New York A 3530: Establishes a program of tiered eligibility for services offered by OPWDD for persons with learning disabilities and other complex neurological impairments

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A03530 Summary:

BILL NOA03530 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS S06131

&nbsp

SPONSORSantabarbara

&nbsp

COSPNSRShimsky, Sayegh

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add §41.59, Ment Hyg L

&nbsp

Establishes a program of tiered eligibility for services offered by the office for people with developmental disabilities for persons with learning disabilities and other complex neurological impairments.

Go to top A03530 Actions:

BILL NOA03530 

&nbsp

01/28/2025referred to people with disabilities

01/07/2026referred to people with disabilities

Go to topA03530 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topA03530 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topA03530 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 3530

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN ASSEMBLY

 January 28, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the
 Committee on People with Disabilities

 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing a
 program of tiered eligibility for services offered by the office for
 people with developmental disabilities for persons with learning disa-
 bilities and other complex neurological impairments

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section
 2 41.59 to read as follows:
 3 § 41.59 Tiered services eligibility.
 4 1. Legislative findings and purpose. The legislature hereby finds that
 5 individuals with learning disabilities and other complex neurological
 6 impairments are often not provided essential support and habilitative
 7 services due to the lack of established office for people with develop-
 8 mental disabilities' eligibility protocols. This includes individuals
 9 with learning disabilities, high functioning autism spectrum disorders,
 10 such as Asperger's Syndrome, and a number of other complex neurological-
 11 ly based cognitive disabilities. Unfortunately, these individuals are
 12 then left to navigate their lives and the challenges of their disabili-
 13 ties with minimal or no assistance. As a result, such individuals often
 14 lead lives of great difficulty and vulnerability that may include, but
 15 are not limited to, extended periods of incarceration, lifelong depend-
 16 ence on public assistance, substance abuse, and victimization, coupled
 17 with many other negative and costly outcomes. In response to this grow-
 18 ing problem, the legislature hereby directs the commissioner of develop-
 19 mental disabilities to develop and implement a program of tiered eligi-
 20 bility for office for people with developmental disabilities' services
 21 for persons with learning disabilities and other complex neurological
 22 impairments. This tiered service-delivery model would allow services to
 23 be targeted and based on an individual's specific needs, which for some

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD06710-01-5

 A. 3530 2

 1 may be more intensive and for others relatively minimal. This model will
 2 also facilitate rapid response to addressing problems encountered by
 3 individuals in crisis. Providing services that are truly needed will be
 4 more cost effective and a more sensible option than the current eligi-
 5 bility process utilized by the office for people with developmental
 6 disabilities.
 7 2. When used in this article, unless otherwise expressly stated or
 8 unless the context otherwise requires:
 9 (a) "learning disability" means a disorder in one or more of the basic
 10 psychological processes involved in understanding or in using spoken or
 11 written language, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to
 12 listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or to do mathematical calcu-
 13 lations. This includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, mini-
 14 mal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, and
 15 developmental aphasia;
 16 (b) "complex neurological impairment" means autism spectrum disorder,
 17 such as Asperger's Syndrome, or other cognitive disabilities of a simi-
 18 lar nature and resulting in similar needs by affected individuals;
 19 (c) "intensive serv