New York A 137: Relates to hospitalization, care coordination, and assisted outpatient treatment for persons with mental illness

Bill Text

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A00137 Summary:

BILL NOA00137 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS S01080

&nbsp

SPONSORBraunstein

&nbsp

COSPNSRPheffer Amato, Lee, Simone, Stern, Lasher, Rozic, Yeger, Zaccaro, Griffin, Berger, Meeks, Dilan,
 Reyes, Clark

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Amd Ment Hyg L, generally

&nbsp

Relates to hospitalization, care coordination, and assisted outpatient treatment for persons with mental illness.

Go to top A00137 Actions:

BILL NOA00137 

&nbsp

01/08/2025referred to mental health

01/07/2026referred to mental health

Go to topA00137 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topA00137 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topA00137 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 137

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN ASSEMBLY

 (Prefiled)

 January 8, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. BRAUNSTEIN, PHEFFER AMATO, LEE, SIMONE -- read
 once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health

 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to hospitalization,
 care coordination, and assisted outpatient treatment for persons with
 mental illness

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 2 "The Supportive Interventions Act".
 3 § 2. Legislative findings. The legislature finds that with proper
 4 support, the great majority of New Yorkers with severe mental illness
 5 can thrive in outpatient settings as fully-integrated members of the
 6 communities of our state.
 7 The legislature further finds that a core function of our mental
 8 health system is to help each person with severe mental illness maximize
 9 their potential for a self-directed life. Fulfilling this responsibility
 10 requires a flexible approach that acknowledges the challenges that indi-
 11 viduals with severe mental illness may face at certain junctures in
 12 recognizing their own illness and need for treatment. To empower a
 13 person to gain command of their own mental health recovery in due
 14 course, it is sometimes necessary to extend a lifeline through a period
 15 of mandated treatment.
 16 The legislature further finds that it is always preferable for an
 17 individual in psychiatric crisis or at risk thereof to accept mental
 18 health treatment voluntarily, and that care providers be encouraged to
 19 make diligent efforts to exhaust such possibilities before resorting to
 20 involuntary care.
 21 The legislature further finds that while New York law appropriately
 22 limits involuntary hospitalization to circumstances where a person's
 23 mental illness is deemed "likely to result in serious harm," a lack of

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD00502-01-5

 A. 137 2

 1 statutory guidance has led to tragically narrow interpretations of this
 2 standard. The serious harm likely to result from egregious self-neglect,
 3 including psychiatric deterioration likely to result from an extended
 4 period of untreated psychosis, is too often not considered in the clin-
 5 ical evaluation of those in crisis.
 6 The legislature further finds individuals not receiving essential
 7 mental health care because they are unable to recognize their own need
 8 for it may face "revolving door" hospitalization, and intolerable rates
 9 of victimization and premature death.
 10 The legislature further finds that while assisted outpatient treat-
 11 ment, as established by "Kendra's Law" in 1999, has been highly effec-
 12 tive in helping New Yorkers with severe mental illness live safely in
 13 the community and avoid hospitalization and criminal justice involve-
 14 ment, gaps and barriers in the law have prevented the participation of
 15 many individuals who meet the legal eligibility criteria and stand to
 16 benefit from this essential intervention.
 17 The legislature intends and expects that the supportive interventions
 18 facilitated by this act will save lives, raise the quality of life for
 19 New Yorkers with severe mental illness and their loved ones, enhance
 20 public safety, reduce criminalization of mental illness, and improve the
 21 efficiency and cost-effectiveness of our public mental health system.
 22 T