New York S 6131: 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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S06131 Summary:

BILL NOS06131 

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SAME ASSAME AS A03530

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SPONSORPARKER

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COSPNSRADDABBO, BAILEY, CLEARE, PERSAUD

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MLTSPNSR

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Add §41.59, Ment Hyg L

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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 S06131 Actions:

BILL NOS06131 

&nbsp

03/05/2025REFERRED TO DISABILITIES

01/07/2026REFERRED TO DISABILITIES

Go to topS06131 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS06131 Floor&nbspVotes:

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

Go to topS06131 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 6131

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 March 5, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sens. PARKER, ADDABBO, BAILEY, CLEARE, PERSAUD -- read
 twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the
 Committee on 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

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

 S. 6131 2

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