Peekskill, NY – New York State Senator Pete Harckham announced today that his legislation (S.3051B) to improve behavioral health care services statewide through integrated efforts between two state agencies, a major step forward in treating co-occurring disorders, was signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul.

The new law authorizes the commissioners of the state’s Office of Mental Health (OMH) and Office of Addiction Services and Support (OASAS) to jointly establish a single set of licensing standards and requirements for the construction, operation, reporting and monitoring of integrated behavioral health services in outpatient centers.

“For too long, state residents suffering from substance use disorder with co-occurring mental health disorders have not received the comprehensive, holistic treatment that would benefit them because they must navigate different systems for help,” said Harckham, who chaired the Senate Alcoholism and Substance Use Disorders Committee from 2019 to 2023. “Through enacting this law, both OMH and OASAS will be on the same page when it comes to streamlining life saving care and treatment, which will hasten recovery efforts immeasurably. I offer my profound gratitude to the many advocates and behavioral health professionals who supported this legislation and thank Governor Hochul for enacting it into law.”

State Senator Nathalia Fernandez said, “This law will streamline care for people confronting substance use disorders and serious mental illness. Every moment counts when someone is trying to break free from the grip of addiction, and allowing both services to be delivered through a single provider will eliminate unnecessary barriers and help people receive the coordinated care they need. As chair of the Senate Alcoholism and Substance Use Disorders Committee, I was proud to cosponsor this legislation, and I commend Senator Harckham for his leadership in getting it across the finish line.”

To families and treatment providers, it is apparent that substance use and mental health are deeply intertwined. Unfortunately, the crux is that both areas of healthcare are left unmet as each system wastes valuable time deciding where and how these residents with co-occurring disorders should be treated, leading to deadly consequences.

Health care professionals are failing individuals with co-occurring disorders when they treat substance use disorder while neglecting to recognize the mental health issue that may be the root cause of addiction and self-harm behaviors. The new law now provides a more patient-centered focus on holistic care and co-occurring disorders while reducing barriers to treatment.  This is important because individuals who receive integrated mental health and substance services show better clinical improvements and report better treatment satisfaction.

Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health Commissioner Michael Orth said, “I want to thank Senator Harckham for championing this important legislation, and for his longstanding commitment to improving behavioral health care in New York. Westchester County has been a leader in building a comprehensive co-occurring system of care, bringing together behavioral health providers, peers, government, health centers, schools, community organizations and those with lived experience, to strengthen prevention, treatment, harm reduction, recovery and peer support services. By creating a truly integrated behavioral health licensing framework, this legislation provides OMH and OASAS with an important opportunity to further align our behavioral health system around the needs of the people we serve. 

Commissioner Orth continued, “The new law moves New York toward a model that treats the whole person—not just a diagnosis—and recognizes that mental health and substance use conditions are often interconnected. With thoughtful implementation, it has the potential to create a more accessible, coordinated and sustainable behavioral health system where individuals experience fewer barriers to care, greater engagement in treatment, improved outcomes, and a stronger path toward recovery.”

Stephanie Marquesano, Founder and President of the Harris Project, Inc. (or the harris project), said, “The enactment of New York’s legislation establishing integrated mental health and substance use services under Article 36 is an important milestone in the state’s efforts to meet the needs of individuals with co-occurring disorders. I commend Senator Pete Harckham, Governor Kathy Hochul, and everyone whose leadership, collaboration, and commitment helped make this legislation possible.”

Marquesano added, “As implementation begins, New York has an opportunity to strengthen integration across the continuum of prevention, treatment, and recovery by building upon the significant knowledge, practical experience, and collaborative work already advancing a co-occurring system of care across counties and communities throughout the state. Realizing this opportunity calls for a coordinated strategy that aligns workforce development, core competencies, regulatory requirements, operational guidance, and funding across OMH and OASAS to provide greater clarity and consistency as this transformational effort moves forward.

“Ultimately, the success of this legislation will be measured not simply by its enactment, but by whether individuals living with co-occurring disorders and their loved ones experience a system that is easier to navigate, where clinicians are better prepared to identify and respond to co-occurring disorders, and high-quality, integrated, person-centered care is available regardless of where they enter the system.”

Marie Considine, Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Westchester (NAMI), said, “On behalf of NAMI Westchester, we thank Senator Harckham for sponsoring this legislation and applaud Governor Hochul for signing it into law. We were proud to join NAMI New York State in advocating for its passage, because individuals living with co-occurring mental health conditions and substance use disorders deserve a system of care that is coordinated, accessible, and responsive to their needs. By authorizing New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) and New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) to establish a single set of licensing standards and requirements for integrated behavioral health services, this legislation represents an important step toward reducing barriers between systems of care. We believe this will help providers better serve New Yorkers with co-occurring mental health conditions and substance use disorders, leading to more seamless access to treatment, better coordination of services, and improved outcomes for individuals and families.”

Ann-Marie Foster, President and CEO of Phoenix House NY & LI, said, “At Phoenix House, we see every day how deeply intertwined addiction and mental illness truly are, yet for too long New Yorkers battling both have been forced to navigate two very complicated systems, each with its own rules, paperwork, and red tape. Senator Harckham’s legislation to finally integrate OMH and OASAS is the kind of structural, commonsense reform our system has needed for decades, letting providers like ours treat the whole person. We commend Governor Hochul for signing this landmark legislation into law, and we urge the state to move quickly on implementation so New Yorkers in crisis are no longer forced to seek care in silos.”