NY State Senate Bill 2025-S6896

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Crime Victims, Crime And Correction 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
Mar 26, 2025	referred to crime victims, crime and correction

2025-S6896 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A6649
Current Committee:: Senate Crime Victims, Crime And Correction
Law Section:: Correction Law
Laws Affected:: Add §12, Cor L

2025-S6896 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Enacts the PTSD awareness and rehabilitation act to require PTSD screening, provide trauma-informed education, and implement evidence-based rehabilitation programs to ensure incarcerated individuals receive proper support for mental health challenges.

2025-S6896 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6896

SPONSOR: BAILEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the correction law, in relation to enacting the PTSD
awareness and rehabilitation act

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of this bill is to mandate PTSD screening, provide trauma
informed education, and implement evidence-based rehabilitation programs
for incarcerated individuals

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 sets the title of the section as the "PTSD Awareness and Reha-
bilitation Act"

Section 2 sets out the legislative intent, acknowledging the prevalence
of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among incarcerated individuals,
often resulting from prior trauma, systemic inequalities, and the condi-

tions of incarceration and to mandate PTSD screening, provide trauma-in-
formed education, and implement evidence-based rehabilitation programs
to reduce recidivism, improve public safety, and support successful
reintegration into society.

Section 3 amends the Correction Law by adding a new section 12 that sets
out definitions used in the section, mandates PTSD screenings for all
incarcerated individuals upon intake and periodically during incarcera-
tion, directs the department to integrate trauma-informed rehabilitation
programs into existing educational and vocational training, and mandates
training for DOCCS staff on PTSD, de-escalation techniques, and proper
referral procedures for mental health treatment. The section also
requires the department to submit an annual report to the Governor and
the Legislature.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe problem that is not
discussed and addressed enough within the criminal justice system.  Many
incarcerated people have experienced trauma or suffer from mental health
conditions without treatment. From emotional and psychological distress
to physical health problems and social difficulties, the impact of
untreated PTSD is both profound and pervasive. Untreated PTSD can lead
to debilitating flashbacks, severe panic attacks, and persistent hyper-
vigilance. The Bureau of Justice Statistics conducted a study to estab-
lish the prevalence of PTSD among incarcerated individuals. In that
study, it was revealed that almost half of the incarcerated individuals
had PTSD or severe psychological distress, and many of them had
restricted access to mental health treatment.

Untreated PTSD can raise a person's likelihood of re-incarceration by
60% within five years. To break the cycle, we can offer the right
screening and trauma-informed rehabilitation to help them return to the
community successfully. Correctional facilities that have adopted trau-
ma-informed care have shown a measurable improvement in incarcerated
individual's behavior and performance after release.  California and
Washington have adopted PTSD screening and treatment, which has reduced
prison violence by 30% and recidivism by 20%.  Facilities that offer
mental health care have reduced incidents of misconduct by 34% and inci-
dents of self-harm by 25%. Enacting this bill will pave the way for the
criminal justice system to effectively rehabilitate and successfully
reintegrate individuals suffering from PTSD. In addition to that, it can
also improve conditions at correction facilities, reduce the number of
offenses repeated by a prisoner, and provide for a more successful
return to society post-release.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
One hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.

2025-S6896 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6896
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 26, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  BAILEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Crime Victims,  Crime  and
   Correction
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the correction law, in relation to enacting the PTSD
   awareness and rehabilitation act
 
   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
 the "PTSD awareness and rehabilitation act".
   § 2. Legislative findings and intent. The legislature finds that post-
 traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is prevalent among  incarcerated  indi-
 viduals,  often  stemming  from prior trauma, systemic inequalities, and
 the conditions of incarceration itself. Without adequate  mental  health
 support,  individuals  with untreated PTSD are more likely to experience
 recidivism, difficulty reintegrating into society, and  worsened  mental
 and physical health outcomes.
   The  intent  of this act is to mandate PTSD screening, provide trauma-
 informed education, and implement evidence-based rehabilitation programs
 to ensure incarcerated individuals receive  proper  support  for  mental
 health  challenges.  By  addressing PTSD within the correctional system,
 New York state aims to reduce recidivism,  improve  public  safety,  and
 foster successful reentry into society.
   §  3. The correction law is amended by adding a new section 12 to read
 as follows:
   § 12. PTSD SCREENING AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS. 1.  AS  USED  IN  THIS
 SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A)  "POST-TRAUMATIC  STRESS DISORDER" OR "PTSD" MEANS A MENTAL HEALTH
 CONDITION TRIGGERED BY EXPOSURE TO TRAUMATIC  EVENTS,  CHARACTERIZED  BY
 SYMPTOMS  SUCH  AS FLASHBACKS, NIGHTMARES, SEVERE ANXIETY, AND EMOTIONAL
 DISTRESS.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09756-01-5
 S. 6896                             2

