Senate Bill S4013A

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  4013--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 31, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. PARKER, GALLIVAN, MARTINEZ, SEPULVEDA -- read twice
   and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee
   on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs -- recommitted  to
   the  Committee  on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs in
   accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 --  committee  discharged,  bill
   amended,  ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
   tee
 
 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

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07558-03-5
              

 S. 4013--A                          2
 
   (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'
 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.