S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  7552--A
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 25, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  BURDICK,  EACHUS, SHIMSKY, BEEPHAN, BENDETT,
   MCGOWAN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health --
   committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as  amended  and
   recommitted to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  mental  hygiene  law, in relation to the "First
   Responder Peer Support Program Act"
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  This  act  shall  be known and may be cited as the "First
 Responder Peer Support Program Act".
   § 2. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section 7.51 to
 read as follows:
 § 7.51 FIRST RESPONDER PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM.
   (A) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS  SHALL  HAVE
 THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   1. "THE PROGRAM" SHALL MEAN THE "FIRST RESPONDER PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM"
 ESTABLISHED BY THIS SECTION.
   2.  "ELIGIBLE ENTITIES" SHALL MEAN AN ENTITY OR COUNTY FIRST RESPONDER
 PEER PROGRAM WHICH SUBMITS TO THE COMMISSIONER AN APPLICATION, IN A FORM
 PRESCRIBED BY THE COMMISSIONER, CONTAINING SUCH INFORMATION  AND  ASSUR-
 ANCES  AS  THE COMMISSIONER MAY REQUIRE TO PROVIDE INITIAL AND CONTINUED
 TRAINING IN MENTAL ILLNESS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, HELPING  INDI-
 VIDUALS GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF TRAUMA, REPETI-
 TIVE  EXPOSURE,  SIGNS  AND  SYMPTOMS OF TRAUMA, TRIGGERS OF A TRAUMATIC
 EVENT, COPING MECHANISMS,  SUICIDE  PREVENTION,  AS  WELL  AS  AVAILABLE
 TOOLS,  RESOURCES,  AND LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR FIRST RESPONDER
 PEER VOLUNTEERS, VOLUNTEER AND  PAID  INDIVIDUALS  WHO  ARE  TRAINED  TO
 RESPOND  TO  EMERGENCY  SITUATIONS  AND PROVIDE IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE AND
 CARE TO THOSE IN NEED.  THIS WOULD INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK AS FIRE-
 FIGHTERS,  POLICE  OFFICERS, 9-1-1 OPERATORS, EMERGENCY DISPATCHERS  AND
 EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES  PERSONNEL.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09287-03-3
              

 A. 7552--A                          2
 
   (B)  THE  COMMISSIONER,  IN  CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF THE
 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, THE OFFICE OF FIRE  PREVENTION  AND  CONTROL,  THE
 MUNICIPAL  POLICE TRAINING COUNCIL,  AND  THE  SUPERINTENDENT  OF  STATE
 POLICE, SHALL, SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION,  ESTABLISH  A  STATEWIDE  GRANT
 PROGRAM  TO  BE KNOWN AS THE "FIRST RESPONDER PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM". THE
 PROGRAM SHALL PROVIDE GRANTS, WITH APPROPRIATIONS THEREFOR, TO  ELIGIBLE
 ENTITIES  FOR  THE  PURPOSE  OF  ESTABLISHING PEER-TO-PEER MENTAL HEALTH
 PROGRAMS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS.
   (C) THE COMMISSIONER  SHALL  ESTABLISH  STANDARDS  APPLICABLE  TO  THE
 PROGRAM.  SUCH  STANDARDS  SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, INITIAL
 AND CONTINUED TRAINING FOR FIRST RESPONDER PEER VOLUNTEERS,  ADMINISTRA-
 TIVE STAFFING NEEDS, AND BEST PRACTICES FOR ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF EACH
 FIRST RESPONDER SERVED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A WARM HANDOFF TO
 MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS IDENTIFIED AS BEING IN DURESS.
   (D)  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  NOT  REQUIRE THE RECIPIENT OF ANY GRANT
 UNDER THIS SECTION TO  MAINTAIN  RECORDS  ON  FIRST  RESPONDERS  SEEKING
 SUPPORT OR REPORT ANY PERSONAL IDENTIFYING INFORMATION DIRECTLY OR INDI-
 RECTLY  TO  THE  COMMISSIONER,  A FIRST RESPONDER'S EMPLOYER, OR A FIRST
 RESPONDER'S ORGANIZATION.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
 it shall have become a law.