 
   (B) "TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE" MEANS AN APPROACH THAT RECOGNIZES THE WIDE-
 SPREAD IMPACT OF TRAUMA AND INTEGRATES KNOWLEDGE ABOUT TRAUMA INTO POLI-
 CIES, PROCEDURES, AND PRACTICES TO PROMOTE HEALING.
   2.  (A)  THE  DEPARTMENT SHALL IMPLEMENT MANDATORY PTSD SCREENINGS FOR
 ALL INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS UPON INTAKE TO A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY  AND
 PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THEIR INCARCERATION.
   (B)  SCREENINGS  SHALL  BE CONDUCTED BY LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROFES-
 SIONALS TRAINED IN TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE.
   (C) INDIVIDUALS IDENTIFIED AS EXPERIENCING PTSD SHALL  RECEIVE  APPRO-
 PRIATE CLINICAL TREATMENT, INCLUDING THERAPY AND COUNSELING SERVICES.
   3.  (A)  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A MANDATORY PTSD
 EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR ALL INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS, COVERING:
   (I) UNDERSTANDING PTSD AND ITS SYMPTOMS;
   (II) COPING STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING PTSD;
   (III) THE IMPACT OF TRAUMA ON MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH; AND
   (IV) AVAILABLE RESOURCES FOR SUPPORT.
   (B) THE EDUCATION PROGRAM ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SUBDIVISION
 SHALL  BE  PROVIDED TO AN INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL WITHIN THE FIRST SIXTY
 DAYS OF INCARCERATION AND REPEATED PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE  SENTENCE
 AT A FREQUENCY TO BE DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
   4.  (A)  THE DEPARTMENT SHALL INTEGRATE TRAUMA-INFORMED REHABILITATION
 PROGRAMS INTO EXISTING CORRECTIONAL EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING.
   (B) PROGRAMS INTEGRATED PURSUANT TO THIS  SUBDIVISION  SHALL  INCLUDE,
 BUT  NOT  BE  LIMITED TO, EVIDENCE-BASED THERAPY SUCH AS COGNITIVE-BEHA-
 VIORAL THERAPY (CBT), MINDFULNESS-BASED  STRESS  REDUCTION  (MBSR),  AND
 PEER SUPPORT GROUPS.
   (C)  SPECIAL  CONSIDERATION  SHALL  BE GIVEN TO PROGRAMS FOR VETERANS,
 SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE AND OTHER VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
   5. (A) ALL CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS  WORKING
 IN  CORRECTIONAL  FACILITIES,  AND  ADMINISTRATORS  SHALL RECEIVE ANNUAL
 TRAINING ON:
   (I) RECOGNIZING PTSD SYMPTOMS IN INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS;
   (II) DE-ESCALATION TECHNIQUES AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CRISIS INTERVENTION;
 AND
   (III) REFERRAL PROCEDURES FOR  MENTAL  HEALTH  TREATMENT  AND  SUPPORT
 SERVICES.
   (B)  TRAINING PROGRAMS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION
 SHALL BE DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH MENTAL HEALTH
 EXPERTS, ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS AND  FORMERLY  INCARCERATED  INDIVIDUALS
 WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE.
   6.  (A)  THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAINTAIN DATA ON PTSD SCREENINGS, EDUCA-
 TION PROGRAM PARTICIPATION, AND MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT OUTCOMES.
   (B) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE  GOVERNOR  AND
 THE LEGISLATURE SUMMARIZING:
   (I) THE NUMBER OF INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS SCREENED FOR PTSD;
   (II) THE NUMBER RECEIVING PTSD-RELATED TREATMENT AND SERVICES; AND
   (III) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS.
   7.  IN  ADDITION  TO  ANY STATE FUNDS APPROPRIATED FOR THE PURPOSES OF
 THIS SECTION, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SECURE AND UTILIZE FUNDING WHICH  MAY
 BE  AVAILABLE  THROUGH FEDERAL GRANTS OR PARTNERSHIPS WITH MENTAL HEALTH
 ORGANIZATIONS.
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition,  amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation  of  this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
 completed on or before such effective date.

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Senate Bill S6896

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Crime Victims, Crime And Correction Committee

2025-S6896 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S6896 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S6896 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S6896 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S6896

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Sponsored By

Jamaal T. Bailey

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Crime Victims, Crime And Correction Committee

2025-S6896 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S6896 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S6896 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S6896 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments