File #: Int 1080-2024    Version: * Name: Requiring the integration of mental health professionals into public service answering points.
Type: Introduction Status: Committee
Committee: Committee on Public Safety
On agenda: 10/10/2024
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the integration of mental health professionals into public service answering points
Sponsors: Farah N. Louis, Tiffany Cabán, Julie Menin, Justin L. Brannan
Council Member Sponsors: 4
Summary: This bill would require the Police Commissioner to establish a program to integrate licensed mental health professionals into 911 call centers, or public service answering points (PSAPs). The Police Commissioner would have to staff these professionals at each PSAP in New York City and provide them and 911 operators with training on the handling of 911 callers experiencing mental health crises. These professionals would provide feedback to 911 operators during 911 calls and provide emotional support and guidance to 911 callers experiencing mental health crises. The Police Commissioner would also have to issue to the Mayor and Speaker of the Council, and post online, a report on this program, including the numbers and types of mental health professionals involved, the number of 911 calls involving mental health crises that were handled and how they were handled, and a statement of any challenges encountered during implementation.
Indexes: Report Required
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 1080, 2. Int. No. 1080, 3. October 10, 2024 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 4. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 10-10-24

Int. No. 1080

 

By Council Members Louis, Cabán, Menin and Brannan

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the integration of mental health professionals into public service answering points

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 10 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 10-187 to read as follows:

§ 10-187 Integration of mental health professionals into public service answering points. a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

Mental health professional. The term “mental health professional” means an individual licensed to provide mental health services in the state of New York, including but not limited to a licensed master social worker, a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed mental health counselor, a licensed marriage and family therapist, a psychiatric-mental health registered nurse or advanced practice nurse, a psychiatrist, and a psychologist. 

Police communications technician. The term “police communications technician” means an employee of the police department staffed at a public service answering point to take 911 calls.

Public service answering point. The term “public service answering point” has the same meaning as set forth in subdivision 6 of section 301 of the county law.

b. No later than 180 days after the effective date of the local law that added this section, the police commissioner shall establish a program to integrate mental health professionals into public service answering points. This program shall involve, at a minimum:

1. Staffing mental health professionals at each public service answering point in the city; 

2. The provision of standardized and ongoing training to such mental health professionals and police communications technicians that:

(a) Is informed by the experiences of such mental health professionals; and

(b) Focuses on identifying 911 callers experiencing mental health crises and determining the appropriate response;

3. Such mental health professionals providing real-time support and feedback to police communications technicians during each 911 call; and

4. Such mental health professionals providing real-time emotional support and guidance to each 911 caller experiencing a mental health crisis.

§ 2. No later than 2 years after the effective date of this local law, the police commissioner shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council, and post on the police department’s website, a report on the program established under section 10-187 of the administrative code of the city of New York. This report shall include, but need not be limited to, the following information:

1. The number of mental health professionals providing services through such program, disaggregated by the types of such mental health professionals;

2. The number of 911 calls involving mental health crises that were handled with the assistance of such mental health professionals, disaggregated by calls that were resolved internally, calls that were diverted to non-law enforcement responders, and calls that were handled in another manner; and

3. Any challenges encountered during the implementation of such program.

§ 3. This local law takes effect 120 days after it becomes law.

 

JL

LS #3151/14440/15655

7/15/2024 9:59 AM