S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6801
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
May 8, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BUTTENSCHON -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Mental Health
AN ACT in relation to establishing a developmental, mental, and behav-
ioral health community stakeholder committee; 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. Developmental, mental, and behavioral health community
stakeholder committee. 1. The commissioner of mental health, in consul-
tation with the commissioner of developmental disabilities, the commis-
sioner of children and family services, and the commissioner of educa-
tion, shall establish a community stakeholder committee to examine
appropriate and effective evidence-based developmental, mental, and
behavioral health screening methods, appropriate interventions for chil-
dren with developmental, mental, or behavioral health conditions, and
other educational supports for students in kindergarten through grade
five. The community stakeholder committee shall consist of at least ten
members. The following four members shall serve as co-chairs of the
community stakeholder committee: (a) the commissioner of mental health
or their designee; (b) the commissioner of developmental disabilities or
their designee; (c) the commissioner of children and family services or
their designee; and (d) the commissioner of education or their designee.
The remaining members shall be appointed in cooperation by the temporary
president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly in such a manner
as to ensure that all regions of the state are represented, and shall
include: (a) at least two members who specialize in identifying, evalu-
ating, and diagnosing individuals with developmental, mental, or behav-
ioral health conditions; (b) at least one member who specializes in
educating individuals with developmental, mental, or behavioral health
conditions; (c) at least one member who is a parent of a student with a
developmental, mental, or behavioral health condition; (d) at least one
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10323-03-3
A. 6801 2
member with a developmental, mental, or behavioral health condition; and
(e) at least one member from an institute of higher education who is an
expert in developmental, mental, or behavioral health conditions. All
members shall have expertise in fields or disciplines related to the
identification of students with developmental, mental, or behavioral
health conditions.
2. The community stakeholder committee shall conduct at least two
public hearings for the purpose of obtaining information from stakehold-
ers and other interested parties, including but not limited to mental
health counselors licensed pursuant to section 8402 of the education
law, behavior analysts licensed pursuant to article 167 of the education
law, teachers, school administrators, and parents.
3. The community stakeholder committee shall prepare and submit a
report of its findings and recommendations to the governor, temporary
president of the senate, and speaker of the assembly eighteen months
after the effective date of this act.
4. For the purposes of this act:
(a) The term "screening methods" shall mean the identification, test-
ing, and evaluation of developmental, mental, or behavioral health
conditions.
(b) The term "developmental, mental, or behavioral health condition"
shall mean a disability, problem or disorder of behavior, character,
development, emotion, personality, relationship, or other such condition
as may be identified as:
(i) a mental health condition by a mental health counselor licensed
pursuant to section 8402 of the education law;
(ii) autism, autism spectrum disorder, or a related disorder by a
behavior analyst licensed pursuant to article 167 of the education law;
or
(iii) a developmental disability pursuant to section 1.03 of the
mental hygiene law.
§ 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2024 and shall expire and
be deemed repealed August 1, 2025.