S 7377: Relates to the establishment of mental health clubhouses pursuant to a statewide implementation plan developed by the office of mental health.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7377 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE April 11, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. BROUK -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to the establishment of mental health clubhouses The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new article 2 29-L to read as follows: 3 ARTICLE 29-L 4 MENTAL HEALTH CLUBHOUSES 5 Section 2999-nn. Definitions. 6 2999-oo. Mental health clubhouses; establishment. 7 2999-pp. Operational standards and core services. 8 2999-qq. Oversight, compliance, and reporting. 9 § 2999-nn. Definitions. For the purposes of this article, the term 10 "mental health clubhouse" or "clubhouse" means a facility that: 11 1. is accredited or is in the process of becoming accredited, by a 12 recognized body or bodies approved by the office of mental health; 13 2. addresses psychosocial deficits and social drivers of health; 14 3. uses a therapeutic approach that emphasizes purposeful work, 15 engagement, relationship development, and mutual support for people with 16 serious mental illness; 17 4. uses blended leadership of professional mental health staff and 18 individuals with lived experience to create and manage the therapeutic 19 community and its services in a nonclinical setting; 20 5. offers members a community-based rehabilitative environment that 21 both addresses often unmet psychosocial needs of people living with 22 serious mental illness and provides structures that offer support in 23 natural, community environments; 24 6. offers support services for employment, education, health care, 25 housing, and more to broadly address health-related social care needs; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD08603-04-5 
 S. 7377 2 1 7. is an essential part of the continuum of care and works in tandem 2 with other medical and behavioral health services; 3 8. relies on the restorative power of work and work-mediated relation- 4 ships to build a firm foundation for growth and individual achievement 5 for members; 6 9. emphasizes strengths-based teamwork and opportunities to contribute 7 to operations through a work-ordered day; and 8 10. offers naturalistic social and community-based recreational oppor- 9 tunities to contribute to a member's path and success in recovery. 10 § 2999-oo. Mental health clubhouses; establishment. 1. Clubhouses 11 shall be established within reasonable proximity to public transporta- 12 tion. In rural areas, virtual clubhouse programming shall be imple- 13 mented to ensure accessibility. 14 2. The department and the office of mental health shall develop a 15 statewide implementation plan through technical advising and consulta- 16 tion with established clubhouses for the provisions of this article 17 within one year of the effective date of this article. 18 § 2999-pp. Operational standards and core services. 1. Membership of 19 clubhouses shall be voluntary, free of cost, and open to any individual 20 with a history of serious mental illness. 21 2. Clubhouses shall receive accreditation or be in the process of 22 becoming accredited within the first three years of operation by a 23 recognized body. 24 § 2999-qq. Oversight, compliance, and reporting. 1. Each clubhouse 25 shall submit a comprehensive report to the department and the office of 26 mental health detailing: 27 (a) clubhouse active membership statistics and daily service utiliza- 28 tion; 29 (b) employment placements and workforce development outcomes; 30 (c) housing placements and homelessness prevention efforts; and 31 (d) crisis intervention cases and emergency responses. 32 2. The department shall conduct biennial audits of all clubhouses to 33 ensure compliance with state regulations. 34 3. The department shall, in consultation with clubhouses, provide a 35 biennial report detailing outcome measurements to the governor, the 36 temporary president of the senate, and the speaker of the assembly, 37 including but not limited to: 38 (a) employment outcomes for clients; 39 (b) housing outcomes for clients; 40 (c) an estimate of fiscal savings or losses incurred through use and 41 funding of clubhouses; and 42 (d) comprehensive needs assessments and recommendations. 43 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately, and shall apply to mental 44 health clubhouses established on or after January 1, 2026.