S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4878
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 7, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. TAPIA -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Mental Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to the  establishment
   of mental health clubhouses
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding  a  new  article
 29-L to read as follows:
                               ARTICLE 29-L
                         MENTAL HEALTH CLUBHOUSES
 SECTION 2999-NN. DEFINITIONS.
         2999-OO. MENTAL HEALTH CLUBHOUSES; ESTABLISHMENT.
         2999-PP. OPERATIONAL STANDARDS AND CORE SERVICES.
         2999-QQ. PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND WORKFORCE TRAINING.
         2999-RR. CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATION AND RE-ENTRY SUPPORT.
         2999-SS. FUNDING AND SUSTAINABILITY.
         2999-TT. OVERSIGHT, COMPLIANCE, AND REPORTING.
   §  2999-NN. DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE, THE FOLLOW-
 ING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   1. "MENTAL HEALTH CLUBHOUSE"  OR  "CLUBHOUSE"  MEANS  A  NON-EMERGENCY
 MEDICAL  FACILITY AND COMMUNITY-BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL REHABILITATION CENTER
 THAT PROVIDES STRUCTURED, EVIDENCE-BASED SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS LIVING
 WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, INCLUDING:
   (A) EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND JOB PLACEMENT;
   (B) HOUSING ASSISTANCE, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING NAVIGATION,  AND  HOMELESS-
 NESS PREVENTION;
   (C) EDUCATIONAL AND SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAMS;
   (D) PEER SUPPORT GROUPS AND MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING;
   (E) CRISIS INTERVENTION AND SUICIDE PREVENTION SERVICES;
   (F) RE-ENTRY SUPPORT FOR JUSTICE-INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS; AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08603-01-5
 A. 4878                             2
              

 
   (G) VETERAN SERVICES, INCLUDING POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER SUPPORT
 AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS BENEFIT NAVIGATION.
   2.  "ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP" MEANS A PERSON WHO HAS ENTERED A CLUBHOUSE AND
 PARTICIPATED IN ITS ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE PRECEDING THREE MONTHS.
   3. "VETERAN PEER SPECIALIST" MEANS A TRAINED INDIVIDUAL WITH  MILITARY
 SERVICE  EXPERIENCE WHO PROVIDES POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER SUPPORT,
 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS BENEFITS  ASSISTANCE,  AND
 REINTEGRATION SERVICES.
   4.  "PUBLIC-PRIVATE  PARTNERSHIP"  MEANS  A STATE-AUTHORIZED AGREEMENT
 ALLOWING PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT INTO CLUBHOUSE WORKFORCE  DEVELOPMENT
 PROGRAMS.
   5.  "RE-ENTRY  PROGRAM"  MEANS  A  PROGRAM OPERATED BY A MUNICIPALITY,
 COUNTY, OR STATE ENTITY  THAT  ASSISTS  INDIVIDUALS  TRANSITIONING  FROM
 INCARCERATION TO COMMUNITY LIVING.
   6.  "HOMELESS  PLACEMENT AGENCY" MEANS ANY GOVERNMENTAL OR NON-GOVERN-
 MENTAL ENTITY TASKED WITH PLACING INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING  HOMELESSNESS
 INTO HOUSING OR SHELTERS.
   §  2999-OO.  MENTAL  HEALTH  CLUBHOUSES;  ESTABLISHMENT. 1. CLUBHOUSES
 SHALL BE ESTABLISHED WITHIN REASONABLE PROXIMITY TO  PUBLIC  TRANSPORTA-
 TION.  IN RURAL AREAS, MOBILE CLUBHOUSE SERVICES SHALL BE IMPLEMENTED TO
 ENSURE ACCESSIBILITY.
   2. THE DEPARTMENT AND THE OFFICE OF  MENTAL  HEALTH  SHALL  DEVELOP  A
 STATEWIDE  IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE WITHIN
 ONE YEAR OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ARTICLE. THE STATE  SHALL  PRIOR-
 ITIZE  CLUBHOUSE  EXPANSION  IN COUNTIES WITH THE HIGHEST RATES OF HOME-
 LESSNESS, UNEMPLOYMENT, AND PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALIZATIONS.
   § 2999-PP. OPERATIONAL STANDARDS AND CORE SERVICES. 1.  MEMBERSHIP  OF
 CLUBHOUSES  SHALL BE VOLUNTARY, FREE OF COST, AND OPEN TO ANY INDIVIDUAL
 WITH A HISTORY OF MENTAL ILLNESS.
