Creates 10 interagency placement committees throughout the state to recommend treatment and rehabilitation programs or strategies for youths with co-existing mental disabilities; directs such committees to establish a process by which youths can be referred to such committees; directs such committees to submit a report annually to the governor and legislature identifying gaps in treatment and rehabilitation options, and any plans or recommendations to increase such options.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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8537
IN SENATE
February 12, 2024
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Introduced by Sen. SCARCELLA-SPANTON -- read twice and ordered printed,
and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to creating intera-
gency placement committees to recommend treatment and rehabilitation
programs or strategies for youths with co-existing mental disabilities
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 41.58 to read as follows:
3 § 41.58 Interagency placement committees.
4 1. There is hereby established ten interagency placement committees in
5 the state, one for each of the following regions: Long Island, New York
6 City, Mid-Hudson, the Capital Region, Mohawk Valley, North Country,
7 Central New York, the Southern Tier, the Finger Lakes, and Western New
8 York. Each such committee shall be comprised of nine members, who shall
9 be familiar with the region in which they are appointed and knowledge-
10 able of the services under this section that are available in such
11 region, and who shall be appointed as follows:
12 (a) three members to be appointed by the commissioner of mental
13 health;
14 (b) three members to be appointed by the commissioner of developmental
15 disabilities; and
16 (c) three members to be appointed by the commissioner of children and
17 family services.
18 2. The purposes of the interagency placement committees established
19 pursuant to subdivision one of this section shall be to ensure that
20 youth with co-existing mental disabilities are being provided sufficient
21 wraparound services to meet their needs. Each interagency placement
22 committee shall establish a procedure under which families, schools,
23 probation centers, and other appropriate establishments in their region
24 may refer youths with co-existing mental disabilities to such interagen-
25 cy placement committee, to determine the best treatment and rehabili-
26 tation programs or strategies available for such youth and to recommend
27 such determinations to the referring entity. In making such a determi-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11920-01-3
S. 8537 2
1 nation, interagency placement committees shall avoid recommending an
2 in-patient setting for a youth unless there are no reasonable alterna-
3 tives appropriate for such youth.
4 3. Upon receiving a referral of a youth with co-existing mental disa-
5 bilities pursuant to subdivision two of this section, an interagency
6 placement committee shall make its determination and recommendation of
7 the best treatment and rehabilitation programs or strategies available
8 for such youth pursuant to subdivision two of this section within two
9 weeks of receiving such referral. Such determination shall be based upon
10 a majority vote of the members of such interagency placement committee.
11 The findings and reasoning for such determination and recommendation
12 shall be provided to the entity that submitted such referral.
13 4. Beginning on the first of January next the date upon which this
14 section shall have become a law, each interagency placement committee
15 shall submit a report to the governor, the temporary president of the
16 senate, and the speaker of the assembly, that shall contain information
17 on identified gaps in treatment and rehabilitation options in their
18 region for youths with co-existing mental disabilities, and any plans or
19 recommendations to increase the availability of such services.
20 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
21 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
22 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
23 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
24 completed on or before such effective date.
