BILL NUMBER: S5884
SPONSOR: LANZA
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the mental hygiene law, the state finance law and the
general municipal law, in relation to establishing a crisis intervention
team program; and providing for the repeal of certain provisions upon
expiration thereof
 
PURPOSE:
This legislation provides for the creation of crisis intervention teams
in New York City in order to increase the effectiveness and reduce
fatalities when the police respond to emotional distress calls.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends the mental hygiene law by adding three new sections
7.44, 7.45 and 7.46 to create the crisis intervention program, the
crisis intervention team training program advisory committee and the
crisis intervention team training fund grant program.
Section 2: Amends the state finance law by adding a new section 99-v to
create the crisis team training fund.
Section 3: Amends the general municipal law by adding a new section
204-ff to establish the criteria and goals for a crisis intervention
team.
Section 4: Amends section 19,07 of the mental hygiene law by adding a
new subdivision (j) to provide for the collaboration of the office of
alcoholism and substance abuse services, office of mental health and law
enforcement to establish criteria for the development of crisis inter-
vention teams.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The NYPD receives approximately 100,000 calls a year that are related to
an "emotionally disturbed person". Often times that person is suffering
with mental health issues, substance abuse problems, or both. The calls
can result in an unwarranted arrest, emotional abuse or even death. The
creation of a crisis intervention team would give police special train-
ing and provide access to mental health professionals to handle the
calls with the tools necessary to defuse the situation and seek the
appropriate solution to the problems.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: S.4272 - Referred to Mental Health/A.323 - Referred to Mental
Health
2023: S.4272 - Referred to Mental Health/A.323 - Referred to Mental
Health
2022: S.5599 - Referred to Mental Health/A.2190 - Referred to Mental
Health
2021: S.5599 - Referred to Mental Health/A.2190 - Referred to Mental
Health
2020: S.372-Referred to Mental Health/A.4049- Referred to Mental Health
2019: S.372-Referred to Mental Health/A.4049- Referred to Mental Health
2018: S.4500-A -Referred to Mental Health/A.3393-A-Referred to Mental
Health
2017: S.4500- Referred to Mental Health/A.3393-Referred to Mental Health
2016: A.4402-Referred to Mental Health
2015: A.4402-Referred to Mental Health
2014: A.8837-Referred to Mental Health
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Up to $1 million.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately

Statutes affected:
S5884: 7.51 mental hygiene law, 19.07 mental hygiene law