S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10099
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 12, 2020
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. STERN, DeSTEFANO -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Governmental Operations
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing a pilot
   program for the prevention of, and treatment for, the effects of trau-
   matic stress on volunteer first responders; providing for  the  repeal
   of  such  provisions  upon expiration thereof; and making an appropri-
   ation therefor
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 715 to
 read as follows:
   §  715.  PILOT  PROGRAM  FOR THE PREVENTION OF, AND TREATMENT FOR, THE
 EFFECTS OF TRAUMATIC STRESS ON  VOLUNTEER  FIRST  RESPONDERS.    1.  THE
 COMMISSIONER OF THE DIVISION OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
 IN CONSULTATION WITH THE STATE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES COUNCIL, SHALL
 DEVELOP A PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO VOLUNTEER CERTIFIED FIRST
 RESPONDERS  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO, PREVENTATIVE MENTAL HEALTH
 CARE, PEER TO PEER TRAINING AND  ASSISTANCE  AND  SUPPORT  SERVICES  FOR
 THOSE  SUFFERING  FROM  TRAUMATIC  STRESS  RELATED TO THE PERFORMANCE OF
 THEIR DUTIES.   THE VOLUNTEER FIRST RESPONDER  PILOT  PROGRAM  SHALL  BE
 ADMINISTERED  WITHIN  FOUR COUNTIES, TWO OF WHICH SHALL BE UPSTATE COUN-
 TIES LOCATED NORTH OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY AND TWO OF WHICH SHALL BE DOWN-
 STATE COUNTIES.
   2. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION "VOLUNTEER CERTIFIED FIRST  RESPON-
 DER"  SHALL MEAN AN INDIVIDUAL WHO MEETS THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS ESTAB-
 LISHED BY REGULATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION  THREE  THOUSAND  TWO  OF  THE
 PUBLIC  HEALTH  LAW AND WHO ADMINISTERS INITIAL LIFE SAVING CARE TO SICK
 AND INJURED PERSONS AS A MEMBER OF A VOLUNTEER FIRE OR AMBULANCE  COMPA-
 NY.
   3. THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DIVISION OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY
 SERVICES  SHALL  DESIGNATE  AN  EDUCATIONAL  FACILITY  WITHIN  THE STATE
 UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK SYSTEM TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING THE QUAL-
 ITY, APPROPRIATENESS AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM AND  SHALL  REPORT
 TO  THE  LEGISLATURE  WITHIN  ONE  YEAR  OF  THE  EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14379-06-0

 A. 10099                            2
 
 SECTION, AND ON JANUARY FIRST OF EACH YEAR THEREAFTER, ON THE  PROGRAM'S
 EFFECTIVENESS.
   § 2. The sum of three hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($375,000)
 is hereby appropriated to the division of homeland security and emergen-
 cy  services out of any moneys in the state treasury in the general fund
 to the credit of the state purposes account, not otherwise appropriated,
 and made immediately available, for the  purpose  of  carrying  out  the
 provisions  of  this  act. Such moneys shall be payable on the audit and
 warrant of the comptroller on vouchers  certified  or  approved  by  the
 division  of  homeland  security  and  emergency  services in the manner
 prescribed by law and shall  be  proportionally  distributed  among  the
 counties  participating  in the program based on the number of volunteer
 first responders in each participating county.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have  become  a  law; and shall expire and be deemed repealed five years
 after it shall take effect. Effective immediately, the addition,  amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation  of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to
 be made and completed on or before such effective date.