Assembly Bill A8288

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8288
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                May 9, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  SEAWRIGHT  --  read once and referred to the
   Committee on People with Disabilities
 
 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation  to  establishing  a
   comprehensive  training  program  for  care  managers employed by care
   coordination organizations

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 "Ella's law".
   § 2. Section 13.23 of the mental hygiene law is amended  by  adding  a
 new subdivision (d) to read as follows:
   (D)  THE  OFFICE  SHALL ESTABLISH A COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAM, IN
 CONJUNCTION WITH CARE COORDINATION ORGANIZATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS  THAT
 ADVOCATE  ON  BEHALF OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, FOR
 CARE MANAGERS EMPLOYED BY CARE  COORDINATION  ORGANIZATIONS  WHICH  SUCH
 CARE  MANAGERS SHALL COMPLETE BEFORE WORKING WITH CLIENTS. SUCH TRAINING
 PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   1. PERSON-CENTERED PLANNING PRINCIPLES.
   2. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES FOR  INDIVIDUALS  WITH  DEVELOP-
 MENTAL  DISABILITIES,  INCLUDING  BUT NOT LIMITED TO HOW TO BEST INCLUDE
 AND COLLABORATE WITH PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, THEIR FAMI-
 LIES, AND SUPPORT NETWORKS IN ALL COMMUNICATIONS,  MEETINGS,  AND  DECI-
 SION-MAKING  TO  DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT PLANS THAT ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE
 AND PROMOTE INDEPENDENCE.
   3. UNDERSTANDING, RESPECTING, AND SUPPORTING THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS
 WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES INCLUDING  BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO  VOTING
 RIGHTS.
   4. CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND SENSITIVITY.
   5. ADVOCACY SKILLS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
   6.  COMPLIANCE  WITH  RELEVANT  LAWS AND REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO THE
 CARE OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02939-01-5
              

 A. 8288                             2
 
   7. KNOWLEDGE OF  THE  HEALTH  CARE  SYSTEM,  AVAILABLE  SERVICES,  AND
 RESOURCES,  AS WELL AS AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM ON
 BEHALF OF THE INDIVIDUALS THEY SERVE.   THIS SHALL INCLUDE  BUT  NOT  BE
 LIMITED  TO  KNOWLEDGE OF SELF-DIRECTION SYSTEMS, CROSS-SYSTEM SERVICES,
 BLENDED SERVICES, AND THE PRACTICES, PROGRAMS, AND SERVICES AVAILABLE TO
 INDIVIDUALS  WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES THROUGH THE OFFICE, DEPART-
 MENT OF HEALTH, AND OTHER NEW YORK  STATE  AND  FEDERAL  AGENCIES.  THIS
 SHALL  ALSO  INCLUDE  KNOWLEDGE OF MEDICAID BENEFITS OFFERED THROUGH THE
 OFFICE'S WAIVER PROGRAMS AND THEIR INTERACTION WITH OTHER MEDICAID BENE-
 FITS.
   8. IDENTIFYING AND CONNECTING INDIVIDUALS WITH  APPROPRIATE  COMMUNITY
 RESOURCES, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
   9.  SKILLS  IN FOSTERING COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION AMONG MEMBERS
 OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S CARE TEAM, INCLUDING HEALTH  CARE  PROVIDERS,  SOCIAL
 SERVICES, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be  made  and
 completed on or before such effective date.