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Who cares
Headline styles
Sponsors
8 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Enacting clause stricken
- Referred to mental health
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:A8578
Title of bill
An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to required reporting of suspected abuse of adults in certain residential care facilities licensed or operated by the state
Purpose or general idea of bill
Relates to required reporting of suspected abuse of adults in certain residential care facilities licensed or operated by the state
Summary of specific provisions
See bill
Justification
New York State has had a child abuse hotline system in place for many years for children under the age of 18. However, no such hotline exists for adults with developmental disabilities and other disabilities who reside in or receive services from a facility licensed by the state. This bill would create a toll-free hotline that is modeled after the existing child abuse hotline.
Some of our state's mentally disabled adults have cognitive functioning that is less than a non-disabled child. This makes them vulnerable to abuse in situations where they are unable to speak for themselves or to successfully relate an incident. The creation of a hotline, to be a function of the Commission on Quality of Care for the Mentally Disabled, will ensure the reporting of abuse and suspected abuse of these vulner- able individuals, who are adults by law, but Lack many of the adult skills necessary to advocate for themselves in an abusive situation.
The bill also provides for notification to appropriate law enforcement agency, district attorney or other public official empowered to provide necessary aid. This provision is necessary in order to ensure that suspected criminal conduct is referred to law enforcement in a timely manner.
Prior legislative history
New bill
Fiscal implications
To be determined
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law; with provisions
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.