New York A 185: Establishes peer crisis diversion residences

Bill Text

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A00185 Summary:

BILL NOA00185 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS S03979

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SPONSORCunningham

&nbsp

COSPNSR

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add §31.34, Ment Hyg L

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Establishes peer crisis diversion homes; requires the commissioner to establish or contract for no less than six peer crisis diversion homes within one year.

Go to top A00185 Actions:

BILL NOA00185 

&nbsp

01/08/2025referred to mental health

01/07/2026referred to mental health

Go to topA00185 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topA00185 Floor&nbspVotes:

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

Go to topA00185 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 185

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN ASSEMBLY

 (Prefiled)

 January 8, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. CUNNINGHAM -- read once and referred to the
 Committee on Mental Health

 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing peer
 crisis diversion homes

 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 31.34 to read as follows:
 3 § 31.34 Peer crisis diversion homes.
 4 (a) For the purposes of this section:
 5 (1) "commissioner" shall mean the commissioner of mental health;
 6 (2) "crisis diversion services" shall mean services designed to
 7 provide a person who has behavioral health disorders and who is experi-
 8 encing symptoms, a safe, supportive and affirming home-like, temporary
 9 residence where the person may begin the recovery process, understand
 10 the meaning of what the person is experiencing and regain equilibrium
 11 and the ability to relate effectively to other people. Crisis diversion
 12 services include peer support with an emphasis on relationship-building
 13 and personal choice;
 14 (3) "peer support specialist" shall mean a person who has previously
 15 experienced urgent behavioral health needs and has recovered and who has
 16 successfully completed training that has been approved by the commis-
 17 sioner, qualifying that person to work with a resident;
 18 (4) "resident" shall mean an adult who has experienced urgent behav-
 19 ioral health needs but does not require hospitalization and who volun-
 20 tarily resides for a short term stay in a peer crisis diversion home;
 21 (5) "peer crisis diversion home" shall mean a home-like environment
 22 that offers crisis diversion services by temporarily housing voluntary
 23 residents who engage in routine activities of daily living and learn
 24 about tools for recovery through experience and peer support. The

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD00015-01-5

 A. 185 2

 1 governing body of such home shall consist of current or former recipi-
 2 ents of mental health services and shall control the decision making
 3 processes of the organization, including control of all budget and
 4 personnel management related to the peer crisis diversion home.
 5 (b) The commissioner shall provide formal guidelines for training and
 6 credentialing of a peer support specialist, provided that each peer
 7 support specialist shall personally have experienced urgent behavioral
 8 health needs and shall be certified as completing training in de-escala-
 9 tion techniques, cultural competency, race relations, the recovery proc-
 10 ess, substance abuse, and avoidance of aggressive confrontation prior to
 11 working at a peer crisis diversion home.
 12 (c) The commissioner shall, within one year of the effective date of
 13 this section, establish or contract for the establishment of no less
 14 than six peer crisis diversion homes, three of which shall be in urban
 15 settings and three of which shall be in rural communities. Such homes
 16 shall be recipient-run homes and may be associated with comprehensive
 17 psychiatric emergency programs established pursuant to section 31.27 of
 18 this article.
 19 (d) A peer crisis diversion home, as authorized by this section, shall
 20 offer crisis diversion services that:
 21 (1) serve residents regardless of income;
 22 (2) are staffed twenty-four hours a day by two or more peer support
 23 specialists;
 24 (3) employ a licensed clinician full time