Senate Bill S9237

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9237
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 18, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  RIVERA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to the definition  of
   family  for  purposes  of  services  provided by voluntary foster care
   agency health facilities
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. Subdivision 1 of section 2999-gg of the public health law,
 as added by section 1 of part N of chapter 56 of the laws  of  2017,  is
 amended to read as follows:
   1. In order for an authorized agency that is approved by the office of
 children  and  family  services  to  care  for or board out children, to
 provide limited health-related services as defined in regulations of the
 department either directly or indirectly through a contract arrangement,
 such agency shall obtain, in accordance with a schedule developed by the
 department in  conjunction  with  the  office  of  children  and  family
 services,  a  license issued by the commissioner in conjunction with the
 office of children and family services to provide  such  services.  Such
 schedule  shall  require  that all such authorized agencies operating on
 January first, two thousand nineteen obtain the license required by this
 section no  later  than  January  first,  two  thousand  nineteen.  Such
 licenses  shall  be issued in accordance with the standards set forth in
 this article and the regulations of the department  which  shall,  at  a
 minimum, specify:
   (A)  mandated health services, which shall include, but not be limited
 to, nursing and behavioral health services; general physical environment
 requirements; minimum health and safety  procedures;  record  management
 requirements;  quality  management activities; and managed care liaison,
 fiscal and billing activities; AND
   (B) TO WHOM SERVICES MAY BE PROVIDED, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, BUT IS  NOT
 LIMITED  TO CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE, AND THEIR FAMILIES, WHICH
 FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION SHALL INCLUDE BOTH THE BIRTH FAMILY AND
 THE FOSTER FAMILY; OTHER FAMILIES RECEIVING CHILD WELFARE SERVICES  FROM
 THE  AUTHORIZED  AGENCY OR THE LOCAL DEPARTMENTS OF SOCIAL SERVICES; AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD00839-03-5
 S. 9237                             2
 
 STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES PLACED BY A COMMITTEE  ON  SPECIAL  EDUCATION
 PURSUANT  TO  ARTICLE  EIGHTY-NINE OF THE EDUCATION LAW.  In determining
 the criteria for licensure, regulations shall take into account the size
 and  type  of  each  program,  and  shall  be  reasonably related to the
 provision of medical services. Provided however, that a license pursuant
 to this section shall not be  required  if  such  authorized  agency  is
 otherwise  authorized  to  provide  the  required limited-health-related
 services to foster children under a license issued pursuant  to  article
 twenty-eight of this chapter or article thirty-one of the mental hygiene
 law.  For the purposes of this section, the term authorized agency shall
 be an authorized agency as defined in paragraph (a) of  subdivision  ten
 of section three hundred seventy-one of the social services law.
   §  2. This act shall take effect six months after it shall have become
 a law.