NY State Senate Bill 2025-S4747

Senate Bill S4747

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Establishes an intensive addiction recovery and mental health integrated services pilot program

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Alcoholism And Substance Use Disorders 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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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 12, 2025	referred to alcoholism and substance use disorders

2025-S4747 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Alcoholism And Substance Use Disorders
Law Section:: Mental Hygiene Law
Laws Affected:: Add §19.18-d, Ment Hyg L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2021-2022: S8244
2023-2024: S6499

2025-S4747 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes an intensive addiction recovery and mental health integrated services pilot program to support two three-year demonstration programs that provide intensive addiction and mental health integrated services to individuals with significant addiction and mental health issues who have had multiple and frequent treatment episodes.

2025-S4747 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S4747

SPONSOR: CLEARE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing an
intensive addiction recovery and mental health integrated services pilot
program; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration
thereof

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill would establish an intensive addiction recovery and mental
health integrated services demonstration program for individuals with
significant addiction and mental health issues who have had multiple and
frequent treatment episodes

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: establishes "Topher's Law"

Section 2: amends the mental hygiene law by adding section 19.18-d to

create a pilot program to support two three-year demonstration programs
that provide intensive addiction and mental health integrated services
to individuals with significant addiction and mental health issues who
have had multiple and frequent treatment episodes. One of the demon-
stration programs shall be located in a rural area and one shall be
located in an urban setting. Services shall include but not be limited
to mental health counseling services for the individuals and their fami-
lies, peer supports, and transportation assistance, and shall be prima-
rily provided in the community or home of the individual, as clinically
and socially necessitated. This section also requires a report within
one year of the conclusion of the demonstration program.

Section 4: establishes the effective date

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Topher's Law is an initiative designed to support individuals suffering
from co-occurring disorders (substance use disorders and significant
mental health diagnoses) by developing models that remove barriers to
obtaining treatment and promote greater access to appropriate services.
Most current OASAS treatment programs are not able to treat individuals
who have significant co-occurring disorders. This demonstration program
would assist individuals with both sets of diagnoses and create a
person-centered treatment model that ensures each individual receives a
level of care appropriate to them. Services encompassed by such a
person-centered treatment model may include:

*Peer Support;

*Family Counseling/Family Support; * Mental Health Counseling;

*Substance Use Disorder Treatment;

*Medication Assisted Recovery;

*Regular employment transportation;

*Education transportation, such as trade school, 2- or 4-year degree
programs, or apprenticeships;

*Shopping for healthy food, clothing, and other essential items;

*Trips to Mutual Aid Meetings Narcotics Anonymous/Alcoholics Anonymous;

*Trips to court or drug court, or court-related appointments (probation
officer, social worker, etc.);

*Trips that reduce social isolation, such as social outings with others
engaged in sober living; and

*Trips to local recovery community outreach centers or other community-
based supports.

Because this model is tailored to individual needs, the program will
help individuals improve their situation by providing them with hope and
confidence to move forward. COVID-19 has increased social isolation and
unemployment leading to especially disastrous results for individuals
with co-occurring disorders. The primary purpose of this pilot program
is to provide services which are not currently offered to one of the
most vulnerable populations in OASAS treatment settings. Giving people
support they need to get back on their feet by providing integrated
services will pay back dividends in increased productivity, earning
potential, and a decrease in re-admittance in existing programs.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2021-22: S.8244/A.8502

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
April 1, 2025

2025-S4747 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4747
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 12, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Alcoholism  and  Substance
   Use Disorders
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing an
   intensive addiction recovery and  mental  health  integrated  services
   pilot  program;  and  providing for the repeal of such provisions upon
   expiration thereof
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.   Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 "Topher's Law".
   § 2.   The mental hygiene law is  amended  by  adding  a  new  section
 19.18-d to read as follows:
 § 19.18-D INTENSIVE  ADDICTION  AND  MENTAL  HEALTH  INTEGRATED SERVICES
             PILOT PROGRAM.
   1. WITHIN THE FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO THE OFFICE, A PILOT PROGRAM  SHALL
 BE  ESTABLISHED  TO  SUPPORT  TWO THREE-YEAR DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS THAT
 PROVIDE INTENSIVE ADDICTION AND MENTAL  HEALTH  INTEGRATED  SERVICES  TO
 INDIVIDUALS WITH SIGNIFICANT ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES WHO HAVE
 HAD  MULTIPLE AND FREQUENT TREATMENT EPISODES.  ONE OF THE DEMONSTRATION
 PROGRAMS SHALL BE LOCATED IN A RURAL AREA AND ONE SHALL BE LOCATED IN AN
 URBAN SETTING AS DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER.  THE SERVICES  PROVIDED
 SHALL  INCLUDE  BUT  NOT BE LIMITED TO MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING SERVICES
 FOR THE INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT ADDICTION AND MENTAL  HEALTH
 ISSUES  AND  THEIR FAMILY, PEER SUPPORTS, AND TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE.
 SUCH SERVICES SHALL BE PRIMARILY PROVIDED IN THE COMMUNITY  OR  HOME  OF
 SUCH INDIVIDUAL, AS CLINICALLY AND SOCIALLY NECESSITATED.
   2.  WITHIN ONE YEAR AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM,
 THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROVIDE THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT  OF
 THE  SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE STAND-
 ING COMMITTEE ON ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, AND  THE  CHAIR
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09383-01-5

 S. 4747                             2
 
 OF  THE  ASSEMBLY  COMMITTEE ON ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG ABUSE WITH A WRITTEN
 EVALUATION OF THE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO  SUBDI-
 VISION  ONE  OF  THIS  SECTION.    SUCH  EVALUATION SHALL, AT A MINIMUM,
 ADDRESS  THE OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS OF SUCH DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS, IDEN-
 TIFY BEST  PRACTICES  FOR  SERVICES  PROVIDED  UNDER  THE  DEMONSTRATION
 PROGRAMS AND ANY ADDITIONAL SERVICES THAT MAY BE APPROPRIATE WITHIN EACH
 TYPE  OF PROGRAM OPERATED, REGULATED, FUNDED, OR APPROVED BY THE OFFICE,
 AND ADDRESS WHETHER CONTINUATION  OR  EXPANSION  OF  THE  PILOT  PROGRAM
 ESTABLISHED  BY  SUBDIVISION  ONE  OF THIS SECTION IS RECOMMENDED.   THE
 WRITTEN EVALUATION SHALL BE MADE  PUBLICLY  AVAILABLE  ON  THE  OFFICE'S
 WEBSITE.
   §  3. This act shall take effect April 1, 2026 and shall expire on the
 ninetieth day following the submission  of    the  report  provided  for
 pursuant  to  subdivision 2 of section 19.18-d of the mental hygiene law
 as added by section two of this act, when upon such date the  provisions
 of  this act shall be deemed repealed; provided that the commissioner of
 the office of addiction services and supports shall notify the  legisla-
 tive  bill  drafting commission upon the occurrence of the submission of
 such report provided for in section two of this act in  order  that  the
 commission  may  maintain  an accurate and timely effective data base of
 the official text of the laws of the state of New York in furtherance of
 effectuating the provisions of section 44 of  the  legislative  law  and
 section 70-b of the public officers law.

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