A mental health crisis should not be a death sentence.' What Daniel's Law would do

A group of lawmakers, Rochester activists and mental health professionals are proposing "Daniel's Law," a bill that, if passed, would amend public health law in New York state, establishing mental health response units that are trained to deescalate mental health and substance abuse emergency situations.

Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson (D-138) and Senator Samra Brouk (D-55) are co-sponsors of the bill.

Our community has seen twice in the past 6 months that police officers are simply not equipped to handle individuals experiencing a mental health crisis,” Brouk said during a virtual press conference Thursday. “In September, we learned of Daniel Prude’s death on a freezing March night, and then just last weekend we saw another egregious example of police violence when a 9-year-old girl in distress was handcuffed and pepper sprayed.”