Bill > S05953

This bill establishes a comprehensive Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training demonstration program designed to improve law enforcement's response to mental health and substance abuse crisis situations. The bill creates a new CIT training program coordinator position within the state office of mental health, who will be responsible for developing partnerships between law enforcement, mental health service providers, disability services, and community stakeholders. The program includes establishing a 13-member advisory committee composed of representatives from various mental health, law enforcement, and advocacy organizations, and creating a dedicated training fund of up to one million dollars. The CIT program aims to provide specialized 40-hour training for law enforcement officers to better handle mental health crises, with goals including reducing physical confrontations, decreasing arrests of individuals in mental health crisis, providing dignified responses, identifying underserved populations, and creating alternative treatment pathways. The program is initially set to run for five years and requires an annual report detailing training progress, community implementations, and funding resources. The bill mandates cooperation between state agencies and establishes criteria for developing effective crisis intervention strategies that prioritize therapeutic responses and community collaboration.

Health and Social Services

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S5953