Add §16.39, Ment Hyg L; amd §§156 & 837-a, Exec L; amd §3011, Pub Health L
Relates to a training program for firefighters, police officers and emergency medical services personnel on handling emergency situations involving individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1647
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 15, 2019
___________
Introduced by Sen. BROOKS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health and Develop-
mental Disabilities
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, the executive law and the public
health law, in relation to a training program for firefighters, police
officers and emergency medical services personnel on handling emergen-
cy situations involving individuals with autism spectrum disorder
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section
2 16.39 to read as follows:
3 § 16.39 Autism spectrum disorder training; first responders.
4 The commissioner, in consultation with other appropriate agency repre-
5 sentatives, shall develop a training program to provide instruction and
6 information to firefighters, police officers and emergency medical
7 services personnel on appropriate recognition and response techniques
8 for handling emergency situations involving individuals with autism
9 spectrum disorder and on recognizing the behavioral symptoms and charac-
10 teristics of children and adults with autism spectrum disorders. Such
11 training shall also include any other information deemed necessary and
12 appropriate by the commissioner.
13 § 2. Section 156 of the executive law is amended by adding a new
14 subdivision 23 to read as follows:
15 23. Coordinate and provide the training program relating to handling
16 emergency situations involving individuals with autism spectrum disorder
17 developed by the commissioner of developmental disabilities pursuant to
18 section 16.39 of the mental hygiene law to all firefighters, both paid
19 and volunteer.
20 § 3. Section 837-a of the executive law is amended by adding a new
21 subdivision 10 to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06818-01-9
S. 1647 2
1 10. Coordinate and provide the training program relating to handling
2 emergency situations involving individuals with autism spectrum disorder
3 developed by the commissioner of developmental disabilities pursuant to
4 section 16.39 of the mental hygiene law to all police officers.
5 § 4. Section 3011 of the public health law is amended by adding a new
6 subdivision 12 to read as follows:
7 12. The department shall coordinate and provide the training program
8 relating to handling emergency situations involving individuals with
9 autism spectrum disorder developed by the commissioner of developmental
10 disabilities pursuant to section 16.39 of the mental hygiene law to all
11 emergency medical services personnel including, but not limited to,
12 first responders, emergency medical technicians, advanced emergency
13 medical technicians and emergency vehicle operators.
14 § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
