Senate Bill S4835

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4835
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 13, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  FAHY  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Disabilities
 
 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law and the social services  law,  in
   relation  to  housing  navigation services for those with intellectual
   and developmental disabilities

   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
 13.44 to read as follows:
 § 13.44 HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES.
   (A) THE OFFICE SHALL ESTABLISH AND PROVIDE HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES
 FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH  A  DEVELOPMENTAL  OR  INTELLECTUAL  DISABILITY  AS
 DEFINED  IN  SECTION  1.03  OF THIS CHAPTER. HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES
 SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (1) COLLABORATING WITH INDIVIDUALS TO DEVELOP AN INDIVIDUALIZED  HOUS-
 ING  ACTION PLAN, THAT AT A MINIMUM, SHALL ASSIST INDIVIDUALS IN FINDING
 APPROPRIATE HOUSING THAT MEETS THEIR SPECIFIC HOUSING GOALS;
   (2) SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS THAT APPLY FOR STATE AND FEDERAL ASSISTANCE
 PROGRAMS;
   (3) COORDINATING AND ASSISTING HOUSING  TRANSITIONS  FOR  INDIVIDUALS,
 TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS; AND
   (4)  COLLABORATING  WITH INDIVIDUALS TO CRAFT A HOUSING SUSTAINABILITY
 PLAN TO ENSURE THAT SUCH INDIVIDUALS ARE ABLE  TO  SECURE  AND  MAINTAIN
 STABLE HOUSING, AND HAVE ACCESS TO AND ARE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE NECESSARY
 SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO ACHIEVE THEIR HOUSING GOALS.
   (B) (1) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A HOUSING NAVIGA-
 TION  CURRICULUM  STATEWIDE,  FOR THE PURPOSES OF TRAINING APPLICANTS IN
 DELIVERING HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION (A)  OF
 THIS  SECTION.  IN  DEVELOPING  AND  IMPLEMENTING  SUCH  CURRICULUM, THE
 COMMISSIONER MAY CONTRACT WITH AN ENTITY THAT HAS DEMONSTRATED APPROPRI-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09101-01-5
 S. 4835                             2
              

