N.Y. VET Law § 11

§ 11. Use of personal confidential information obtained from veterans\nor family members of veterans receiving services from the state and\npolitical subdivisions thereof. 1. Departments, divisions, bureaus,\nboards, commissions and agencies of the state and political subdivisions\nthereof, which provide assistance, treatment, counseling, care,\nsupervision or custody in service areas involving health, mental health,\nfamily services, criminal justice or employment shall be required to\nsolicit information on whether their customer or client is a veteran as\ndefined in section eighty-five of the civil service law or family member\nof a veteran. Any new forms created after the effective date of this\nsection shall contain the following questions: "Have you served in the\nUnited States military?" "Has someone in your family served in the\nUnited States military?"\n 2. Individuals identifying themselves as having served in the military\nor a family member shall be advised that the department of veterans'\nservices and local veterans service agencies established pursuant to\nsection seventeen of this article provide assistance to veterans\nregarding benefits under federal and state law. Information regarding\nveterans and military status provided by assisted persons solely to\nimplement this section shall be protected as personal confidential\nmaterial, and used only to assist in the diagnosis, treatment,\nassessment and handling of the veteran's or family member's problems\nwithin the agency requesting such information and in referring the\nveteran or family member to the department of veterans' services for the\ninformation and assistance with regard to benefits and entitlements\nunder federal and state law.\n