NY State Senate Bill 2025-S5407

Current 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

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 21, 2025	referred to mental health

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2025-S5407 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Mental Health
Law Section:: Mental Hygiene Law
Laws Affected:: Add §7.51, Ment Hyg L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S8610
2021-2022: S6955
2023-2024: S7079

2025-S5407 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes the "first responder peer support program act" which supplies peer-to-peer mental health programs to first responders.

2025-S5407 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S5407

SPONSOR: HARCKHAM
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to the "First
Responder Peer Support Program Act"

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

Enacts the first responder peer support program act

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 titles the bill "First Responder Peer Support Program Act"

Section 2 amends the mental hygiene law by adding new section 7.51 which
defines the terms "the program" and "eligible entities.  Additionally,
(B) provides that the commissioner, subject to appropriation, shall
establish a statewide grant program that provides grants to eligible
entities for the purpose of establishing peer-to-peer mental health
programs for first responders.

(c) provides that the commissioner shall establish standards applicable
to the program. Such standards shall include, but not limited to,
initial and continued training for first responder peer volunteers,
administrative 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)provides that 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

Section 3 states the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

First responders are frequently exposed to distressing situations. In
order to address the emotional toll on these individuals it is vital
that the state provides accessible resources such as peer support
programs.

The FBI has acknowledged that peer support programs are a unique service
as they allow individuals with personal experience to assist others
dealing with similar experiences through increased awareness, vigilance,
empathic responses and emotional validation. These Peer support services
have been proven effective in identifying risk factors for behavioral
and mental health problems, reducing stigma, creating a welcoming envi-
ronment and connecting individuals with outside professional resources
for additional care when necessary.

Modeled after the highly successful Joseph P. Dwyer Veterans Peer to
Peer Support Program, which was launched in 2012, this bill would estab-
lish a First Responder Peer Support Program. This program would focus on
prioritizing the mental well-being of the state's first responders. By

enacting this bill we can ensure that first responders have access to
the necessary systems to address some of the challenges they face.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023-2024: S7079A/A7552 - Passed Senate/ Died in Ways & Means

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

To be determined

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it
shall have become a law.
1 https://leb.fbi.gov/articles/featured-articles/ first-responder-peer-
support-proqrams
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pms/articles/
PMC10038377/ :~:text=Altoqether%2C%20
the%20available%20evidence%20suqqests,%2
Defficacy%2C%20and%/2Oreduces%20hospitalizations

2025-S5407 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5407
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 21, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. HARCKHAM, ASHBY, BORRELLO, FERNANDEZ, HELMING, ROLI-
   SON, STEC, TEDISCO, WEBB, WEBER, WEIK -- read twice and ordered print-
   ed, and when printed to be committed 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
 S. 5407                             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.

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Senate Bill S5407

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Mental Health Committee

co-Sponsors

2025-S5407 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S5407 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S5407 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S5407 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S5407

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Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Mental Health Committee

co-Sponsors

2025-S5407 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S5407 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S5407 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S5407 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments