NY A05482

Amends Mental Hygiene Law to establish a Family Bill of Rights and Privileges for qualified personal representatives (spouses, parents, adult children, siblings, guardians) of individuals with developmental disabilities receiving services from covered providers.

Grants family members the right to participate in care plan development, access health and safety information, receive timely notifications of events affecting the individual, obtain financial transparency information, make unannounced visits, and access facility safety plans and food menus.

Allows family members to choose a care coordinator and consult with independent advocates, mental hygiene legal services, attorneys, or Medicaid ombudsmen.

Requires covered providers to post the bill of rights conspicuously at all facilities and permits denial of specific rights only if the individual receiving services competently and contemporaneously affirms in writing that a particular representative should not exercise that right.

Directs the commissioner to post the bill of rights on the office website in English and the six most commonly spoken non-English languages in the state, establish a public education program, and adopt necessary regulations for implementation.