Bill > A03934

This bill establishes a five-year pilot program, managed by the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) in partnership with the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), the Office of Mental Health (OMH), and the Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), to help individuals being released from correctional facilities successfully reintegrate into their communities and reduce the likelihood of re-offending, known as recidivism. The program will operate in three selected correctional facilities, including one for women and two for men, and will offer voluntary participation to at least 100 incarcerated individuals up to a year before their earliest expected release date. Participants will undergo thorough assessments to identify their specific needs, such as mental health or substance use disorder services, educational requirements, and job readiness, and will be connected with non-profit organizations and peer support to aid in their reintegration planning. This planning, which begins at least six months before release, will include assistance with applying for public benefits, referrals to mental health and substance use disorder providers, connections to employment and job training, help finding stable housing, and general support services. The program also mandates that DOCCS identify and connect individuals with non-profit providers who will continue to offer support for up to an additional year post-release, focusing on health and behavioral health services, compliance with parole or court mandates, employment based on identified skills, and acquiring affordable housing, with the collaborating agencies contracting with non-profits if DOCCS cannot. The commissioner will report annually on the program's effectiveness, collecting data on housing connections and attainment, employment connections and attainment, and connections to mental health and substance abuse disorder care. Participation in the pilot program is voluntary and does not allow for an individual to be held beyond their earliest release date.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A3934