS AND PURPOSES OF VETERAN PEER SUPPORT SERVICES AND MAY  BE
 BASED  ON  CONSIDERATION  OF  FACTORS  INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT  LIMITED TO,
 COMPLETION OF APPROVED COURSES OF STUDY OR EQUIVALENT ON-THE-JOB EXPERI-
 ENCE IN MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING AND/OR ALCOHOLISM AND  SUBSTANCE  ABUSE
 COUNSELING,  THE  CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF
 VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR APPOINTMENT AS A PEER  SPECIALIST  PURSUANT  TO  38
 U.S.C.  §  7402  (B)(13), OTHER CREDENTIALS ESTABLISHED OR RECOGNIZED BY
 THE OFFICE OR ANY OTHER EXPERIENCES, QUALITIES OR QUALIFICATIONS  DEEMED
 NECESSARY OR DESIRABLE IN A VETERAN PEER COUNSELOR.
   2.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL MAKE THE RECOMMENDED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
 ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO  PARAGRAPH  ONE  OF  THIS  SUBDIVISION  PUBLICLY
 AVAILABLE  AND  DISSEMINATE  SUCH  RECOMMENDED QUALIFICATIONS TO MUNICI-
 PALITIES AND OTHER ENTITIES THAT PROVIDE VETERAN PEER SUPPORT SERVICES.
   3. THE  COMMISSIONER  IN    CONJUNCTION    WITH  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF
 ADDICTION  SERVICES  AND  SUPPORTS  AND  THE COMMISSIONER OF   VETERANS'
 SERVICES SHALL ESTABLISH PROCEDURES FOR PROVIDING OR CONNECTING  VETERAN
 PEER  COUNSELORS  TO TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT PROVIDE
 EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION, CREDENTIALS  OR  OTHER  RECOGNITION  MEETING  THE
 RECOMMENDED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH ONE
 OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   (C)  NOTHING  IN  THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED AS REQUIRING PROFES-
 SIONAL CREDENTIALS, LICENSING OR TRAINING AS A PRECONDITION  OF  SERVING
 AS  VETERAN    PEER  COUNSELOR,  NOR  SHALL  ANYTHING IN THIS SECTION BE
 CONSTRUED AS AFFECTING THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR PARTICIPATING IN  OR
 PROVIDING "VETERAN PEER SUPPORT SERVICES" ESTABLISHED BY LOCAL LAW OR BY
 AN ENTITY'S POLICIES.
   §  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.