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.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8023
SPONSOR: Buttenschon TITLE OF BILL:
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
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Creates interagency placement committees to recommend treatment and
rehabilitation programs or strategies for youths with co-existing mental
disabilities
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the mental hygiene law by adding section 41.58 Intera-
gency Placement Committee. This section lays out the guidelines for such
committees.
Section 2 establishes the effective date.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION (IF APPLICABLE):
JUSTIFICATION:
There is an increase in cases where children are in crises and there is
a shortage of housing for them. Many of these youths are sent to our
local hospitals as a first step and then there is no secure housing for
them when they are released. It can be a court matter, a school matter,
or a family situation that has escalated. Children in the state who are
dealing with complex co-existing mental health disorders are often shuf-
fled around the system, with no real action being taken to remedy their
situation. This legislation will ensure that our state agencies are
working together, in a timely manner, to place children in treatment
facilities that are best equipped to deal with their unique needs.
Additionally, this legislation will call for a report to be submitted to
the legislature that will identify the gaps in our treatments across the
state, and recommendations to start mending this problem.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8023
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
September 13, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BUTTENSCHON -- read once and referred 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-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11920-01-3
A. 8023 2
1 cy placement committee, to determine the best treatment and rehabili-
2 tation programs or strategies available for such youth and to recommend
3 such determinations to the referring entity. In making such a determi-
4 nation, interagency placement committees shall avoid recommending an
5 in-patient setting for a youth unless there are no reasonable alterna-
6 tives appropriate for such youth.
7 3. Upon receiving a referral of a youth with co-existing mental disa-
8 bilities pursuant to subdivision two of this section, an interagency
9 placement committee shall make its determination and recommendation of
10 the best treatment and rehabilitation programs or strategies available
11 for such youth pursuant to subdivision two of this section within two
12 weeks of receiving such referral. Such determination shall be based upon
13 a majority vote of the members of such interagency placement committee.
14 The findings and reasoning for such determination and recommendation
15 shall be provided to the entity that submitted such referral.
16 4. Beginning on the first of January next the date upon which this
17 section shall have become a law, each interagency placement committee
18 shall submit a report to the governor, the temporary president of the
19 senate, and the speaker of the assembly, that shall contain information
20 on identified gaps in treatment and rehabilitation options in their
21 region for youths with co-existing mental disabilities, and any plans or
22 recommendations to increase the availability of such services.
23 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
24 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
25 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
26 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
27 completed on or before such effective date.
