N.Y. Public Health Law § 695-a: Definitions

§ 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.