As used in this title, the following terms have the following meanings:
Commissioner. The term “commissioner” means the commissioner of veterans’ services.
Department. The term “department” means the New York city department of veterans’ services.
§ 31-102 Employment resources.
Definitions. For the purposes of this section:
Federal veterans job bank. The term “federal veterans job bank” means the job bank developed by the federal government for veterans or any subsequent online tool that the federal government utilizes to connect veterans with employment opportunities.
City job. The term “city job” means employment with the government of the city of New York.
The department shall publish on its website information concerning resources intended to assist veterans in obtaining employment including, but not limited to:
a link to the federal veterans job bank;
links to websites describing veteran employment services provided by the federal government and New York state government, including, but not limited to, the websites of the United States department of labor, the New York state department of labor, the United States department of veterans affairs, and the New York state division of veterans’ services; and
links to any additional resources deemed relevant by the department.
The department shall consult with the department of citywide administrative services and other appropriate city agencies to identify city job postings for inclusion in the federal veterans job bank and shall also ensure that such city job postings are included in such job bank and are updated as necessary to maintain accuracy.
The department shall consult with the department of small business services to identify job postings that are received or maintained by the department for inclusion in the federal veterans job bank and shall also ensure that such job postings are included in such job bank and are updated as necessary to maintain accuracy.
§ 31-103 Veteran liaisons.
The head of each city agency shall designate an employee to act as liaison with veterans within such agency and shall notify the department of the name and contact information of such liaison. Such liaison shall advise veterans within such agency of benefits and services available to veterans at such agency and employee personnel policies applicable to veterans at such agency. At the request of the department, the head of each city agency shall make such liaison available to confer with and receive periodic training from the department. The department shall post on its website the names of persons designated to act as such liaison within each agency.
§ 31-104 Veterans’ advisory board electronic mail addresses.
Upon appointment to the board, every member of the veterans’ advisory board, as constituted pursuant to section 3103 of the charter, shall create an electronic mail address dedicated exclusively to the conduct of the business of the board. The department shall make such electronic mail address available to the public on the department’s website no later than thirty days after the commencement of the member’s term of appointment. Such electronic mail address may not be commingled with any other personal or professional electronic mail addresses held or maintained by the members of the board. The department may establish guidelines to promote uniformity in the formatting of any electronic mail address created pursuant to this section.
§ 31-105 Additional notice of public meetings of the veterans’ advisory board.
The department shall ensure that notice of any public meeting of the veterans’ advisory board held pursuant to section 3103 of the charter is posted on the department’s website with the date, time and location of each public meeting, and that such notice is posted not less than one week prior to each public meeting. The department shall also maintain and periodically update the contact information of veterans organizations located within the city and shall notify such organizations by regular or electronic mail of the date, time and location of each public meeting of the veterans’ advisory board not less than one week prior to each public meeting.
§ 31-106 Veterans resource centers.
The commissioner shall ensure that at least one veterans resource center is established and operational in each borough by no later than June 1, 2019. Each borough shall have a minimum of 20 hours of combined field and in-office service per week, including at least 10 consistent office hours, and shall be located in a geographic area that is easily accessible, including for persons with disabilities, and in close proximity to public transportation. Notice of a center’s hours of operation shall be clearly displayed on the premises and on the department’s website.
Each veterans resource center shall provide veterans with up-to-date information, at no cost regarding, at a minimum, (i) matters within the department’s purview pursuant to this title, chapter 75 of the charter and state executive law section 358; (ii) housing; (iii) social services offered by public agencies and charitable and private organizations, including but not limited to the provision of specific contact information for such agencies and organizations; (iv) financial assistance and tax exemptions available to veterans; (v) discharge upgrade resources; and (vi) federal, state, and local benefits available to veterans.
Each veterans resource center shall provide benefits counseling services and a hard copy resource guide pursuant to section 31-108, as well as information about relevant referral services.
The department shall make available on its website information about each of the veterans resource centers, including its address, contact information, hours of operation and services provided.
The commissioner, in consultation with any agencies identified by the mayor, shall establish and engage in outreach and education efforts to inform veterans about the veterans resource centers, including their locations, contact information, hours of operation and the services they provide.
