N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law § 36.07: Behavioral health crisis technical assistance center

§ 36.07 Behavioral health crisis technical assistance center.

(a) The commissioner, in conjunction with the commissioner of the

office of addiction services and supports, shall establish a behavioral

health crisis technical assistance center within the office of mental

health. The commissioners shall jointly be responsible for the

structure and operation of the behavioral health crisis technical

assistance center.

(b) The behavioral health crisis technical assistance center, shall:

1. develop standardized protocols and procedures for a community-based

public health-led response to behavioral health crises. The protocols

and procedures shall be designed to:

(i) de-escalate situations involving individuals experiencing a mental

health or substance use crisis, when possible;

(ii) utilize the most appropriate treatment for individuals

experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis;

(iii) maximize the use of voluntary assessment and voluntary referral

of individuals experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis;

(iv) minimize physical harm and trauma for individuals who experience

a mental health or substance use crisis; and

(v) deliver culturally competent care;

2. assist local government units in the development of local service

plans that address their local crisis service needs and implements a

community-based public health-led crisis response. Such assistance shall

include tailoring such plans to meet the needs of urban, suburban, and

rural communities;

3. support implementation of standardized procedures and protocols;

4. in collaboration with the division of homeland security and

emergency services and the state emergency medical services council,

pursue efforts to improve coordination between the 9-1-1, 9-8-8, local

government units, and statewide emergency response systems;

5. provide consultation and training to local government units and

local crisis response teams on best practices on the assessment and

response to mental health and substance use crises; and

6. maintain a database of best practices for a community-based public

health-led response to behavioral health crises.

(c) In execution of its duties under this section, the technical

assistance center shall employ a peer or peers with lived experience and

shall consult with, as appropriate: peers with lived experience of

mental illness or substance use disorders, or family of such peers

and/or peer-led organizations; licensed mental health or addiction

clinicians; licensed mental health or addiction counselors; licensed

physicians, nurses, or mental health or addiction providers; mental

health or addiction counselors; representatives of not-for-profit

disability justice organizations; emergency medical technicians; and

crisis health care workers.

(d) 1. The center shall prepare an annual report which shall include,

but not be limited to, the following information:

(i) data on the extent to which local governmental units have

implemented community-based public health-led responses to behavioral

health crises and the effectiveness of such efforts;

(ii) a summary of any assistance provided, action taken, or progress

made in relation to the duties required under this section;

(iii) recommendations to improve the operation and financing of a

behavioral health crisis response system; and

(iv) any other information deemed relevant by the center.

2. Such report shall be submitted to the governor, speaker of the

assembly and temporary president of the senate no later than December

thirty-first, two thousand twenty-seven and annually thereafter and

shall be made available on the official agency website for the office of

mental health and the office of addiction services and supports.