No. 41: Requiring an Annual Training for Veteran-Designated Supportive Housing Providers

No. 41: Requiring an Annual Training for Veteran-Designated Supportive Housing Providers

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No. 41

E X E CU T I V E O R D ER

REQUIRING AN ANNUAL TRAINING FOR VETERAN-DESIGNATED SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROVIDERS

WHEREAS, the State of New York has a vested interest in eliminating barriers to employment and recognizes that WHEREAS, New York State holds a deep and unwavering commitment to serving every veteran and military family member who calls the Empire State their home; and

WHEREAS, New York State is committed to ending veteran homelessness within the State, an endeavor toward which the State has already made great strides; and

WHEREAS, New York honors with immense gratitude the supportive housing providers within the State who provide life-saving shelter for veterans and military families within the State who are confronting homelessness or housing insecurity; and

WHEREAS, New York State desires to provide these supportive housing providers with the resources, knowledge, and military cultural competency that is necessary to provide the best and most comprehensive services available to the veterans and military families who receive shelter in these supportive housing units throughout the State; and

WHEREAS, the New York State Department of Veterans' Services is equipped to provide training in these crucial areas to the State's supportive housing providers who set aside units for veterans and military families; and

WHEREAS, such training from the New York State Department of Veterans' Services will better equip supportive housing providers in enhancing the military cultural competency of their facilities; in connecting veterans and military families with life-changing state and federal benefits in areas including healthcare, educational assistance, financial compensation, employment preferences; and in the implementation of evidence-based gatekeeper screening tools proven to be effective internationally in the prevention of suicide; and

NOW, THEREFORE, I, KATHY HOCHUL, Governor of the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution of the State of New York, do hereby order as follows:

1. The New York State Department of Veterans' Services shall prepare a training program to be available online, beginning on November 11, 2025, to supportive housing providers in the State.

2. The goals of the training program shall be to: (a) improve the ability of supportive housing providers to screen applicants for veteran status; (b) enhance the military cultural competency of supportive housing providers to better serve veterans and military families in their care; (c) provide greater awareness of the state and federal benefits, programs, services, and resources available for veterans and military families who are facing homelessness or housing insecurity, as well as resources available to help connect veterans and military families to these benefits, programs, services, and resources; and (d) implement gatekeeper suicide prevention screening to better identify veterans and military families in their care who are facing a heightened risk of suicide or self-harm.

3. The training program described herein shall be made available by the Department of Veterans' Services to supportive housing providers in the State of New York at no cost to said housing providers.

New York State executive agencies providing and administering funding from the State of New York awarded after the effective date of this order to supportive housing providers exclusively or partially for housing with units set aside specifically for veterans and/or military families shall require annual completion of this training program as a condition of said housing providers receiving these funds.

G I V E N under my hand and the Privy Seal of the State in the City of Albany this eleventh day of November in the year two thousand twenty-four.

BY THE GOVERNOR

Secretary to the Governor