Senate Bill S10397

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10397
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 15, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. C. RYAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health
 
 AN ACT in relation to establishing a  developmental  disability,  mental
   health,  and behavioral condition 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  disability,  mental health, and behavioral
 condition community stakeholder committee. 1. The commissioner of mental
 health, in consultation with the commissioner of the office  for  people
 with developmental disabilities, the commissioner of the office of chil-
 dren  and  family  services,  and  the  commissioner of education, shall
 establish a community stakeholder committee to examine  appropriate  and
 effective  evidence-based  screening  methods,  and  appropriate  inter-
 ventions for children identified  with  a  developmental  disability,  a
 mental  health  or  behavioral  condition,  and 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 commis-
 sioner for people with 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,  the  speaker of the assembly, and in consultation with the
 minority leaders of the senate and 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, evaluating, and
 diagnosing individuals with a  developmental  disability,  or  a  mental
 health  or behavioral condition; (b) at least one member who specializes
 in providing education to individuals with a developmental disability, a
 mental health or behavioral condition; (c) at least one member who is  a
 parent  of a student with a developmental disability, a mental health or
 behavioral condition; and (d) at least one member who has  been  identi-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD09149-03-6
 S. 10397                            2
 
 fied  as  an individual with a developmental disability, a mental health
 or a behavioral condition. All members shall have expertise in fields or
 disciplines related to the identification of students diagnosed  with  a
 developmental disability, a mental health or behavioral condition.
   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  social
 workers  licensed  under article 154 of the education law, mental health
 practitioners licensed under article 163 of the education law,  behavior
 analysts  licensed under article 167 of the education law, and 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, speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of
 the assembly, and the minority leader  of  the  senate  eighteen  months
 after the effective date of this act.
   §  2.  This act shall take effect January 1, 2027 and shall expire and
 be deemed repealed August 1, 2028.