Plan for Disabled Veterans' Services

Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature hereby recognizes that New York state's veterans, particularly those who suffered service-related disabilities, have unique needs as a result of the sacrifices they made during their military service. It is also hereby acknowledged by the legislature that due to the complexity of their needs, such individuals require accessible, coordinated, and specialized services within their communities from multiple state and local agencies. The legislature finds that there is an immediate need for a statewide comprehensive program to coordinate such services.

§ 2. Section 352 of the executive law is amended by adding a new subdivision 6 to read as follows:

6. The state director shall submit a plan to the commission by July first, two thousand twenty, and every five years thereafter, with findings and recommendations to:

(a) promote the implementation of a comprehensive statewide program of coordinated services for service-disabled veterans that includes:

(i) matters pertaining to educational training and retraining services and facilities;

(ii) health, medical and rehabilitation services;

(iii) employment and re-employment services;

(iv) housing options;

(v) transportation options;

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

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(vi) long term care options;

(vii) personal care;

(viii) day program service options;

(ix) family outreach; and

(x) other essential services that maximize existing resources;

(b) disseminate general information about available services to service-disabled veterans and how such services may be accessed; and

(c) conduct an ongoing evaluation on the needs of service disabled veterans.

Upon receipt of such plan from the state director, the commission shall vote within ninety days on whether to approve, modify or reject the plan; provided, however, if the commission modifies or rejects the plan, the state director shall resubmit the plan to the commission within six months for approval.

Upon approval of the plan by the commission, the state director shall submit within thirty days of such approval a copy of the plan to the governor, temporary president of the senate and speaker of the assembly.

§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.