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- Referred to rules
Full text
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Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S7943
Title of bill
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing the state division of AIDS services
Purpose
To provide for a State Division of AIDS services within the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance which will provide access to benefits and services to every person infected with HIV, with clinical/symptomatic HIV illness, or with AIDS, and shall ensure the provision of benefits and services to eligible persons.
Read the full memo (798 words)
Summary of provisions
Section One adds a new section 138 to the Social Services law creating a State Division of AIDS Services within the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. This Division shall provide access to benefits and services to every person in New York State infected with HIV, with clinical/symptomatic HIV illness as determined by the New York State Department of Health's AIDS Institute, or with AIDS, as defined by the federal centers for disease control and prevention, who requests assistance, and shall ensure the provision of benefits and services to eligible persons.
The Commissioner shall direct staff of the Division of AIDS services to provide persons infected with HIV, with clinical/symptomatic HIV illness, or with AIDS:
(a) Intensive case management with an average ration which shall not exceed one caseworker or supervisor to twenty-five family cases, and with an overall average ratio for all cases which shall not exceed one case worker or supervisor to thirty-four cases.
(b) Transportation and nutrition allowances, notwithstanding these requirements, in the event of a material reduction in New York's funding allocation, the Commissioner may modify such amount of allowances.
The Commissioner shall direct staff of the Division to provide access to benefits and services to every eligible person with HIV illness or with AIDS who request assistance, and shall ensure the provision of benefits to eligible persons. Such benefits shall include, but not limited to, medically appropriate transitional and permanent housing, Medicaid and other health related services: long term care and services provided by a certified home health agency, long term home health care program or AIDS home care program; food stamps; preventative services, including rent subsidies; financial benefits; and intensive care management. The Commissioner shall have the authority to provide access to additional benefits and services and ensure the provision of such additional benefits and services whenever deemed appropriate.
The requirements with respect to such access and eligibility of benefits shall not be more than those requirements mandated by state or federal statute, law, rule or regulation.
Where a person with HIV illness or AIDS indicates that one or more minor children reside with him or her or are in his or her care or custody, such person shall be given information and program referrals on child care options and custody planning, including the availability of standby guardianship. The bill provides a time frame in which the Commissioner must draft, publish and implement rules and guidelines for the newly created Division of AIDS Services. The bill further requires the Commissioner to issue a report to the Legislature and the Governor outlining the numbers of those who apply for services and the services provided.
Finally, the bill provides that there shall be an advisory board to advise the Commissioner on the provision of benefits and services and access to benefits and services to persons with HIV or AIDS.
Justification
New York has one of the highest number of people infected with the HIV/AIDS virus in the country. As a result there is large demand for HIV/AIDS related services ranging from medical, housing, financial, child care, nutritional, transportation and long term care. Receiving these benefits can be a daunting task because these services come from several different agencies. The process of applying for benefits is confusing and time consuming. For some this may result in abandoning the process altogether while some may be unaware of the benefits available to them.
The Division of AIDS Services would serve as a clearinghouse for all of these services. A person who believes they are eligible for benefits would apply at the Division of AIDS Services. The Division would then notify the person of the services available to him/her and assign a case manager who will serve as a liaison between the various agencies and the client. The Division will insure that people will receive the full benefit of the services available to them.
This bill is modeled after the successful Division of AIDS Services created by the City of New York.
Legislative history
2002: S.6035/A.9678 Died in Senate/Assembly Social Services Committee
2003-2004: S.5024 (Duane) Died in Senate Social Services Committee
2005-2006: S.2291 (Duane) Died in Senate Social Services Committee
2007-2008: S.1570 (Duane) Died in Senate Social Services Committee
2009-2010: S.5530 (Duane) Died in Senate Social Services Committee
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.