Bill Text: NY A08408 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishes the direct support professional credential pilot program to initiate a program to continue to gain the expertise and knowledge of the developmental disabilities workforce and of the developmental disabilities workforce recruitment and retention needs throughout the field.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-05 - referred to mental health [A08408 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-A08408-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          8408

                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    October 20, 2021
                                       ___________

        Introduced by M. of A. ABINANTI -- read once and referred to the Commit-
          tee on Mental Health

        AN  ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing the
          direct support professional credential pilot program

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section
     2  13.44 to read as follows:
     3  § 13.44 Direct support professional credential pilot program.
     4    (a) The office shall initiate a program to continue to gain the exper-
     5  tise and knowledge of the developmental disabilities  workforce  and  of
     6  the developmental disabilities workforce recruitment and retention needs
     7  throughout  the  field.  The  office  shall  implement  a direct support
     8  professional credential pilot program to assist and attract  individuals
     9  into the field of direct support, advance direct support as a career and
    10  professionalize the field to promote workforce recruitment and retention
    11  efforts, advance skills and competencies, and further ensure the health,
    12  safety and well being of individuals being served.
    13    (b) There hereby is created the direct support professional credential
    14  pilot  program  within  the office to assist individuals in the field to
    15  obtain a credential in their field of expertise.
    16    (1) Such pilot program shall be administered by the office  for  three
    17  years.  The  pilot  program  shall include state-operated facilities and
    18  not-for-profit providers, licensed and certified by  the  office.    The
    19  purpose of the pilot program shall be to assess how the establishment of
    20  a  state accredited direct support professional credential: (A) promotes
    21  recruitment and retention  efforts  in  the  developmental  disabilities
    22  field,  notably  the  direct support professional position; (B) enhances
    23  competence in the developmental disabilities field; (C)  yields  quality
    24  supports  and  services  to individuals with developmental disabilities;

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD13190-01-1
        A. 8408                             2

     1  and (D) advances the health and safety requirements  set  forth  by  the
     2  state.
     3    (2)  The office in administering the pilot program shall consider, but
     4  not be limited to, the following:
     5    (A) best practices learning initiatives, including the  University  of
     6  Minnesota's  college of direct support and New York state direct support
     7  professional competencies;
     8    (B) national direct support professional competencies or credentialing
     9  based standards and trainings;
    10    (C) facilitating direct support professionals portfolio development;
    11    (D) the role and value of skill mentors; and
    12    (E) creating a career ladder.
    13    (3) Direct support professional credential means a document issued  to
    14  an individual by a recognized accrediting body attesting that such indi-
    15  vidual  has  met  the  professional  requirements  of  the credentialing
    16  program by the office.
    17    (4) The office shall produce a report detailing the  progress  of  the
    18  pilot program, including, but not limited to:
    19    (A)  the  rate of recruitment and retention for direct support profes-
    20  sionals of providers participating in the pilot program compared to  the
    21  rate for non-participating providers;
    22    (B) the number of direct support professionals credentialed; and
    23    (C)  the  enhancement  of quality supports and services to individuals
    24  with developmental disabilities.
    25    § 2. This act shall take effect April 1, 2023.