What's happening
This bill requires a coordinated review and report on proposals to create or expand social services facilities in large New York cities, focusing on community impact and facility concentration.
Why it matters
Ensures community input and oversight. By requiring a review of community impact and gathering specific suggestions and objections from local residents before new or expanded social services facilities are approved, the bill gives neighborhoods a greater voice in facility placement decisions.
Addresses facility concentration and equity. The mandatory analysis of the current level and concentration of social services facilities in an area aims to prevent over-saturation in certain neighborhoods, promoting a fairer distribution of services and potentially reducing local pushback or stigma.
Promotes cross-agency coordination. The bill mandates collaboration among multiple state and city agencies (mental health, developmental disabilities, substance abuse, homeless services, housing authority, etc.), which could lead to more comprehensive planning and reduce redundant or overlapping services.
Could influence future policy and funding. By delivering reports and legislative recommendations to top state officials and legislative committees, the findings from these reviews may inform broader statewide strategies, funding allocations, and future laws related to social services infrastructure.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Review Social Services Facilities
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 14
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2384
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 24, 2019
Introduced by Sens. COMRIE, ADDABBO -- 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 directing the commissioner of mental health to issue a review and report regarding certain facilities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 5.05 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new subdivision (f) to read as follows:
(f) (1) The commissioners of the office of mental health, the office for people with developmental disabilities and the office of alcoholism and substance abuse services shall, in collaboration with the commissioner of the New York city department of homeless services and the chair and chief executive officer of the New York city housing authority, review and issue a report concerning all proposals by an agency requesting to:
a. enter into contract or similar agreement to provide services at a new location as a social services facility; and
b. to expand the size and/or change the type of services offered of a social services facility, within a city with a population of one million or more.
(2) The review and report shall focus on the following factors, including, without limitation:
a. The proposed impact in the affected community.
b. The current level and concentration of all social services facilities in the affected area.
c. The cumulative effect thereof; and specific suggestions, modification and objections as expressed by the affected community.
(3) For the purpose of this subdivision, a "social services facility" shall include the following:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02907-01-9
S. 2384 2
a. ACS placement facilities. "ACS placement facilities" means facilities, certified by the New York state office of children and family services, for the care of youth placed in accordance with the provisions of the family court act and the regulations of the New York state office of children and family services, managed directly by the administration for children's services or under contract or similar agreement with the administration for children's services.
b. City-administered facilities, "City-administered facilities" means hotels, shelters and other accommodations or associated services, managed by or provided under contract or similar agreement with any city agency, provided to individuals or families who need temporary emergency housing or assistance finding or maintaining stable housing.
c. DHS-administered facilities. "DHS-administered facilities" means city-administered facilities managed directly by the department of homeless services or by a provider under contract or similar agreement with the department of homeless services.
d. DYCD-administered facilities. "DYCD-administered facilities" means city-administered facilities managed directly by the department of youth and community development or by a provider under contract or similar agreement with the department of youth and community development.
e. HPD-administered facilities. "HPD-administered facilities" means city-administered facilities managed directly by the department of housing preservation and development or by a provider under contract or similar agreement with the department of housing preservation and development.
f. HRA-administered facilities. "HRA-administered facilities" means city-administered facilities managed directly by the human resources administration or by a provider under contract or similar agreement with the human resources administration, excluding shelters for victims of domestic violence managed directly by the human resources administration or by a provider under contract or similar agreement with the human resources administration.
g. Supportive housing facilities. "Supportive housing facilities" means affordable, independent, and permanent housing with support services for tenants, including but not limited to people who have been homeless, have histories of substance abuse, are coping with mental illness, have chronic illnesses such as HIV/AIDS, are young adults aging out of foster care, are homeless veterans, or grandparents raising grandchildren, and is under contract with a city agency including but not limited to the department of health and mental hygiene and the human resources administration.
(4) Within ninety days of the completion of a review conducted pursuant to paragraph one of this subdivision, the commissioners of the office of mental health, the office for people with developmental disabilities and the office of alcoholism and substance abuse services shall, in collaboration with the commissioner of the New York city department of homeless services and the chair and chief executive officer of the New York city housing authority, shall issue a report and deliver a copy of their findings, and any legislative recommendations they deem to be necessary to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the chair of the mental health and developmental disabilities committee of the senate, and the chair of the mental health committee of the assembly.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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 directing the commissioner of mental health to issue a review and report regarding certain facilities
Purpose
To ensure increased community and local government participation and rational planning in the site selection process of State-established community residential facilities.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends mental hygiene law Section 5.05 by adding a new subdi- vision requiring the Commissioners of the Office of Mental Health, Office for the People with Developmental Disabilities and the Office for Alcoholism and Substance Abuse to work with the New York City Department of Homeless Services and the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the New York City Housing Authority to review all proposals by an agency requesting to enter into a contract or similar agreement to (1) Provide services at a new location as a social services facility, and/or to (2) Expand the size or change the type of services offered at a social services facility within a city of with a population of one million or more
Subdivision 2 specifies a review and report, which shall concentrate upon the proposed impact on the affected community; the current level and concentration of social service facilities in the area and the cumu- lative effect thereof; and specific suggestions, modifications and objections as expressed by the affected community.
Subdivision 3 clarifies and further enumerates the definitions of social services and supportive housing facilities.
Subdivision 4 sets a timeline for the aforementioned review and report to be completed and delivered to the Governor and various members of the Legislature.
Section 2 provides that this act shall take effect immediately.
Justification
Property owners in the vicinity of proposed or existing supportive hous- ing sites are often unaware of the sponsoring agency's intent to estab- lish or transform a facility. Community resistance typically results when the sponsoring agencies disregard the concerns of neighboring prop- erty owners. Encouraging a community's active involvement in the site selection process would help to allay unfounded fears and provide wider acceptance of such residents. Current practice in dispute hearings usually restricts the hearing to a discussion of one disputed site to ensure that a site selected by the state is most suited to meet the needs of the persons to be placed in the residence. However, it may make more sense to take a holistic look at all options which should be considered in the determination of a selected site.
Compiling a report of where each facility for each agency is located is, a more rational and thoughtful attempt to provide for equal distribution of supportive units throughout the city and will provide a better sense of the big picture for supportive housing units in an attempt for equal distribution. All options should be considered in the site selection process and no one community should bear more than their fair share.
Legislative history
2015-16: S.7889; Referred to Mental Health and Developmental Disabili- ties. 2017-18: S.1901-4444 Passed Senate; 62-0.
Fiscal implications
No new costs expected.
Effective date
This law will take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.