A 9409: 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.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 9409 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY December 19, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. WOERNER -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse 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: 1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as 2 "Topher's Law". 3 § 2. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section 4 19.18-d to read as follows: 5 § 19.18-d Intensive addiction and mental health integrated services 6 pilot program. 7 1. Within the funds appropriated to the office, a pilot program shall 8 be established to support two three-year demonstration programs that 9 provide intensive addiction and mental health integrated services to 10 individuals with significant addiction and mental health issues who have 11 had multiple and frequent treatment episodes. One of the demonstration 12 programs shall be located in a rural area and one shall be located in an 13 urban setting as determined by the commissioner. The services provided 14 shall include but not be limited to mental health counseling services 15 for the individual experiencing significant addiction and mental health 16 issues and their family, peer supports, and transportation assistance. 17 Such services shall be primarily provided in the community or home of 18 such individual, as clinically and socially necessitated. 19 2. Within one year after the conclusion of the demonstration program, 20 the commissioner shall provide the governor, the temporary president of 21 the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the chair of the senate stand- 22 ing committee on alcoholism and substance use disorders, and the chair 23 of the assembly committee on alcoholism and drug abuse with a written EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD09383-01-5 
 A. 9409 2 1 evaluation of the demonstration programs established pursuant to subdi- 2 vision one of this section. Such evaluation shall, at a minimum, 3 address the overall effectiveness of such demonstration programs, iden- 4 tify best practices for services provided under the demonstration 5 programs and any additional services that may be appropriate within each 6 type of program operated, regulated, funded, or approved by the office, 7 and address whether continuation or expansion of the pilot program 8 established by subdivision one of this section is recommended. The 9 written evaluation shall be made publicly available on the office's 10 website. 11 § 3. This act shall take effect April 1, 2026 and shall expire on the 12 ninetieth day following the submission of the report provided for 13 pursuant to subdivision 2 of section 19.18-d of the mental hygiene law 14 as added by section two of this act, when upon such date the provisions 15 of this act shall be deemed repealed; provided that the commissioner of 16 the office of addiction services and supports shall notify the legisla- 17 tive bill drafting commission upon the occurrence of the submission of 18 such report provided for in section two of this act in order that the 19 commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective data base of 20 the official text of the laws of the state of New York in furtherance of 21 effectuating the provisions of section 44 of the legislative law and 22 section 70-b of the public officers law.