Authorizes the Department of Veterans' Services to consult and collaborate with relevant offices in the federal department of veterans affairs, the department of health, the state office for the aging and other HCBS experts to develop educational materials for veterans and their families about the accessibility to home and community-based services.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7627A
SPONSOR: Kay TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to availability
of information on home care services
PURPOSE:
Authorizes the Department of Veterans' Services to collaborate with
relevant offices in the federal Department of Veterans Affairs, the NYS
Department of Health and the State Office of the Aging to disseminate
educational resources to veterans and their families regarding the
availability of and accessibility to home and community-based services
including but not limited to the federal Veteran-Directed Home and
Community Based Services program (VD-HCBS).
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 Adds a new subdivision 40 of section 4 of the Veterans'
Services law to authorize the Department of Veterans' Services to
collaborate with the relevant offices of the federal Department of
Veterans Affairs and the State Department of health to disseminate
educational resources regarding the availability of and accessibility to
home and community-based services for veterans and their families.
Section 2 amends subdivision 1 of section 15 of the Veterans' Services
law, as amended by chapter 445 of the laws of 2024 to authorize local
veterans' Services Agencies to post on its website and make available at
its office location educational materials relating to the availability
of and accessibility to home and community-based services.
Section 3 establishes the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
New York has the 6th highest veteran population in the country, and
recent studies estimate that 80% of veterans will have some need for
long-term care services and supports in their lifetime. To address this
development, NYS must improve efforts to inform veterans-about the
availability of home and community-based services (HCBS).
Many HCBS programs are available to veterans including adult day
centers, home based primary care, home health aide services, telehealth,
respite care, skilled nursing services, and more. While the high number
of programs and providers can be very beneficial for veterans, the
breadth and variety of the HCBS system can be overwhelming and difficult
to navigate.
To overcome this challenge, this common-sense legislation simply author-
izes the Department of Veterans' Services to consult and collaborate
with relevant offices in the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs and the NYS Department of Health to disseminate educational
materials for veterans and their families. Beneficial HCBS programs are
ready to be utilized by veterans, but the first step in accessing these,
services is to heighten awareness of the various programs, eligibility
requirements, providers, services, locations, and benefits.
In short, HCBS create reliable and innovative ways to meet individual
health needs right in their own homes and communities, the preferred
place to receive care. This bill makes HCBS information easily accessi-
ble for veterans and their families - which can increase healthcare
access, decrease social isolation, and improve the overall quality of
life for our veterans.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.
