What's happening
This bill requires developmental disability service providers to post emergency and abuse reporting notices, including hotline and law enforcement contacts.
Why it matters
Increases staff awareness and accountability. by requiring providers to post clear instructions for reporting emergencies, abuse, or neglect, making it harder for staff to claim ignorance of their obligations.
Strengthens protections for vulnerable individuals. with developmental disabilities by ensuring employees are regularly reminded of their legal duty to report suspected abuse or neglect, potentially leading to quicker intervention.
Facilitates faster and more direct responses. to incidents by mandating the inclusion of both the Justice Center hotline and local law enforcement contact information in public notices, reducing confusion or hesitation during emergencies.
Promotes organizational transparency and legal compliance. by standardizing the posting of emergency and abuse reporting protocols, potentially reducing institutional liability in cases of unreported or mishandled incidents.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Post 911 Emergency Notices
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities
- Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Post 911 Emergency Notices
In Senate Committee · Rules · Sponsor Thomas Abinanti
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1400
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 9, 2017
Introduced by Sen. AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to duties of providers of service to people with developmental disabilities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 31.11 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new subdivision 6 to read as follows:
6. for programs licensed, certified, operated, authorized or funded by the office for people with developmental disabilities, posting a visible notice in a public area visible to employees informing such employees to call 911 in the event of an emergency. Further, the notice shall inform employees that, pursuant to article eleven of the social services law, they shall report to the justice center for the protection of people with special needs if it is believed that abuse or neglect of a service recipient has occurred; and may contact law enforcement if it is believed that such abuse or neglect constitutes a crime. Such notice shall contain the phone number of the justice center hotline and local law enforcement entity.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01260-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to duties of providers of service to people with developmental disabilities
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this bill is to require all programs for the develop- mentally disabled to post a visible notice informing employees to call 911 in the event of an emergency and that as mandated reporters they must report suspected abuse, neglect or maltreatment of an individual in the program to the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 of the bill amends Section 31.11 of the Mental Hygiene Law by adding a new subdivision 6 to require programs licensed, certified, operated, authorized or funded by the office for people with developmental disabilities to post a visible notice in a public area visible to employees that such employee is to call 911 in the event of an emergency. In addition, the notice shall, inform employees that as mandated reporters pursuant to article eleven of the social services law, they shall report to the justice center for the protection of people with special needs suspected abuse or neglect of an individual at such a program and that they may contact law enforcement if it is believed that such abuse or neglect constitutes a crime. Such notice shall contain the phone number of the justice center hotline and local law enforcement entity.
Section 2 is the effective date.
Justification
Many times employees of group homes for the developmentally disabled notice that a client has visible signs of abuse. However, they report it to their supervisor and often this information never gets to law enforcement agencies or properly investigated.
Current law requires mandatory reporters to report such conduct to the Justice Center. This legislation helps to ensure that employees are aware of their responsibility, in an emergency, to contact 911 and that as mandated reporters they must contact the Justice Center if they believe abuse or neglect has occurred.
This legislation supports the protection of our most vulnerable population.
Legislative history
2015-16: S.7188/A.7533 (Abinanti) passed Assembly 2014: A7907 (Weisenberg) passed Assembly; 2014: S.6929 (Golden) referred to Mental Health 2013: A.7907 (Weisenberg) passed Assembly.
Fiscal implications
Undetermined
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.