Allows for certain rules and regulations to be waived in order to promulgate collaboration between mental health providers to develop programs for the benefit of the mentally ill.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10008
IN ASSEMBLY
April 29, 2022
___________
Introduced by M. of A. E. BROWN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Mental Health
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to providing waivers
of certain rules and regulations to promulgate collaboration by mental
health providers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision (a) of section 7.15 of the mental hygiene law,
2 as amended by section 3 of part I of chapter 58 of the laws of 2005, is
3 amended to read as follows:
4 (a) The commissioner shall plan, promote, establish, develop, coordi-
5 nate, evaluate, and conduct programs and services of prevention, diagno-
6 sis, examination, care, treatment, rehabilitation, training, and
7 research for the benefit of the mentally ill. Such programs shall
8 include but not be limited to in-patient, out-patient, partial hospital-
9 ization, day care, emergency, rehabilitative, and other appropriate
10 treatments and services provided, however, that the commissioner, in
11 conjunction with the commissioner of the office for people with develop-
12 mental disabilities, shall be authorized to waive rules and regulations
13 of the office of mental health and of the department of health, respec-
14 tively, to address barriers to collaboration by mental health providers
15 and providers of home care services under this section, including barri-
16 ers related to medical assistance reimbursement, service procedures,
17 care coordination and direct care worker training applicable to such
18 providers, provided further that regulations pertaining to patient safe-
19 ty may not be waived, nor shall any regulations be waived if such waiver
20 would risk patient safety. He or she shall take all actions that are
21 necessary, desirable, or proper to implement the purposes of this chap-
22 ter and to carry out the purposes and objectives of the department with-
23 in the amounts made available therefor by appropriation, grant, gift,
24 devise, bequest, or allocation from the mental health services fund
25 established under section ninety-seven-f of the state finance law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08662-01-1
A. 10008 2
1 § 2. Subdivision (a) of section 13.15 of the mental hygiene law, as
2 amended by chapter 37 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as
3 follows:
4 (a) The commissioner shall plan, promote, establish, develop, coordi-
5 nate, evaluate, and conduct programs and services of prevention, diagno-
6 sis, examination, care, treatment, rehabilitation, training, and
7 research for the benefit of individuals with developmental disabilities.
8 Such programs shall include but not be limited to in-patient, out-pa-
9 tient, partial hospitalization, day care, emergency, rehabilitative, and
10 other appropriate treatments and services provided, however, that the
11 commissioner, in conjunction with the commissioner of the office for
12 people with developmental disabilities, shall be authorized to waive
13 rules and regulations of the office of mental health and of the depart-
14 ment of health, respectively, to address barriers to collaboration by
15 mental health providers and providers of home care services under this
16 section, including barriers related to medical assistance reimbursement,
17 service procedures, care coordination and direct care worker training
18 applicable to such providers, provided further that regulations pertain-
19 ing to patient safety may not be waived, nor shall any regulations be
20 waived if such waiver would risk patient safety. He shall take all
21 actions that are necessary, desirable, or proper to implement the
22 purposes of this chapter and to carry out the purposes and objectives of
23 the office within the amounts made available therefor by appropriation,
24 grant, gift, devise, bequest, or allocation from the mental health
25 services fund established under section ninety-seven-f of the state
26 finance law.
27 § 3. Subdivision (a) of section 19.15 of the mental hygiene law, as
28 amended by chapter 208 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as
29 follows:
30 (a) With the advice of the advisory council on alcoholism and
31 substance abuse services, and with the assistance of any interdepart-
32 mental council or committee heretofore or hereafter established that
33 shall be charged with the responsibility for interdepartmental cooper-
34 ation and program development in alcoholism, substance abuse, and chemi-
35 cal dependency, the commissioner shall promote, establish, coordinate,
36 and conduct programs for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, aftercare,
37 rehabilitation, and control in the fields of alcoholism, alcohol abuse,
38 substance abuse, substance dependence, and chemical dependence in coop-
39 eration with such other federal, state, local, and private agencies as
40 are necessary and, within the amount made available by appropriation
41 therefor, implement and administer such programs provided, however, that
42 the commissioner, in conjunction with the commissioner of the office for
43 people with developmental disabilities, shall be authorized to waive
44 rules and regulations of the office of mental health and of the depart-
45 ment of health, respectively, to address barriers to collaboration by
46 mental health providers and providers of home care services under this
47 section, including barriers related to medical assistance reimbursement,
48 service procedures, care coordination and direct care worker training
49 applicable to such providers, provided further that regulations pertain-
50 ing to patient safety may not be waived, nor shall any regulations be
51 waived if such waiver would risk patient safety.
52 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.