NY State Senate Bill 2023-S7966

Senate Bill S7966

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Establishes the child psychiatry access project within the office of mental health; establishes a gift for such purpose on personal income tax forms

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Mental Health Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

Please enter your contact information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

A valid email address is required.

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.

Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 04, 2024	referred to mental health

2023-S7966 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Mental Health
Law Section:: Mental Hygiene Law
Laws Affected:: Add §7.42, Ment Hyg L; add §628-a, Tax L; add §89-k, St Fin L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: S187
2011-2012: S3434
2013-2014: S3202
2015-2016: S2639
2017-2018: S2220
2019-2020: S3199
2021-2022: S3033

2023-S7966 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes the child psychiatry access project; provides that the office of mental hygiene shall establish regional child psychiatry access projects across the state to provide primary care providers with timely access to child psychiatry consultations in order to assist such primary care providers in meeting the mental health needs of the children and adolescents and their families; establishes a gift for the child psychiatry access project on state personal income tax forms, the proceeds from which shall be deposited into a child psychiatry access fund for the funding of such projects.

2023-S7966 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7966

SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing the
child psychiatry access project; to amend the tax law, in relation to
establishing a gift for the child psychiatry access project; and to
amend the state finance law, in relation to establishing the child
psychiatry access fund

 
PURPOSE:

This legislation would enhance access to mental health services for
children and adolescents by creating regional teams specializing in
behavioral health to consult with and provide support to primary care
providers caring for children and families dealing with mental health
issues.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Sections one of the bill creates a new section 7.42 of the mental

hygiene law directing the office of mental health, within amounts appro-
priated therefore, to establish regional child psychiatry access
projects across the state designed to provide primary care providers
with timely access to child psychiatry consultations regarding the chil-
dren and adolescents they treat. The teams would consist of a child
psychiatrist and appropriate support staff who would support primary
health care providers in their region regardless of the patient's insur-
ance status. The teams would answer questions, provide consultations,
make referrals and in some cases provide transitional support, to the
child and family until the family can access local behavioral health
services. They may also provide educational and advocacy services to
providers and the mental health community.

Section two of the bill adds a new Section 628-a to the Tax Law to
provide for a tax check off for contributions to the child psychiatry
access fund to be included on personal income tax returns beginning in
tax year 2023.

Section three of the bill adds a new section 89-k to establish a child
psychiatry access fund and direct funds to be made available to the
Office of Mental Health to establish child psychiatry projects.

Section four provides for an effective date on the 90th day after it
shall have become law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, about 20% of American children
suffer from a diagnosable mental illness during a given year.  Further,
nearly 5 million American children and adolescents suffer from a serious
mental illness (one that significantly interferes with their day-to-day
life). Indications are that these numbers have not changed much over the
last decade and, unfortunately, the vast majority of these children
receive little or no treatment. Because of the inadequate numbers of
child psychiatrists, primary care practitioners for children and adoles-
cents arc often the ones who care for young people with behavioral and
emotional problems.  Providing primary care providers and families with
timely access to expert guidance is essential in helping to make
informed decisions about psycho-pharmacology and other treatments. This
bill aims to provide that resource through regional child psychiatry
access teams.

The bill will address the problems of access, inappropriate medication,
and insurance barriers by establishing regional teams specialized in
child and adolescent behavioral health who will be available to primary
care practitioners to consult, answer questions and provide support and
referrals for their Patients. It is a model that began in Massachusetts
in 2004-05 and has proven very successful. In Massachusetts there are
six regional teams covering the entire state who are able to respond to
the primary care providers in 'their region, at no cost to the provider
or patient, within about 30 minutes of a call. Tile program is not meant
to replace emergency services or ongoing behavioral health care, This
bill will provide support and information to primary care providers and
timely access to mental health services for children and adolescents.
With such legislation, "too little, too late," could become a
description of the past for the children of New York State.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2021-22: S.3033 Referred to Mental Health

2019-20: S.3199 - Referred to Mental Health and Development Disabilities

2017-18: S.2220 REFERRED TO MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

2015-16: S.2639A - Amend and Recommit to mental health and developmental
disabilities

2013-14: S.3202 Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities

2011-12: S.3434 Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities

2009-10: S.187A/A.4577B - Held in Finance, Passed Assembly

2007-08: S.7033A - Veto 0122

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Self supporting as the bill establishes a tax check off to allow state
income tax filers to donate to the child psychiatry access project fund.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.

