S 997: Relates to the geriatric demonstration program to promote mental health and home care collaboration; authorizes the commissioner of mental health to waive rules and regulations to address barriers to participation in the program.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 997 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE (Prefiled) January 8, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sens. BROUK, WEBB -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to the geriatric service demonstration program to promote mental health and home care collaboration The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision (c) of section 7.41 of the mental hygiene law, 2 as amended by chapter 328 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as 3 follows: 4 (c) The commissioner may adopt rules and regulations necessary to 5 implement the provisions of this section; provided however that the 6 commissioner and the commissioner of health shall be authorized to waive 7 rules and regulations of the office, and of the department of health, 8 respectively, to address barriers to collaboration by mental health 9 providers and providers of home care services under subdivision (a) of 10 this section, including barriers related to medical assistance 11 reimbursement, service procedures, care coordination and direct care 12 worker training applicable to such providers; provided further, that 13 regulations pertaining to patient safety may not be waived, nor shall 14 any regulations be waived if such waiver would risk patient safety. 15 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD01943-01-5