Senate Bill S8765A

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Provides for qualified mental health associates

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Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Assembly 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

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Bill Amendments

2023-S8765 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A8464
Current Committee:
Assembly Ways And Means
Law Section:
Mental Hygiene Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §§7.07 & 7.03, Ment Hyg L

2023-S8765 - Summary

Directs the office of mental health to establish programs for the training and development of persons capable of providing coaching and support to individuals under treatment plans developed by licensed mental health practitioners, including but not limited to a process of issuing, either directly or through contract, credentials for qualified mental health associates.

2023-S8765 - Sponsor Memo

2023-S8765 - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8765
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 8, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  BAILEY -- 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 qualified  mental
   health associates
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Section 7.07 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding
 a new subdivision (i) to read as follows:
   (I) THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH SHALL FOSTER PROGRAMS FOR THE TRAINING
 AND DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING COACHING AND SUPPORT  TO
 INDIVIDUALS  UNDER  TREATMENT  PLANS DEVELOPED BY LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH
 PRACTITIONERS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO A PROCESS OF ISSUING, EITHER
 DIRECTLY OR THROUGH CONTRACT, CREDENTIALS FOR  QUALIFIED  MENTAL  HEALTH
 ASSOCIATES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING:
   (1)  THE  OFFICE SHALL ESTABLISH MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR ASSOCIATES
 IN ALL PHASES OF DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO PERSONS WHO ARE UNDER A  TREAT-
 MENT  PLAN  DEVELOPED BY A PRACTITIONER LICENSED UNDER THE EDUCATION LAW
 THAT SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, COMPLETION OF APPROVED COURS-
 ES OF STUDY OR EQUIVALENT ON-THE-JOB EXPERIENCE  IN  ASSISTING  LICENSED
 MENTAL  HEALTH PRACTITIONERS THROUGH COACHING AND SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS
 UNDER TREATMENT PLANS. SUCH APPROVED  COURSES  OF  STUDY  OR  EQUIVALENT
 ON-THE-JOB   EXPERIENCE   SHALL   INCLUDE:   PROVIDING  TRAUMA-INFORMED,
 PATIENT-CENTERED CARE; REFERRING INDIVIDUALS TO  APPROPRIATE  TREATMENTS
 FOR CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS; AND SENSITIVITY TRAINING. SUCH COURSES SHALL
 BE  UPDATED  AS  NEEDED  TO  REFLECT  EVOLVING  BEST  PRACTICES  IN HARM
 REDUCTION, TREATMENT AND LONG-TERM RECOVERY. FOR THE  PURPOSES  OF  THIS
 PARAGRAPH,  SENSITIVITY  TRAINING SHALL MEAN A FORM OF TRAINING WITH THE
 GOAL OF MAKING PEOPLE MORE AWARE OF THEIR OWN PREJUDICES AND MORE SENSI-
 TIVE TO OTHERS.
   (I) THE OFFICE SHALL ESTABLISH PROCEDURES  FOR  ISSUING,  DIRECTLY  OR
 THROUGH  CONTRACT, CREDENTIALS TO ASSOCIATES WHO MEET MINIMUM QUALIFICA-
 TIONS, INCLUDING  THE  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  APPROPRIATE  FEES,  AND  SHALL
 FURTHER  ESTABLISH  PROCEDURES TO SUSPEND, REVOKE, OR ANNUL SUCH CREDEN-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13776-01-3

2023-S8765A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A8464
Current Committee:
Assembly Ways And Means
Law Section:
Mental Hygiene Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §§7.07 & 7.03, Ment Hyg L

2023-S8765A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Directs the office of mental health to establish programs for the training and development of persons capable of providing coaching and support to individuals under treatment plans developed by licensed mental health practitioners, including but not limited to a process of issuing, either directly or through contract, credentials for qualified mental health associates.

2023-S8765A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S8765A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  8765--A
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 8, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  BAILEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed 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 qualified  mental
   health associates

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 7.07 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding
 a new subdivision (i) to read as follows:
   (I) THE OFFICE EITHER DIRECTLY  OR  THROUGH  CONTRACT,  SHALL  DEVELOP
 TRAINING,  APPROVED  EDUCATIONAL  COURSES,  AND  A  PROCESS  FOR ISSUING
 CREDENTIALS TO PERSONS MEETING THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR  A  QUALI-
 FIED MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATE.
   (1)  A  CREDENTIALED  QUALIFIED  MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATE MUST MEET THE
 FOLLOWING MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
   (I) A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA;
   (II)(A) AN ASSOCIATE OR BACHELOR'S DEGREE  IN  A  BEHAVIORAL  SCIENCES
 FIELD; OR
   (B)  A  COMBINATION  OF AT LEAST THREE YEARS RELEVANT WORK, EDUCATION,
 TRAINING OR EXPERIENCE; AND
   (III) DEMONSTRATE THE COMPETENCY NECESSARY TO:
   (A) PROMOTE RECOVERY AND COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY TO SERVICE RECIPIENTS
 AND PROFESSIONALS;
   (B) UNDERSTAND MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT, TREATMENT AND SERVICE  TERMI-
 NOLOGY;
   (C) PROVIDE PSYCHOSOCIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT;
   (D)  IMPLEMENT  INTERVENTIONS INCLUDED IN AN INDIVIDUAL TREATMENT PLAN
 OF CARE;
   (E) PROVIDE BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT AND CASE MANAGEMENT DUTIES; AND
   (F) PROVIDE SUPPORT SERVICES RELATED TO CRISIS STABILIZATION,  MEDICA-
 TION MANAGEMENT AND HEALTH MONITORING.
   (2)  THE  OFFICE  SHALL  ESTABLISH PROCEDURES FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
 APPROPRIATE FEES, AND TO ISSUE PENALTIES, OR SUSPEND, REVOKE,  OR  ANNUL
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

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