N.Y. Veterans' Services Law § 11: Use of personal confidential information obtained from veterans or family members of veterans receiving services from the state and polit...

§ 11. Use of personal confidential information obtained from veterans

or family members of veterans receiving services from the state and

political subdivisions thereof. 1. Departments, divisions, bureaus,

boards, commissions and agencies of the state and political subdivisions

thereof, which provide assistance, treatment, counseling, care,

supervision or custody in service areas involving health, mental health,

family services, criminal justice or employment shall be required to

solicit information on whether their customer or client is a veteran as

defined in section eighty-five of the civil service law or family member

of a veteran. Any new forms created after the effective date of this

section shall contain the following questions: "Have you served in the

United States military?" "Has someone in your family served in the

United States military?"

2. Individuals identifying themselves as having served in the military

or a family member shall be advised that the department of veterans'

services and local veterans service agencies established pursuant to

section seventeen of this article provide assistance to veterans

regarding benefits under federal and state law. Information regarding

veterans and military status provided by assisted persons solely to

implement this section shall be protected as personal confidential

material, and used only to assist in the diagnosis, treatment,

assessment and handling of the veteran's or family member's problems

within the agency requesting such information and in referring the

veteran or family member to the department of veterans' services for the

information and assistance with regard to benefits and entitlements

under federal and state law.