S 5141: Establishes a direct service professional credit and career ladder tuition assistance grant program to develop training programs and improve existing workforce development programs for the purpose of training direct support professionals and establishing a career ladder for individuals working with individuals with developmental disabilities.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5141 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE February 19, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sens. JACKSON, ASHBY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Disabilities AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law and the education law, in relation to establishing a direct service professional credit and career ladder tuition assistance grant program The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 13.23 of the mental hygiene law is amended by 2 adding a new subdivision (d) to read as follows: 3 (d) The commissioner shall work cooperatively with the state universi- 4 ty boards of trustees and the city university boards of trustees to 5 establish a grant program pursuant to section sixty-three hundred 6 three-b of the education law in order to develop training programs and 7 improve existing workforce development programs for the purpose of 8 training direct support professionals and establishing a career ladder 9 for individuals working with individuals with developmental disabili- 10 ties. Within funds appropriated for such purpose, the commissioner may 11 establish a direct service professional credit and career ladder tuition 12 assistance grant program. 13 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6303-b to 14 read as follows: 15 § 6303-b. Direct service professional credit and career ladder tuition 16 assistance grant program. 1. For purposes of this section, the following 17 terms shall have the following meanings: 18 (a) "Direct service professional credit program" shall mean the commu- 19 nity college programs established pursuant to a memorandum of under- 20 standing between the commissioner of the office for people with develop- 21 mental disabilities and the board of trustees of the state university 22 and the city university to develop training programs and a college 23 certificate program that links theory with practice for the purpose of 24 training direct support professionals employed by agencies who are fund- 25 ed by the office for people with developmental disabilities and provid- 26 ing supports and services to individuals with developmental disabili- 27 ties. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD09976-01-5 
 S. 5141 2 1 (b) "Career ladder program" shall mean the community college programs 2 established pursuant to a memorandum of understanding between the 3 commissioner of the office for people with developmental disabilities 4 and the board of trustees of the state university and the city universi- 5 ty to develop a career ladder supervisor/manager program leading to an 6 associate's degree in health/human services or a related major and asso- 7 ciated credit-bearing certificate programs in community residence 8 management or developmental disabilities for participants who do not 9 elect to obtain an associate's degree. 10 (c) "At least a part-time basis" shall mean enrollment for at least 11 six hours per semester or four hours per quarter. 12 (d) "Tuition" shall mean the total semester, quarter or classroom hour 13 cost of instruction at a state-operated community college, excluding 14 mandatory fees, book charges and room and board. 15 (e) "Grant programs" shall mean the direct service professional credit 16 program and the career ladder program. 17 2. The state university boards of trustees and the city university 18 board of trustees may establish grant programs for community colleges to 19 develop training programs and improve existing workforce development 20 programs for the purpose of training direct support professionals and 21 establishing a career ladder for individuals working with individuals 22 with developmental disabilities pursuant to a memorandum of understand- 23 ing with the commissioner of the office for people with developmental 24 disabilities. 25 3. Pursuant to a memorandum of understanding with the community 26 college and the commissioner of the office for people with developmental 27 disabilities and within funds appropriated for such purpose, the office 28 for people with developmental disabilities shall establish a tuition 29 assistance grant program to provide tuition assistance to direct support 30 professionals employed by agencies who are funded by such office and 31 providing supports and services to individuals with developmental disa- 32 bilities or for individuals working with individuals with developmental 33 disabilities enrolled on at least a part-time basis at a community 34 college as defined in section three hundred fifty of this chapter. 35 Any program established pursuant to this section shall provide tuition 36 assistance grants to such direct support professionals employed by agen- 37 cies who are funded by the office for people with developmental disabil- 38 ities and providing supports and services to individuals with develop- 39 mental disabilities or for individuals working with individuals with 40 developmental disabilities in an amount up to fifty percent of the 41 tuition required to be paid to such state-operated community college by 42 such direct support professionals employed by agencies who are funded by 43 such office and providing supports and services to individuals with 44 developmental disabilities or for individuals working with individuals 45 with developmental disabilities. 46 4. Upon successful completion of either the direct service profes- 47 sional credit program or the career ladder program the office for people 48 with developmental disabilities certified provider employing the direct 49 support professional or individuals working with individuals with devel- 50 opmental disabilities shall reimburse the community college for one-half 51 of the cost of such employee training or tuition. 52 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to academ- 53 ic semesters, quarters and classroom hours beginning on or after January 54 1, 2027.