The New York State Senate

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8502
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             December 3, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. WOERNER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
 
 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to  establishing  an
   intensive  addiction  recovery  and  mental health integrated services
   pilot program; and providing for the repeal of  such  provisions  upon
   expiration thereof

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1.  Short title. This act shall be known and may be  cited  as
 "Topher's Law".
   §  2.    The  mental  hygiene  law  is amended by adding a new section
 19.18-d to read as follows:
 § 19.18-D INTENSIVE ADDICTION  AND  MENTAL  HEALTH  INTEGRATED  SERVICES
             PILOT PROGRAM.
   1.  WITHIN THE FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO THE OFFICE, A PILOT PROGRAM SHALL
 BE ESTABLISHED TO SUPPORT TWO  THREE-YEAR  DEMONSTRATION  PROGRAMS  THAT
 PROVIDE  INTENSIVE  ADDICTION  AND  MENTAL HEALTH INTEGRATED SERVICES TO
 INDIVIDUALS WITH SIGNIFICANT ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES WHO HAVE
 HAD MULTIPLE AND FREQUENT TREATMENT EPISODES.  ONE OF THE  DEMONSTRATION
 PROGRAMS SHALL BE LOCATED IN A RURAL AREA AND ONE SHALL BE LOCATED IN AN
 URBAN  SETTING AS DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER.  THE SERVICES PROVIDED
 SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO MENTAL  HEALTH  COUNSELING  SERVICES
 FOR  THE INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH
 ISSUES AND THEIR FAMILY, PEER SUPPORTS, AND  TRANSPORTATION  ASSISTANCE.
 SUCH  SERVICES  SHALL  BE PRIMARILY PROVIDED IN THE COMMUNITY OR HOME OF
 SUCH INDIVIDUAL, AS CLINICALLY AND SOCIALLY NECESSITATED.
   2. NOT LATER THAN JUNE THIRTIETH, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR, AND  ANNU-
 ALLY THEREAFTER, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROVIDE THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPO-
 RARY  PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE CHAIR OF
 THE SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ALCOHOLISM  AND  DRUG  ABUSE,  AND  THE
 CHAIR  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY  COMMITTEE  ON ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG ABUSE WITH A
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13823-01-1

 A. 8502                             2
 
 WRITTEN EVALUATION OF THE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO
 SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION.  SUCH EVALUATION SHALL, AT  A  MINIMUM,
 ADDRESS  THE OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS OF SUCH DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS, IDEN-
 TIFY  BEST  PRACTICES  FOR  SERVICES  PROVIDED  UNDER  THE DEMONSTRATION
 PROGRAMS AND ANY ADDITIONAL SERVICES THAT MAY BE APPROPRIATE WITHIN EACH
 TYPE OF PROGRAM OPERATED, REGULATED, FUNDED, OR APPROVED BY THE  OFFICE,
 AND  ADDRESS  WHETHER  CONTINUATION  OR  EXPANSION  OF THE PILOT PROGRAM
 ESTABLISHED BY SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS  SECTION  IS  RECOMMENDED.    THE
 WRITTEN  EVALUATION  SHALL  BE  MADE  PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON THE OFFICE'S
 WEBSITE.
   § 3. This act shall take effect April 1, 2022 and shall  expire  March
 31,  2025 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed
 repealed.