 
 ATE KNOWLEDGE, EXPERTISE, AND EXPERIENCE IN HOUSING  NAVIGATOR  SERVICES
 AND TRAINING CURRICULUMS.
   (2)  THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE REGIONAL OFFICES UNDER
 SUCH COMMISSIONER'S JURISDICTION SHALL PERFORM A STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT OF
 THE NEED FOR HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES, AND SHALL  PROVIDE  ADDITIONAL
 OUTREACH  REGARDING  THE  AVAILABILITY OF HOUSING NAVIGATION TRAINING IN
 REGIONS OF THE STATE WHERE THERE IS THE GREATEST DEMONSTRATED NEED.
   (C) (1) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH  A  HOUSING  NAVIGATION  TASK
 FORCE TO PERFORM TASKS THAT WILL HELP TO ENSURE THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMEN-
 TATION  OF  THE HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES ESTABLISHED BY THIS SECTION.
 THE TASK FORCE SHALL BE CO-CHAIRED BY THE COMMISSIONER OR  SUCH  COMMIS-
 SIONER'S DESIGNEE, THE COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISA-
 BILITY  ASSISTANCE  OR SUCH COMMISSIONER'S DESIGNEE, THE COMMISSIONER OF
 THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH OR SUCH COMMISSIONER'S DESIGNEE, THE COMMIS-
 SIONER OF THE OFFICE OF ADDICTION SERVICES AND SUPPORTS OR SUCH  COMMIS-
 SIONER'S  DESIGNEE,  AND  A  REPRESENTATIVE  OF NEW YORK STATE HOMES AND
 COMMUNITY RENEWAL. ENSURING ADEQUATE GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION, AN ADDI-
 TIONAL TEN INDIVIDUALS SHALL BE SELECTED FOR THE TASK FORCE. SUCH  INDI-
 VIDUALS  SHALL  HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELDS OF AFFORDABLE
 HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, BANKING,  FINANCIAL  PLANNING,  AND  IN  DELIVERING
 HOUSING  SERVICES  FOR  INDIVIDUALS  WITH  DEVELOPMENTAL OR INTELLECTUAL
 DISABILITIES AS A NON-PROFIT PROVIDER.  THE MEMBERS SHALL BE SELECTED BY
 THE COMMISSIONER IN CONSULTATION WITH THE OTHER STATE  AGENCY  REPRESEN-
 TATIVES ON THE TASK FORCE.
   (2)  THE  TASK  FORCE SHALL MEET AS OFTEN AS IS NECESSARY, BUT NO LESS
 THAN THREE TIMES PER YEAR, AND UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES AS ARE APPROPRIATE TO
 FULFILLING ITS DUTIES AS REQUIRED UNDER THIS SECTION.
   (3) MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL SERVE  WITHOUT  COMPENSATION,  BUT
 MAY  BE  REIMBURSED  FOR ACTUAL COSTS INCURRED FOR PARTICIPATION ON SUCH
 TASK FORCE.
   (4) THE TASK FORCE SHALL:
   (I) COORDINATE WITH THE COMMISSIONER AND THE REGIONAL OFFICES TO  HELP
 ENSURE ACCESS TO HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES IN THE REGIONS OF THE STATE
 WITH THE GREATEST DEMONSTRATED NEED;
   (II)  CREATE  OR  UTILIZE  WRITTEN  INFORMATION  THAT MAY BE USED AS A
 RESOURCE FOR INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF HOUSING NAVIGATION RESOURCES
 AS WELL AS EDUCATING PARENTS, INDIVIDUALS, PROVIDER AGENCIES  AND  OTHER
 STAKEHOLDERS  ABOUT  THE  OPPORTUNITIES FOR NON-CERTIFIED HOUSING IN ALL
 FIVE REGIONS OF THE OFFICE;
   (III) PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE APPROPRIATENESS OF  AND  WAYS  TO
 IMPLEMENT  A HOUSING NAVIGATOR TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM USING THE HOUS-
 ING NAVIGATOR TRAINING CURRICULUM;
   (IV) ASSIST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH METHODS WHICH  MEASURE  THE
 CORRELATION  BETWEEN THE HOUSING NAVIGATOR MODEL AND SOCIAL DETERMINANTS
 OF HEALTH;
   (V) EVALUATE HOUSING NAVIGATION AS A REIMBURSABLE SERVICE AND  MEASUR-
 ING  OUTCOMES  BASED  ON  VALUE-BASED PAYMENT METHODOLOGIES AND ARRANGE-
 MENTS; AND
   (VI) EXAMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF EXPANDING HOUSING NAVIGATION  SERVICES
 TO  OTHER  SYSTEMS  OF CARE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE DELIVERY OF HOUSING
 SERVICES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO HIGH UTILIZATION MEDICAID SERVICE
 ENROLLEES WHO RESIDE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
   § 2. Section 366 of the social services law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 7-d to read as follows:
   7-D. THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH IN CONSULTATION WITH THE  COMMISSIONER
 OF  THE  OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES IS AUTHORIZED
 S. 4835                             3
 
 TO SUBMIT THE APPROPRIATE WAIVERS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED  TO,  THOSE
 AUTHORIZED  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  ELEVEN HUNDRED FIFTEEN OF THE FEDERAL
 SOCIAL SECURITY ACT, IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE  THE  PURPOSE  OF  HIGH-QUALITY
 HOUSING  NAVIGATION  SERVICES  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION 13.44 OF THE MENTAL
 HYGIENE LAW FOR A POPULATION OF PERSONS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL OR  INTELLEC-
 TUAL  DISABILITIES,  AS  SUCH  TERMS  ARE DEFINED IN SECTION 1.03 OF THE
 MENTAL HYGIENE LAW.
   § 3. Subdivision (b) of section 5.07 of  the  mental  hygiene  law  is
 amended by adding a new paragraph 6 to read as follows:
   (6) THE COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISA-
 BILITIES  SHALL  INCLUDE  THE  FOLLOWING IN THE PORTION OF THE STATEWIDE
 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REQUIRED BY THIS SUBDIVISION FOR SERVICES PROVIDED TO
 PERSONS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL OR INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES: (I) INFORMATION
 RELATED TO PROGRESS IMPLEMENTING AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HOUSING  NAVI-
 GATION  SERVICES  AS  DEFINED IN SECTION 13.44 OF THIS CHAPTER, AND (II)
 ANY OTHER INFORMATION DEEMED APPROPRIATE BY SUCH COMMISSIONER.
   § 4. This act shall take effect April 1, 2027. Effective  immediately,
 the  addition,  amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
 sary for the implementation of  this  act  on  its  effective  date  are
 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.