S 8043: Directs the commissioner of mental health to conduct a study of child- and youth-targeted mobile crisis outreach teams in New York state, and deliver a report including the findings and recommendations of such study to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, and the speaker of the assembly.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8043 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE May 15, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. BYNOE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health AN ACT to direct the commissioner of mental health to conduct a study of child- and youth-targeted mobile crisis outreach teams The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Definitions. For the purposes of this act, the following 2 terms shall have the following meanings: 3 (a) "Child- and youth-targeted" shall mean services targeted toward 4 persons under the age of eighteen. 5 (b) "Commissioner" shall mean the commissioner of mental health. 6 (c) "Crisis intervention services" shall have the same meaning as set 7 forth in paragraph five of subdivision (a) of section 36.03 of the 8 mental hygiene law. 9 (d) "Mobile crisis outreach team" shall mean a team approved by the 10 commissioner pursuant to section 9.58 of the mental hygiene law, that 11 is: 12 (i) comprised of one or more of the following: behavioral health 13 professionals, as defined by paragraph six of subdivision (a) of section 14 36.03 of the mental hygiene law, certified peer specialists, as defined 15 by paragraph seven of subdivision (a) of section 36.03 of the mental 16 hygiene law, certified recovery peer advocates, as defined by paragraph 17 eight of subdivision (a) of section 36.03 of the mental hygiene law, 18 credentialed family peer advocates, as defined by paragraph nine of 19 subdivision (a) of section 36.03 of the mental hygiene law, and/or 20 credentialed youth peer advocates, as defined by paragraph ten of subdi- 21 vision (a) of section 36.03 of the mental hygiene law; and 22 (ii) deployed in the community to assist individuals experiencing 23 emotional and behavioral crisis situations and their families by provid- 24 ing face-to-face crisis intervention services, clinical assessment, 25 supportive counseling, and information and referrals, including refer- EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD06529-01-5 
 S. 8043 2 1 rals to crisis stabilization centers pursuant to section 36.02 of the 2 mental hygiene law and/or community-based mental health resources. 3 § 2. Child- and youth-targeted mobile crisis outreach team study. The 4 commissioner shall conduct a study on child- and youth-targeted mobile 5 crisis outreach teams. Such study shall: 6 (a) Review current child- and youth-targeted mobile crisis outreach 7 teams in New York state; 8 (b) Identify regional and demographic gaps in child- and youth-target- 9 ed crisis intervention services in New York state; 10 (c) Identify and analyze current challenges in implementing child- and 11 youth-targeted mobile crisis outreach teams, including financial, staff- 12 ing, geographic, and other challenges that the commissioner may deem 13 relevant, and identify solutions to address such challenges; and 14 (d) Make recommendations regarding best practices, implementation 15 strategies, and practical guidance to promote the implementation of 16 child- and youth-targeted mobile crisis outreach teams, and improve the 17 services provided by such mobile crisis outreach teams. 18 § 3. Report. No later than one year after the effective date of this 19 act, the commissioner shall submit a report including the findings and 20 recommendations of the study conducted pursuant to section two of this 21 act to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, and the 22 speaker of the assembly. 23 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.