   2. EACH CLUBHOUSE SHALL PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING CORE SERVICES:
   (A) EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING BUT NOT
 LIMITED TO:
   (I) ON-SITE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES  IN  FOOD  SERVICE,  MAINTENANCE,
 OUTREACH, AND ADMINISTRATIVE ROLES;
   (II) JOB PLACEMENT SERVICES IN COORDINATION WITH LOCAL EMPLOYERS; AND
   (III)  SKILLS  TRAINING  AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN TECHNICAL AND
 TRADE FIELDS;
   (B) HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION, INCLUDING BUT  NOT
 LIMITED TO:
   (I)  DIRECT HOUSING APPLICATION SUPPORT, INCLUDING UNDER SECTION EIGHT
 OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSING ACT, AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAMS;
   (II) COORDINATION WITH HOMELESS PLACEMENT AGENCIES; AND
   (III) EMERGENCY SHELTER AND RAPID REHOUSING SERVICES;
   (C) CRISIS INTERVENTION AND  SUICIDE  PREVENTION,  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT
 LIMITED TO:
   (I) EMPLOYING AT LEAST ONE STAFF MEMBER AT EACH CLUBHOUSE WHO HAS BEEN
 TRAINED  IN  A  RECOGNIZED  APPLIED SUICIDE INTERVENTION SKILLS TRAINING
 (ASIST) PROGRAM;
   (II) ON-SITE NALOXONE ADMINISTRATION AND OVERDOSE PREVENTION  TRAINING
 FOR STAFF; AND
   (III)  EMERGENCY  RESPONSE  COORDINATION  WITH  911  AND MOBILE CRISIS
 TEAMS; AND
   (D) VETERANS' SERVICES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I) EMPLOYING AT LEAST ONE VETERAN PEER SPECIALIST AT EACH CLUBHOUSE;
   (II) POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER SUPPORT GROUPS AND  INDIVIDUALIZED
 REINTEGRATION SERVICES; AND
 A. 4878                             3
 
   (III)  DIRECT  ASSISTANCE  IN APPLYING FOR UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
 VETERANS' AFFAIRS BENEFITS AND HOUSING PROGRAMS.
   §  2999-QQ.  PUBLIC-PRIVATE  PARTNERSHIPS  AND WORKFORCE TRAINING. THE
 DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP MODEL,  ALLOWING
 CORPORATIONS  TO INVEST IN WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS WITHIN CLUBHOUSES
 AS AUTHORIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT. SUCH CORPORATE INVESTMENTS MAY INCLUDE:
   1. FUNDING ON-SITE JOB TRAINING;
   2. ESTABLISHING EMPLOYMENT PIPELINES FOR CLUBHOUSE MEMBERS; AND
   3. PROVIDING DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO CLUBHOUSES.
   § 2999-RR. CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATION AND RE-ENTRY SUPPORT. 1.  ALL
 CLUBHOUSES SHALL PARTNER WITH RE-ENTRY PROGRAMS AND PROBATION OFFICES TO
 ENSURE  INDIVIDUALS  LEAVING INCARCERATION WITH MENTAL ILLNESS CAN IMME-
 DIATELY ACCESS CLUBHOUSE SERVICES.
   2. CLUBHOUSES SHALL PROVIDE:
   (A) RE-ENTRY COUNSELING, JOB TRAINING, AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE;
   (B) COLLABORATION WITH PAROLE AND PROBATION OFFICERS FOR SMOOTH  REIN-
 TEGRATION; AND
   (C)  SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION SERVICES FOR JUSTICE-INVOLVED INDIVID-
 UALS.
   § 2999-SS. FUNDING AND SUSTAINABILITY. 1. CLUBHOUSES SHALL NOT OPERATE
 ON A FEE-FOR-SERVICE REIMBURSEMENT BASIS.
   2. FUNDING SOURCES FOR CLUBHOUSES SHALL INCLUDE:
   (I) STATE APPROPRIATIONS;
   (II) MEDICAID WAIVERS;
   (III) FEDERAL GRANTS FOR WHICH CLUBHOUSES QUALIFY; AND
   (IV) PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENTS  THROUGH  PUBLIC-PRIVATE  PARTNERSHIPS
 UNDER SECTION TWENTY-NINE HUNDRED NINETY-NINE-QQ OF THIS ARTICLE.
   3. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ALLOCATE AVAILABLE FUNDING BASED ON:
   (A) COUNTY POPULATION AND MENTAL HEALTH PREVALENCE; AND
   (B) PERFORMANCE METRICS AND SERVICE UTILIZATION RATES.
   §  2999-TT.  OVERSIGHT,  COMPLIANCE,  AND REPORTING. 1. EACH CLUBHOUSE
 SHALL SUBMIT A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT AND THE OFFICE  OF
 MENTAL HEALTH DETAILING:
   (A)  CLUBHOUSE ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP STATISTICS AND DAILY SERVICE UTILIZA-
 TION;
   (B) EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENTS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES;
   (C) HOUSING PLACEMENTS AND HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION EFFORTS; AND
   (D) CRISIS INTERVENTION CASES AND EMERGENCY RESPONSES.
   2. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL CONDUCT BIENNIAL AUDITS OF ALL  CLUBHOUSES  TO
 ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH STATE REGULATIONS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.