N.Y. Pub. Health Law § 695-A

Current through 2024 NY Law Chapter 553

Section 695-A - Definitions

As used in this article:

1. "Rape crisis intervention and prevention program" means any program which has been approved by the department offering counseling and assistance to clients concerning sex offenses, sexual abuse, or incest.

2. "Community support system" means a system of service providers in a community designed to meet the needs of a victim of a sex offense, sexual abuse or incest.

3. "Comprehensive services" means hotline, counseling, community prevention, recruitment and training programs, accompaniment services, and referral.

4. "Counseling" means individual communication and interaction which helps the client make choices and act upon those choices, provided to a client concerning any sex offense, sexual abuse, incest, or attempt to commit a sex offense, sexual abuse, or incest.

5. "Client" means any person seeking or receiving the services of a rape crisis counselor for the purpose of securing counseling or assistance concerning any sex offense, sexual abuse, incest, or attempt to commit a sex offense, sexual abuse, or incest.

6. "Hotline" means twenty-four-hour access to rape crisis intervention and prevention services including telephone hotline and telephone counseling capabilities.

7. "Community prevention" means public education projects designed to encourage victim use of rape crisis intervention services, educating the general public about the availability and significance of rape crisis intervention services, providing sex offense, sexual abuse or incest prevention and personal safety information, providing other education programs which sensitize service providers and the general public about the nature of sex offenses, sexual abuse or incest and the needs of survivors of a sex offense, sexual abuse or incest. "Community prevention" also means and includes public education projects designed to teach the general public about the problem of acquaintance rape, including but not limited to: (a) the importance of promptly respecting the decision of another person not to engage in sexual conduct; and (b) the right of every individual to make such a decision and have it respected.

8. "Recruitment and training programs" means programs designed to recruit and train staff or volunteers in a rape crisis intervention and prevention program as well as training or education to other agencies participating in a community support system.

9. "Accompaniment services" means services that assure the presence of a trained rape crisis worker to assist and support the client, at hospitals, law enforcement agencies, district attorneys' offices, courts and other agencies.

10. "Referral" means referral to and assistance with medical services and services of criminal justice agencies, mental health agencies, or other entities providing related services.

N.Y. Pub. Health Law § 695-A