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.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10397
IN SENATE
May 15, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. C. RYAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed 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 of the office for people
4 with developmental disabilities, the commissioner of the office of chil-
5 dren and family services, and the commissioner of education, shall
6 establish a community stakeholder committee to examine appropriate and
7 effective evidence-based screening methods, and appropriate inter-
8 ventions for children identified with a developmental disability, a
9 mental health or behavioral condition, and educational supports for
10 students in kindergarten through grade five. The community stakeholder
11 committee shall consist of at least ten members. The following four
12 members shall serve as co-chairs of the community stakeholder committee:
13 (a) the commissioner of mental health or their designee; (b) the commis-
14 sioner for people with developmental disabilities or their designee; (c)
15 the commissioner of children and family services or their designee; and
16 (d) the commissioner of education or their designee. The remaining
17 members shall be appointed in cooperation by the temporary president of
18 the senate, the speaker of the assembly, and in consultation with the
19 minority leaders of the senate and assembly, in such a manner as to
20 ensure that all regions of the state are represented, and shall include:
21 (a) at least two members who specialize in identifying, evaluating, and
22 diagnosing individuals with a developmental disability, or a mental
23 health or behavioral condition; (b) at least one member who specializes
24 in providing education to individuals with a developmental disability, a
25 mental health or behavioral condition; (c) at least one member who is a
26 parent of a student with a developmental disability, a mental health or
27 behavioral condition; and (d) at least one member who has been identi-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09149-03-6
S. 10397 2
1 fied as an individual with a developmental disability, a mental health
2 or a behavioral condition. All members shall have expertise in fields or
3 disciplines related to the identification of students diagnosed with a
4 developmental disability, a mental health or behavioral condition.
5 2. The community stakeholder committee shall conduct at least two
6 public hearings for the purpose of obtaining information from stakehold-
7 ers and other interested parties, including but not limited to social
8 workers licensed under article 154 of the education law, mental health
9 practitioners licensed under article 163 of the education law, behavior
10 analysts licensed under article 167 of the education law, and teachers,
11 school administrators, and parents.
12 3. The community stakeholder committee shall prepare and submit a
13 report of its findings and recommendations to the governor, temporary
14 president of the senate, speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of
15 the assembly, and the minority leader of the senate eighteen months
16 after the effective date of this act.
17 § 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2027 and shall expire and
18 be deemed repealed August 1, 2028.
