S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7285
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 25, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  BURDICK,  EACHUS, SHIMSKY, BEEPHAN, BENDETT,
   SEAWRIGHT, SANTABARBARA, LEVENBERG, OTIS, SIMPSON,  ANGELINO,  BLUMEN-
   CRANZ,  DE LOS SANTOS  --  read  once and referred to the Committee on
   Mental Health
 
 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.
                                                            LBD10098-01-5
              

 A. 7285                             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.