STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 3153 2021-2022 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 22, 2021 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. HEVESI, BARRON, CRUZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Social Services AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing a two generation pilot program to promote family stability and chil- dren's school readiness; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 2 335-d to read as follows: 3 § 335-d. Two generation pilot program. 1. The commissioner of the 4 office of temporary and disability assistance in cooperation with the 5 commissioner of the office of children and family services, the commis- 6 sioner of mental health and the commissioner of health shall establish a 7 pilot program to promote family stability and children's school read- 8 iness in up to six local social service districts. Such program, subject 9 to the rules and regulations of the commissioner, shall consist of 10 services for families with children up to age six who are recipients of 11 public assistance. The commissioner shall select by a competitive bid or 12 request for proposal process, organizations with expertise in adult 13 education and workforce preparation programs, programs that provide 14 information about appropriate nutrition and medical services for new 15 mothers and young children, and child development programs, including 16 early care, early education, and home visiting. Such services shall be 17 provided in a coordinated effort with a focus on serving families 18 through an integrated, multi-generational approach. Nothing herein 19 shall prohibit organizations from working in joint collaboration when 20 delivering services to families in accordance with this section. 21 2. Such program shall be designed to achieve the following outcomes: 22 (a) increased financial stability of families including increased 23 earning potential of parents; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD01640-01-1

A. 3153 2 1 (b) improved school readiness of children; 2 (c) increased access for parents and children to programs that foster 3 healthy parent-child relationships; and 4 (d) increased access for all family members to participate in programs 5 that address the mental and physical health needs of parents and chil- 6 dren. 7 3. Such programs shall be further designed to utilize funding for 8 services including but not limited to personalized parent support 9 services aimed at maintaining parental engagement and overcoming obsta- 10 cles to achieve program outcomes. 11 4. Each organization participating in the pilot program established 12 under this section shall submit annual project data pertaining to the 13 number of children screened through standardized developmental or 14 social-emotional screening, the number of parents who were unemployed 15 prior to participation in the program who since obtained employment as a 16 result of the program, the number of parents who increased their educa- 17 tion level and specific credentials obtained and the number of parents 18 who were employed at the beginning of their participation in the pilot 19 program, whether their earnings have increased as a result of their 20 participation and any other data or information determined to be rele- 21 vant for the understanding, implementation and outcomes of the pilot 22 program. 23 5. The locations of the participating organizations under the pilot 24 program shall be geographically disbursed throughout the state and 25 determined by the commissioner based on the number of public assistance 26 recipients in a given county, counties with high rates of unemployment 27 or underemployment and counties that lack access to comparable services. 28 6. The duration of a project undertaken by an organization participat- 29 ing in the pilot program established under this section shall be at 30 least one year and no more than four years. 31 7. Thirty months after the effective date of this section, and upon 32 the conclusion of the pilot program, the commissioners shall submit a 33 report to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the 34 speaker of the assembly and the early childhood advisory council estab- 35 lished under section four hundred eighty-three-g of this chapter, 36 analyzing the data provided by the participating organization, as well 37 as recommendations based on the outcomes of the pilot program. 38 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 39 have become a law and shall expire 5 years after such effective date 40 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.

Establishes a two generation pilot program

What's Happening

Why It Matters