Senate Bill S3438

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Establishes a pilot program for the prevention of and treatment for traumatic stress on volunteer first responders

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to finance
Jan 29, 2021	referred to finance

co-Sponsors

2021-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A4741
Current Committee:: Senate Finance
Law Section:: Appropriations
Laws Affected:: Add §715, Exec L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S8034, A10099
2023-2024: A1937

2021-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes a pilot program which shall provide support services to volunteer certified first responders suffering from the effects of traumatic stress related to the performance of their duties.

2021-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S3438

SPONSOR: GAUGHRAN
 
TITLE OF BILL:

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 appropriation
therefor

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of this bill is to establish a pilot program to provide
volunteer first responders with the support services and tools they need
to cope with the effects of traumatic stress related to the performance
of their duties.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends the executive law by adding a new section 715.

Section 2: Appropriates the sum of $375,000 to the division of homeland
security and emergency services.

Section 3: Sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

First Responders are on the front lines of motor vehicle accidents,
traumatic injuries, crime scenes, fires and other emergencies where they
are repeatedly witnesses to unspeakable suffering and pain. This trauma
is not limited to the individuals themselves, but can extend to the
families, friends and co-workers of our first responders.  In 2017,
nationwide 243 firefighters and police officers took their own lives,
more than the number who died in the line of duty. The toll of exposure
to repeated trauma is not just psychological and physical, it also
increases the operational, retirement and insurance costs for first
responders and the communities that they serve.

Modelled after the highly successful peer-to-peer Joseph P. Dwyer
Program for military veterans, this innovative initiative would provide
a host of services to certified volunteer first responders including
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. To ensure the success of the
program, the state will also monitor its quality, appropriateness and
effectiveness within one year of its formation.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S8034 of 2019/2020

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

$375,000

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
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, amendment
and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation
of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be made
and completed on or before such effective date.

2021-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3438
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 29, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. GAUGHRAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
 
 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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD06771-01-1

 S. 3438                             2
 
 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
 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.

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Senate Bill S3438

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

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co-Sponsors

2021-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Details

2021-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2021-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Sponsored By

James Gaughran

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Actions

co-Sponsors

Daphne Jordan

2021-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Details

2021-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2021-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments