Relates to death and felony crime reports in certain adult care facilities

1 Co-sponsor

• Jeffrey Dinowitz

BILL NUMBER:A9554

Title of bill

An act to amend the social services law, in relation to death and felony crime reports in certain adult care facilities

Purpose or general idea of bill

This bill will improve the health, safety and quality of life of New York residents living in adult care facilities.

Summary of specific provisions

The bill amends SSL § 461-m to include enriched housing programs among the adult care facilities that must: (1) report any death or attempted suicide of a resident to DOH within 24 hours; (2) report felonies believed to have been committed against residents to appropriate law enforcement authorities; and (3) report deaths, attempted suicides and felonies involving residents who at any time received mental hygiene services to the Commission on Quality of Care and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities (CQCAPD). The bill also amends the time for reporting of felonies to law enforcement, so that a report is made as soon as possible but in any event within 24 hours of when it is believed that a felony was perpetrated against a resident. Finally, the bill replaces a reference to CQCAPD's former name, and requires that reporting to CQCAPD be made within 24 hours of the event in question.

Justification

Adult homes, enriched housing programs and residences for adults - collectively referred to as adult care facilities - are important models of care that serve as the homes of.thousands of New York State residents. This bill improves current reporting requirements related to resident deaths or attempted suicides and felonies committed against residents. The bill makes these requirements, already applicable to adult homes and residences for adults, applicable to enriched housing programs as well, and requires that felonies be reported within 24 hours rather than 48 hours as set forth in existing law. In addition, although reports of deaths, suicides and felonies involving residents who receive or have received mental hygiene services must be reported. to CQCAPD under current law, there is no deadline for doing so. The bill requires such reporting to take place within 24 hours of an applicable event.

Prior legislative history

Drawn from a similar bill (a departmental) that was introduced in 2007 (A.8701 /S.5155) but did not pass.

Fiscal implications

This bill is not expected to have a fiscal impact on the State

Effective date

Sixtieth day after it shall have become a law.