What's happening
This bill establishes an independent ombudsman program to help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities resolve managed care and service access issues.
Why it matters
Creates a dedicated support system. for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, ensuring they have a specialized advocate to help them navigate complex managed care and service systems, which can be especially challenging for this population and their families.
Empowers the ombudsman to handle complaints. not just from individuals, but also from families and providers, covering issues like access to services, quality of care, and adequacy of provider networks—potentially leading to faster and more effective resolutions of systemic problems.
Allows for flexible and timely implementation. by permitting funding allocations without the usual competitive bidding process, which could speed up the establishment of the program and make it responsive to urgent needs, while still requiring oversight and objective allocation methods to maintain accountability.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create Disability Ombudsman Office
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to ways and means
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Referred to mental health
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.
Create Disability Advocacy Office
In Senate Committee · Mental Health And Developmental Disabilities · Sponsor David Carlucci
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7728
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 17, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. BUTTENSCHON, GUNTHER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to the establishment of the independent intellectual and developmental disability ombudsman program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section 33.29 to read as follows: § 33.29 Independent intellectual and developmental disability ombudsman
program.
(a) There is hereby established the office of the independent intellectual and developmental disability ombudsman program that will be operated or selected by the office for people with developmental disabilities for the purpose of assisting individuals with an intellectual or developmental disability to ensure that they receive coverage from managed care organizations that is appropriate in meeting their individual service needs.
(b) Such ombudsman will identify, investigate, refer and resolve complaints that are made by, or on behalf of, consumers relative to coverage under a managed care organization and access to initial and continuing intellectual and developmental disability services and supports; and accept, investigate, refer and help to resolve complaints that are made by or on behalf of consumers or by providers relative to network adequacy for access to intellectual and developmental disability services and supports.
(c) Notwithstanding sections one hundred twelve and one hundred sixty-three of the state finance law and section one hundred forty-two of the economic development law, or any other inconsistent provision of law, funds available for expenditure pursuant to this section for the establishment of an ombudsman program for intellectual and developmental
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11224-01-9
A. 7728 2
disability, may be allocated and distributed by the commissioner of the office for people with developmental disabilities, subject to the approval of the director of the budget, without a competitive bid or request for proposal process for the establishment of an ombudsman program for intellectual and developmental disability. Provided, however, that such allocation or distribution must be based on objective criteria and an allocation methodology that is approved by the director of the budget.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.