Establishes a developmental disability, mental health, and behavioral condition community stakeholder committee to examine effective evidence-based developmental, mental, and behavioral health screening methods for children in kindergarten through fifth grade.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A5213
SPONSOR: Buttenschon TITLE OF BILL:
An act in relation to establishing a developmental disability, mental
health, and behavioral condition community stakeholder committee; and
providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To establish a community stakeholder Committee to examine appropriate
and effective evidence-based screening, intervention and educational
supports for students with developmental, mental and behavioral health
conditions.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. establishing a community stakeholder committee to examine
evidence-based developmental disability, mental health or behavioral
screening methods, interventions for children with developmental,
mental, or behavioral health conditions and other educational supports
for students in kindergarten through grade five.
Section 2. The community stakeholder committee shall conduct several
public hearings to obtain information from stakeholders and other inter-
ested parties.
Section 3. The community stakeholder committee shall prepare and submit
reports of findings and recommendations within specific timeframe.
JUSTIFICATION:
There is a growing and unmet need for mental health, behavioral condi-
tions, and developmental disability services for the elementary students
of New York. Medical experts, educators and parents agree our children
are in crisis, but are at a loss of how best to assess and address their
needs. This bill will establish a community stakeholder committee to
examine appropriate and effective developmental, mental health and
behavioral condition screening methods, interventions for children with
a developmental disability, mental health or behavioral conditions and
other educational supports for students in kindergarten through grade 5.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: A.6801-B - Amend and recommit to rules
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect January 1, 2026, and shall expire and be
deemed repealed August 1, 2027.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5213
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 12, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BUTTENSCHON, SANTABARBARA, SAYEGH, ANDERSON --
read once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health
AN ACT in relation to establishing a developmental disability, mental
health, and behavioral condition community stakeholder committee; and
providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Developmental disability, mental health, and behavioral
2 condition community stakeholder committee. 1. The commissioner of mental
3 health, in consultation with the commissioner for people with develop-
4 mental disabilities, the commissioner of children and family services,
5 and the commissioner of education, shall establish a community stake-
6 holder committee to examine appropriate and effective evidence-based
7 screening methods, and appropriate interventions for children identified
8 with a developmental disability, a mental health or behavioral condi-
9 tion, and educational supports for students in kindergarten through
10 grade five. The community stakeholder committee shall consist of at
11 least ten members. The following four members shall serve as co-chairs
12 of the community stakeholder committee: (a) the commissioner of mental
13 health or their designee; (b) the commissioner for people with develop-
14 mental disabilities or their designee; (c) the commissioner of children
15 and family services or their designee; and (d) the commissioner of
16 education or their designee. The remaining members shall be appointed
17 in cooperation by the temporary president of the senate and the speaker
18 of the assembly in such a manner as to ensure that all regions of the
19 state are represented, and shall include: (a) at least two members who
20 specialize in identifying, evaluating, and diagnosing individuals with a
21 developmental disability, or a mental health or behavioral condition;
22 (b) at least one member who specializes in providing education to indi-
23 viduals with a developmental disability, a mental health or behavioral
24 condition; (c) at least one member who is a parent of a student with a
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09149-01-5
A. 5213 2
1 developmental disability, a mental health or behavioral condition; and
2 (d) at least one member who has been identified as an individual with a
3 developmental disability, a mental health or a behavioral condition. All
4 members shall have expertise in fields or disciplines related to the
5 identification of students diagnosed with a developmental disability, a
6 mental health or behavioral condition.
7 2. The community stakeholder committee shall conduct at least two
8 public hearings for the purpose of obtaining information from stakehold-
9 ers and other interested parties, including but not limited to social
10 workers licensed under article 154 of the education law, mental health
11 practitioners licensed under article 163 of the education law, behavior
12 analysts licensed under article 167 of the education law, and teachers,
13 school administrators, and parents.
14 3. The community stakeholder committee shall prepare and submit a
15 report of its findings and recommendations to the governor, temporary
16 president of the senate, speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of
17 the assembly, and the minority leader of the senate eighteen months
18 after the effective date of this act.
19 § 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2026 and shall expire and
20 be deemed repealed August 1, 2027.
