S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                        5141--A
                              2015-2016 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                   February 12, 2015
                                      ___________
       Introduced   by   M.   of  A.  SANTABARBARA,  RUSSELL,  MILLER,  CROUCH,
         BROOK-KRASNY, ZEBROWSKI, GUNTHER, ABINANTI, SCHIMEL, GRAF,  MONTESANO,
         DUPREY,  FINCH,  McDONALD  --  Multi-Sponsored  by  -- M. of A. CLARK,
         GALEF, KEARNS,  MOSLEY,  RIVERA,  SIMON,  SOLAGES  --  read  once  and
         referred  to  the Committee on Education -- committee discharged, bill
         amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said  commit-
         tee
       AN  ACT  to amend the education law, in relation to vocational rehabili-
         tation services for enhancing communication support
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 1004-c
    2  to read as follows:
    3    S 1004-C. COMMUNICATION SUPPORT SERVICES. 1. THE COMMISSIONER IS HERE-
    4  BY DIRECTED TO PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS TO INCLUDE COMMUNICATION
    5  SUPPORT  SERVICES  AS  A VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICE AS DEFINED BY
    6  PARAGRAPH A OF SUBDIVISION FIVE OF SECTION  ONE  THOUSAND  TWO  OF  THIS
    7  ARTICLE.  ANY  INDIVIDUAL WHO SHALL HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH A PRAGMATIC
    8  LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT OR WHOSE EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS MAY REASONABLY BENEFIT
    9  FROM AN IMPROVED CAPACITY TO COMMUNICATE SHALL QUALIFY FOR COMMUNICATION
   10  SUPPORT SERVICES.  ALL REFERRALS MADE PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL  BE
   11  MADE  TO INDIVIDUALS LICENSED, CERTIFIED, REGISTERED OR OTHERWISE QUALI-
   12  FIED UNDER EXISTING STATE LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS.   NOTHING  HEREIN
   13  SHALL  BE  CONSTRUED TO ALTER OR DEFINE SCOPE OF PRACTICE UNDER EXISTING
   14  STATE LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS.
   15    2. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "COMMUNICATION SUPPORT  SERVICES"
   16  SHALL  MEAN  TREATMENT  OR  SERVICES THAT FOCUS ON COMMUNICATION-RELATED
   17  SKILLS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DIALOGUE STRATEGIES FOR:
   18    (I) INITIATING AND EXITING COMMUNICATION OF INTENT;
   19    (II) TOPIC MAINTENANCE;
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD05632-02-5
       A. 5141--A                          2
    1    (III)  DEFUSING  HOSTILE  SITUATIONS  THAT  RESULT  FROM   INEFFECTIVE
    2  ATTEMPTS AT INDEPENDENT COMMUNICATION;
    3    (IV)  PREPARING,  STRATEGIZING, AND ORGANIZING INFORMATION FOR WRITTEN
    4  OR ELECTRONIC CORRESPONDENCE; AND
    5    (V) PREPARING FOR UPCOMING INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION SITUATIONS.
    6    S 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2016.