What's happening
This bill makes home visiting services available to certain public assistance recipients, allowing participation to count toward work requirements.
Why it matters
Expands access to home visiting services. for public assistance recipients who are exempt from work activities (such as due to disability or caring for a very young child), potentially providing more holistic support for vulnerable families.
Home visiting services now count toward work requirements. , allowing parents—especially those with young children—to fulfill public assistance obligations through participation in programs that support child development, parenting skills, and family stability.
Mandates that social services officials assess and inform families. about the availability and appropriateness of home visiting services during their employability evaluation, increasing awareness and uptake of supportive programs.
Aligns local support services with federal home visiting standards (42 U.S.C. 711). , ensuring that eligible families access evidence-based, high-quality interventions that may improve long-term outcomes for both parents and children.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Expand Home Visits for Welfare
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.164
- Referred to social services
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 43–19
- Ordered to third reading cal.1697
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
Show 1 earlier action
- Referred to social services
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.
Expand Home Visits for Welfare
In Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor Patricia Fahy
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5810
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 15, 2019
Introduced by Sen. MONTGOMERY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to home visiting services for applicants for, or recipients of, public assistance benefits who are exempt from certain work activities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 332 of the social services law is amended by adding a new subdivision 1-a to read as follows:
1-a. Applicants for, or recipients of, public assistance who are exempt from work activities pursuant to paragraph (d) or (e) of subdivision one of this section shall be eligible to receive home visiting services that meet the criteria established pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 711, so long as such individual meets all other eligibility criteria established pursuant to the particular home visiting model. The local social services district shall provide information to any applicant or recipient that is interested in receiving such services and provide assistance in determining the most appropriate model to meet the particular needs of the individual.
§ 2. Subdivision 1 of section 335 of the social services law, as amended by chapter 214 of the laws of 1998, is amended and a new paragraph (c) is added to subdivision 2 to read as follows:
1. Each social services official shall ensure that each recipient of public assistance who is a member of a household with dependent children and is eighteen years of age or older, or who is sixteen or seventeen years of age and is not attending secondary school and has not completed high school or a high school equivalency program, receives an assessment of employability based on his or her educational level, including literacy and English language proficiency, basic skills proficiency, child care and other supportive services needs; and skills, prior work experience, training and vocational interests. This assessment shall include a
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10767-01-9
S. 5810 2
review of family circumstances including a review of any special needs of a child and whether home visiting services would be appropriate and beneficial for the family. Such assessment shall be completed within ninety days of the date on which such person is determined eligible for public assistance. An applicant for or recipient of public assistance may be assigned to work activities prior to completion of such assessment.
(c) Where an assessment indicates that home visiting services would be appropriate and beneficial to the public assistance household, and such services are available, the local social services official shall encourage the recipient to participate in such services. To the extent that such participant is interested in receiving home visiting services, the local social services official shall assign the participant to a work activity in accordance with paragraph (f) or (m) of subdivision one of section three hundred thirty-six of this title, where such home visiting services shall count towards the individual's work requirements as set forth in section three hundred thirty-five-b of this title.
§ 3. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 5 of section 335-b of the social services law, as added by section 148 of part B of chapter 436 of the laws of 1997, is amended to read as follows:
(c) Each social services official shall ensure that each parent or caretaker of a child, when such parent or caretaker is receiving public assistance, is engaged in work as soon as practicable. Provided, however, that such social services official shall ensure that each parent or caretaker of a child under the age of five is provided with information regarding home visiting programs which meet the criteria established pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 711 in their area, and that such home visiting services may satisfy a portion of such individual's required work activities.
§ 4. Paragraphs (f) and (m) of subdivision 1 of section 336 of the social services law, paragraph (f) as amended by chapter 275 of the laws of 2017, and paragraph (m) as amended by section 148 of part B of chapter 436 of the laws of 1997, are amended to read as follows:
(f) job search and job readiness assistance, which shall include activities with the goal of seeking or obtaining employment, or preparation to seek or obtain employment, including life-skills training, which shall include but not be limited to home visiting services to the recipient and their family, and provided further that job search is an active and continuing effort to secure employment configured by the local social services official; and such social services district may work in cooperation with the department of labor to provide workforce guidance and information in accordance with section ten-c of the labor law;
(m) job search and job readiness assistance, as defined in paragraph (f) of this subdivision, once the individual has exceeded the six week limit set in federal law;
§ 5. 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 social services law, in relation to home visiting services for applicants for, or recipients of, public assistance benefits who are exempt from certain work activities
Purpose or general idea of bill
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to home visiting services for applicants for, or recipients of, public assistance bene- fits who are exempt from certain work activities
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends section 332 of the social services law by adding new subdivision 1-a: 1-a. Provides that recipients of public assistance who are exempt from work activities shall be eligible to receive home visiting services provided they otherwise meet eligibility criteria. Provides that local social services districts shall provide information about home visiting services to applicants for public assistance.
2. This subdivision is amended to provide that reviews of services offered to recipients of public assistance include a home visiting where it may be beneficial.
Paragraph (c) is added to provides to local social services officials shall encourage participation in home visitation where appropriate. Provides that home visiting activity shall count toward an individual's work requirements.
3. Amends paragraph (c) to ensure parents are provided with information that such home visiting activities count toward a recipient's work activity requirement.
4. Amends paragraphs (f) and (m). Defines job search and job readiness assistance to include home visiting programs
5. Sets the effective date.
Justification
Evidence-based and evidence-informed home visiting programs provide families with services to prevent child abuse and maltreatment, enhance positive parent child interactions and empower families to develop and achieve their self-sufficiency goals. These critical programs for fami- lies provide a host of early intervention services that can assist fami- lies and prevent often serious and costly familial and societal prob- lems. Applicants for or recipients of public assistance who are exempt from work activities and have dependent children are required by law to receive an employability assessment that takes into consideration educa- tion level, literacy, English language proficiency, child care and other supportive service needs as well as prior work experience, training and vocational interests. This legislation would require a review of family circumstances and the needs of the child/children to determine if home visiting services would be appropriate and beneficial to the family. It would also require an eligible parent or caretaker with a child under the age of five to be provided with information regarding their partic- ipation in home visiting programs that would both benefit their family and partially satisfy their work requirement.
Prior legislative history
None
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately
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