The New York State Senate

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3501
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 27, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. ASHBY, BYRNE -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Mental Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law,  in  relation  to  enacting  the
   health  care  worker peer support program; and making an appropriation
   therefor
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  This  act  shall be known and may be cited as the "health
 care worker peer support program".
   § 2. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section 7.49 to
 read as follows:
 § 7.49 HEALTH CARE WORKER PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM.
   (A) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS  SHALL  HAVE
 THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (1) "PROGRAM" SHALL MEAN THE "HEALTH CARE WORKER PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM"
 ESTABLISHED BY THIS SECTION.
   (2)  "ELIGIBLE  ENTITIES"  SHALL  MEAN  AN ENTITY WHICH SUBMITS TO THE
 COMMISSIONER AN APPLICATION, IN A FORM PRESCRIBED BY  THE  COMMISSIONER,
 CONTAINING  SUCH  INFORMATION  AND  ASSURANCES  AS  THE COMMISSIONER MAY
 REQUIRE TO PROVIDE INITIAL AND CONTINUED  TRAINING  IN  MENTAL  ILLNESS,
 INCLUDING  BUT NOT LIMITED TO POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AND SUICIDE
 PREVENTION, FOR HEALTH CARE WORKER VOLUNTEERS.
   (B) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH A GRANT PROGRAM TO  BE  KNOWN  AS
 THE  "HEALTH  CARE  WORKER  PEER  SUPPORT  PROGRAM".  SUCH PROGRAM SHALL
 PROVIDE GRANTS, WITHIN APPROPRIATIONS THEREFOR, TO ELIGIBLE ENTITIES FOR
 THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING  PEER-TO-PEER  MENTAL  HEALTH  PROGRAMS  FOR
 HEALTH CARE WORKERS.
   (C)  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  ESTABLISH  STANDARDS APPLICABLE TO SUCH
 PROGRAM. SUCH STANDARDS SHALL INCLUDE INITIAL AND CONTINUED TRAINING FOR
 HEALTH CARE WORKER PEER VOLUNTEERS, ADMINISTRATIVE STAFFING  NEEDS,  AND

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00884-01-1

 A. 3501                             2
 
 BEST  PRACTICES  FOR  ADDRESSING  THE  NEEDS  OF EACH HEALTH CARE WORKER
 SERVED.
   (D) GRANTS MAY BE AWARDED BY THE COMMISSIONER TO AN ELIGIBLE ENTITY IN
 AN AMOUNT THAT DOES NOT EXCEED TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
   (E)  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  NOT  REQUIRE THE RECIPIENT OF ANY GRANT
 UNDER THIS SECTION TO MAINTAIN RECORDS ON HEALTH  CARE  WORKERS  SEEKING
 SUPPORT OR REPORT ANY PERSONAL IDENTIFYING INFORMATION DIRECTLY OR INDI-
 RECTLY TO THE COMMISSIONER.
   §  3. The sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000), or so much thereof
 as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated  to  the  office  of  mental
 health  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.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.