NY Soc Serv L § 95-A (2021)
2021 New York Laws SOS - Social Services Article 3 - Local Public Welfare Organization; Powers and Duties Title 5 - Records, Reports, Funds and Appropriations 95-A - State Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Outreach Program.

* §  95-a.  State  supplemental  nutrition assistance program outreach   program. 1. In accordance with federal requirements and  to  the  extent   that  federal matching funds are available, the department shall develop   and  implement  an  outreach  plan  to  inform   low-income   households   potentially   eligible  to  receive  supplemental  nutrition  assistance   program benefits of  the  availability  and  benefits  of  the  program,   including  information  on  the  federal  SNAP  Online  Purchasing Pilot   program or subsequent programs, and to encourage  the  participation  of   eligible households that wish to participate.2.  In  developing  and implementing such a plan the department and/or   its local  districts  are  authorized  and  empowered,  subject  to  the   approval  of the director of the budget and provided that federal aid is   available therefor, to enter into  contractual  agreements  with  public   and/or  private  organizations to develop and implement local, regional,   and statewide outreach programs.3. Each commissioner of social services shall develop  and  submit  to   the  department  on  an  annual basis for its approval, a local outreach   plan governing the use of local social services personnel  and  services   provided  by  federally  funded  and other agencies and organizations to   inform potentially eligible households of the availability and  benefits   of  the  program  and  to  encourage and facilitate the participation of   eligible households.  The  department  shall  provide  commissioners  of   social  services  with  technical  assistance as needed to carry out the   provisions of this subdivision.4. As part of each local  outreach  plan,  social  services  officials   shall  take  all  steps  necessary  to  maintain a supply of information   leaflets in  public  buildings,  including  but  not  limited  to  local   unemployment insurance and employment services offices of the department   of  labor,  institutions and facilities under the supervision or control   of the department of health, food stores, union halls, community centers   and local agencies providing services to the elderly to help insure that   eligible persons are informed of the supplemental  nutrition  assistance   program.5. The department shall periodically distribute to all newspapers, and   to  television  and  radio stations throughout the state, public service   announcements describing the supplemental nutrition assistance  program,   including  the  toll-free  telephone  numbers for supplemental nutrition   assistance program information, and shall promptly inform such media  of   significant  changes  in  the program affecting eligibility requirements   and/or the amount  of  the  supplemental  nutrition  assistance  program   bonus.6.  The  department shall establish procedures in cooperation with the   industrial commissioner of  the  department  of  labor  to  ensure  that   informational  leaflets  about  the  supplemental  nutrition  assistance   program  are  sent  to  each  local  employment  services   office   for   distribution  pursuant  to  section five hundred forty of the labor law.   Each leaflet shall include but not be limited to: the phone  number  for   the  New York State supplemental nutrition assistance hotline, estimated   maximum income eligibility levels by household size for participation in   the supplemental nutrition assistance program and  the  availability  of   local  social  services  departments  to  provide additional information   about the program.7. In accordance with applicable federal laws, rules  and  regulations   the  department  shall make available appropriate bilingual materials so   that potentially  eligible  non  English  speaking  individuals  may  be   informed about the supplemental nutrition assistance program. 8. The department shall promulgate rules and regulations, and take all   other  actions  necessary  for  the  effective  implementation  of  this   section.* NB Effective until December 15, 2023* §  95-a.  State  food  stamp outreach program. 1. In accordance with   federal requirements and to the extent that federal matching  funds  are   available,  the  department shall develop and implement an outreach plan   to inform low-income households potentially  eligible  to  receive  food   stamps  and  to  encourage the participation of eligible households that   wish to participate.2. In developing and implementing such a plan  the  department  and/or   its  local  districts  are  authorized  and  empowered,  subject  to the   approval of the director of the budget and provided that federal aid  is   available  therefor,  to  enter  into contractual agreements with public   and/or private organizations to develop and implement  local,  regional,   and statewide outreach programs.3.  Each  commissioner  of social services shall develop and submit to   the department on an annual basis for its  approval,  a  local  outreach   plan  governing  the use of local social services personnel and services   provided by federally funded and other  agencies  and  organizations  to   inform  potentially eligible households of the availability and benefits   of the program and to encourage  and  facilitate  the  participation  of   eligible  households.  The  department  shall  provide  commissioners of   social services with technical assistance as needed  to  carry  out  the   provisions of this subdivision.4.  As  part  of  each  local outreach plan, social services officials   shall take all steps necessary  to  maintain  a  supply  of  information   leaflets  in  public  buildings,  including  but  not  limited  to local   unemployment insurance and employment services offices of the department   of labor, institutions and facilities under the supervision  or  control   of the department of health, food stores, union halls, community centers   and local agencies providing services to the elderly to help insure that   eligible persons are informed of the food stamp program.5. The department shall periodically distribute to all newspapers, and   to  television  and  radio stations throughout the state, public service   announcements describing the food stamp program, including the toll-free   telephone numbers for food stamp information, and shall promptly  inform   such  media  of significant changes in the program affecting eligibility   requirements and/or the amount of the food stamp bonus.6. The department shall establish procedures in cooperation  with  the   industrial  commissioner  of  the  department  of  labor  to ensure that   informational leaflets about the food stamp program  are  sent  to  each   local  employment  services  office for distribution pursuant to section   five hundred [and] forty of the labor law. Each  leaflet  shall  include   but  not  be  limited  to:  the phone number for the New York State food   stamp hotline, estimated maximum income eligibility levels by  household   size for participation in the food stamp program and the availability of   local  social  services  departments  to  provide additional information   about the program.7. In accordance with applicable federal laws, rules  and  regulations   the  department  shall make available appropriate bilingual materials so   that potentially  eligible  non  English  speaking  individuals  may  be   informed about the food stamp program.8. The department shall promulgate rules and regulations, and take all   other  actions  necessary  for  the  effective  implementation  of  this   section.* NB Effective December 15, 2023