The commissioner shall, beginning January 1, 2020 and every six months thereafter, submit a report in machine-readable format to the mayor and the speaker of the council regarding the operation of the veterans resource centers established pursuant to this section. Such report shall include, but not be limited to, the following information for the prior six-month period, disaggregated by center: (i) the number of veterans utilizing such center; (ii) a summary of the services offered by such center; (iii) a description of the services and information most frequently requested by veterans utilizing such center; (iv) the number of full-time and part-time staff persons working at such center; and (v) the number of complaints received by and against such center from veterans regarding the services offered by such center, including feedback received by the 311 customer service center and a general description of the nature of such feedback.
§ 31-107 Benefits counseling.
The department shall provide counseling services to veterans seeking assistance regarding benefits offered by the city of New York, the state of New York and the United States department of veterans affairs to which they, their spouses or domestic partners, dependents or any family members may be entitled because of their military service. Counseling services shall include advice, evaluation and information, but shall not include the services identified by section 14.629(b) of title 38 of the code of federal regulations. Counseling services must be provided by trained staff and shall, at a minimum, be available in each of the five boroughs, including at each veterans resource center established pursuant to section 31-106.
§ 31-108 Veterans resource guide.
The department shall develop and maintain a resource guide for veterans. The department shall regularly update information provided in such guide as is necessary to maintain accuracy.
The guide developed pursuant to subdivision a of this section shall include, but not be limited to, information about:
Federal, state and city benefits available to veterans and to their spouses or domestic partners, dependents and family members, as applicable, based upon the veterans’ military service, which shall include the criteria for eligibility to receive such benefits and information on organizations that employ accredited agents and attorneys to assist veterans with their claims;
Provisions of federal, state and local laws and regulations affording special rights and privileges to members of the armed forces and veterans and to their spouses or domestic partners, dependents and family members, as applicable, including, but not limited to, protections under the uniformed services employment and reemployment rights act;
Protections and remedies afforded to veterans under section 8-107;
Physical and mental health programs and resources;
Educational and training opportunities;
Available sources of low- or no-cost legal assistance;
Social services, including, but not limited to, housing and food security supports offered by public agencies and charitable and private organizations;
Programs and services administered by public agencies to support veteran-owned businesses;
Employment resources; and
Any other information deemed relevant by the department.
The department shall make such guide available on the department’s website and in printed form upon request.
The department shall publish on its website, and in any hard copy of such resource guide distributed, information about how relevant service providers can update the department on any changes in the services they offer to veterans.
§ 31-109 Reporting requirements.
For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
Engagements. The term “engagements” means any interactions for the purposes of providing services to veterans, caretakers, active servicemembers and their families, including those interactions in resource centers, the department’s office, or in the field.
Services. The term “services” means any activity or resource provided by the department to help veterans, including, but not limited to, providing information, offering referrals, connecting veterans with internal and external resources and any direct action taken for or on behalf of veterans.
Veteran. The term “veteran” means a person who has served in the Armed Forces, National Guard or Reserves of the United States.
No later than December 15, 2019, and no later than December 15 annually thereafter, the department shall submit to the speaker of the council and post to its website an annual report regarding the department’s services and performance.
The annual report shall include, but need not be limited to, the following information for the prior fiscal year:
A list and description of the services provided by the department;
The total number of employees, a list of functional titles, the number of employees in each functional title and a summary of the general responsibilities for each title;
The total number of engagements, per month, disaggregated by the types of services provided, whether the service was provided at the department’s office, a resource center or in the field, and borough;
The types of services veterans have inquired about, including through 311 calls, per month, disaggregated by type of service, and borough where applicable;
The methods by which the department provides information to veterans and their families, caretakers and active servicemembers and the methods by which veterans and their families learned about the department;
A list of the field services provided by the department in each borough, per month; and
The methods utilized by the department in calculating its report on the performance indicators herein.
§ 31-110 Outreach and engagement on issues related to higher education.
The commissioner, in consultation with the department of consumer affairs and any other agencies identified by the mayor, shall establish and coordinate outreach and engagement efforts to inform veterans about financial issues and resources related to higher education, including, but not limited to: government programs and other resources available to veterans, resources on how to minimize student debt, student loan repayment options and programs for veterans, the risks of for-profit or fraudulent colleges and trade schools, how to identify predatory for-profit institutions and lower-cost alternatives to for-profit higher education.
The materials developed pursuant to subdivision a of this section shall be made available on the department’s website, at each veterans resource centers established pursuant to section 31-106 and in printed form upon request.