2023-S7966 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7966
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 4, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- 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 establishing  the
   child  psychiatry access project; to amend the tax law, in relation to
   establishing a gift for the child psychiatry access  project;  and  to
   amend  the  state  finance  law, in relation to establishing the child
   psychiatry access fund
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section
 7.42 to read as follows:
 § 7.42 CHILD PSYCHIATRY ACCESS PROJECT.
   (A) THE OFFICE SHALL, WITHIN AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED THEREFOR,  ESTABLISH
 OR  MAY  CONTRACT  FOR  THE  ESTABLISHMENT  OF REGIONAL CHILD PSYCHIATRY
 ACCESS PROJECTS ACROSS THE STATE TO PROVIDE PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS  WITH
 TIMELY  ACCESS TO CHILD PSYCHIATRY CONSULTATIONS IN ORDER TO ASSIST SUCH
 PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS IN MEETING THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF  THE  CHIL-
 DREN AND ADOLESCENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
   (B)  REGIONAL  TEAMS SHALL CONSIST OF A CHILD PSYCHIATRIST WITH APPRO-
 PRIATE SUPPORT STAFF, AND BE ESTABLISHED TO  PROVIDE  CHILD  PSYCHIATRIC
 TELEPHONE  CONSULTATIONS TO PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS WITHIN THE DESIGNATED
 REGION RESULTING IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING, DEPENDING UPON  THE  NEEDS  OF
 THE CHILD PATIENT AND/OR FAMILY:
   1.  RESPONDING  TO THE PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN'S PATIENT SPECIFIC QUES-
 TIONS ABOUT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH;
   2. ASSISTING THE FAMILY IN ACCESSING ROUTINE, LOCAL BEHAVIORAL  HEALTH
 SERVICES, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THERE MAY BE A WAITING PERIOD;
   3.  PROVIDING  TRANSITIONAL  SUPPORT  TO  THE CHILD PATIENT AND FAMILY
 UNTIL THE FAMILY CAN ACCESS ROUTINE, LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES;
   4. MAKING REFERRAL TO A TEAM CHILD PSYCHIATRIST FOR AN  ACUTE  PSYCHO-
 PHARMACOLOGIC OR DIAGNOSTIC CONSULTATION.
   (C)  REGIONAL  TEAMS MAY ALSO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE SERVICES,
 EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY AND OTHER RELATED  SERVICES
 TO THE PROVIDER AND MENTAL HEALTH COMMUNITY.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD05983-01-3
 S. 7966                             2
 
   (D) CHILD PSYCHIATRY ACCESS SERVICES PROVIDED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL
 NOT  DISCRIMINATE AGAINST CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, BASED UPON THEIR INSUR-
 ANCE STATUS, WHEN SUCH SERVICES ARE ACCESSED THROUGH THEIR PRIMARY  CARE
 PROVIDER PRACTICING IN THE REGION.
   §  2.  The tax law is amended by adding a new section 628-a to read as
 follows:
   § 628-A. GIFT FOR THE CHILD PSYCHIATRY ACCESS PROJECT.  EFFECTIVE  FOR
 ANY  TAX YEAR COMMENCING ON OR AFTER JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-
 THREE, AN INDIVIDUAL IN ANY TAXABLE YEAR MAY ELECT TO CONTRIBUTE TO  THE
 CHILD  PSYCHIATRY  ACCESS  FUND. SUCH CONTRIBUTION SHALL BE IN ANY WHOLE
 DOLLAR AMOUNT AND SHALL NOT REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF STATE TAX OWED BY  SUCH
 INDIVIDUAL.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL INCLUDE SPACE ON THE PERSONAL INCOME
 TAX RETURN  FORM  TO  ENABLE  A  TAXPAYER  TO  MAKE  SUCH  CONTRIBUTION.
 NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  OTHER  PROVISION  OF  LAW,  ALL REVENUES COLLECTED
 PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE PAID TO THE  CHILD  PSYCHIATRY  ACCESS
 FUND ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO AND USED ONLY FOR THOSE PURPOSES ENUMERATED
 IN SECTION EIGHTY-NINE-K OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW.
   §  3. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 89-k to
 read as follows:
    § 89-K. CHILD PSYCHIATRY ACCESS FUND. 1. A SPECIAL FUND TO  BE  KNOWN
 AS THE "CHILD PSYCHIATRY ACCESS FUND" IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED IN THE JOINT
 CUSTODY  OF  THE  STATE COMPTROLLER AND THE COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION AND
 FINANCE.
   2. THE FUND SHALL CONSIST OF  ALL  MONEYS  TRANSFERRED  TO  SUCH  FUND
 PURSUANT  TO LAW, ALL MONEYS REQUIRED BY ANY PROVISION OF LAW TO BE PAID
 INTO OR CREDITED TO THE FUND, ALL MONEYS FROM GIFTS PURSUANT TO  SECTION
 SIX  HUNDRED  TWENTY-EIGHT-A  OF  THE  TAX LAW AND ANY INTEREST EARNINGS
 WHICH MAY ACCRUE FROM THE INVESTMENT OF  MONEYS  IN  THE  FUND.  NOTHING
 CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION SHALL PREVENT THE STATE FROM RECEIVING GRANTS,
 GIFTS  OR  BEQUESTS  FOR  THE  PURPOSES  OF  THE FUND AS DEFINED IN THIS
 SECTION AND DEPOSITING THEM INTO THE FUND ACCORDING TO LAW.
   3. MONEYS OF THE FUND, WHEN ALLOCATED, SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO  THE
 OFFICE  OF  MENTAL  HEALTH  SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING CHILD
 PSYCHIATRY PROJECTS PURSUANT TO SECTION 7.42 OF THE MENTAL HYGIENE LAW.
   4. MONEYS SHALL BE PAYABLE FROM THE FUND ON THE AUDIT AND  WARRANT  OF
 THE  COMPTROLLER  ON VOUCHERS APPROVED AND CERTIFIED BY THE COMMISSIONER
 OF MENTAL HEALTH.
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.