§ 21-146 Resources for client service providers and responses to complaints of gender-based harassment and sexual assault.
AC § 21-146
a. Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings: Complaint. The term "complaint" means a complaint made by: 1. A client of a contracted client service provider regarding an incident that occurred while receiving services; or 2. Staff of a contracted client service provider regarding an incident that occurred during the course of their employment. Contracted client service provider. The term "contracted client service provider" means a person that has entered into a contract with the department or, for the purposes of subdivision e of this section, the department or the department of homeless services, to provide client services. Survivor. The term "survivor" means a person who has experienced or reported gender-based harassment or sexual assault. Survivor assistance organizations. The term "survivor assistance organizations" means a community-based organization that provides trauma-informed assistance to survivors who are experiencing homelessness. b. Access to information and resources.
1.The New York city commission on human rights and the office to end domestic and gender-based violence shall make available survivor-centered, culturally relevant, and trauma-informed gender-based harassment and sexual assault information and resources to the department. In addition to other such relevant information and resources, the office to end domestic and gender based violence shall make available to the department a survivor resource guide. This survivor resource guide shall be updated at least annually by the office to end domestic and gender-based violence, in consultation with relevant survivor assistance organizations. The department shall compile such information and resources and make such information and resources accessible through the department's website. In addition to the online survivor resource guide, the information and resources accessible through the department's website shall include but not be limited to: (a) Survivor hotlines; (b) Information regarding community-based and agency programs, including family justice centers, social services, benefits assistance, housing assistance, legal services and healthcare services; and (c) Any other information deemed relevant by the commissioner.
2.The department shall provide the information and resources compiled pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subdivision, including the online survivor resource guide, to contracted client service providers to support a survivor-centered, culturally relevant, and trauma-informed response to complaints of gender-based harassment or sexual assault. c. Training. No later than 30 days after the effective date of the local law that added this section, the department shall make available through its website links to online training resources related to gender-based harassment and sexual assault that are survivor-centered, culturally relevant, and trauma-informed for contracted client service providers. Such training resources shall include the online anti-sexual harassment training offered by the New York city commission on human rights pursuant to subdivision 30 of section 8-107 and any other training resources that the department obtains and deems appropriate to include on its website. d. Outreach. No later than 30 days after the effective date of the local law that added this section, the department shall make available to contracted client service providers outreach materials, including informational flyers and signage. The department shall advise such contracted client service providers to distribute such materials to staff and clients, and to post such materials in conspicuous locations that are visible to staff and clients. e. Complaints.
3.On or before July 31, 2022 and every six months thereafter, the department shall review, to the extent that such information is available to the department or the department of homeless services, all complaints of gender-based harassment or sexual assault made to the department or the department of homeless services against contracted client service providers and any settlements entered into or outcomes reached by such contracted client service providers in response to such complaints of gender-based harassment or sexual assault, if any, including whether any referrals were made to the police department or to survivor assistance organizations.
4.On or before January 31, 2022 and annually thereafter, the department shall submit a report to the speaker of the council summarizing any steps it has taken to establish procedures pursuant to the requirements of this section. (L.L. 2021/102, 9/26/2021, eff. 1/24/2022)
