Bill > A946

Introduced Session

This bill is designated as the "Right to Mental Health Care for Individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Act" and establishes certain requirements concerning the provision of mental health services to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, who are referred to in the bill as "clients." Specifically, the bill requires that mental health services be provided in a manner that is culturally affirmative and linguistically appropriate, using the client's primary method of communication. Clients may receive services using more than one method of communication, and will retain the right to refuse services. The Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DDHH) in the Department of Human Services (DHS), in consultation with the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) in the DHS, will be required to: implement and maintain culturally affirmative and linguistically appropriate mental health services; recruit, develop, and maintain an adequate number of certified mental health professionals and support staff to meet the demand for culturally affirmative and linguistically appropriate mental health services; monitor the services provided to ensure that clients are adequately served; provide adequate funding for services; develop certification criteria for mental health professionals to provide services to clients, as well as incentives to promote professional recruitment and retention; and develop and implement strategies to ensure access to mental health services regardless of geography, which may include the use of telemedicine and other approved remote technologies. The Executive Director of the DDHH, in consultation with the Assistant Commissioner of the DMHAS, will be responsible for coordinating and overseeing the implementation of culturally affirmative and linguistically appropriate mental health services Statewide. Among other things, the executive director will be required to ensure that appropriate mental health services for clients are accessible Statewide in all treatment settings; serve as a liaison throughout State government to maximize the use of State resources and engage in joint planning; develop a model for a Statewide system of care; collaborate with mental health professionals throughout the State to assist and ensure compliance with State and federal laws relating to mental health services for clients; collect and evaluate clinical and programmatic outcome data; distribute funds or grants to achieve optimum service delivery; prepare and submit reports as needed; facilitate the provision of clinical and administrative case consultations to mental health professionals; and establish an advisory committee to make recommendations and provide advice and assistance concerning the implementation of the bill.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Carol Murphy (D)*,  Heather Simmons (D)*,  Bob Auth (R),  John Azzariti (R),  Rosaura Bagolie (D),  David Bailey (D),  Al Barlas (R),  Brian Bergen (R),  Clinton Calabrese (D),  Linda Carter (D),  Robert Clifton (R),  Alixon Collazos-Gill (D),  Joe Danielsen (D),  Wayne DeAngelo (D),  Chris DePhillips (R),  John DiMaio (R),  Margie Donlon (D),  Mitchelle Drulis (D),  Aura Dunn (R),  Dawn Fantasia (R),  Vicky Flynn (R),  Roy Freiman (D),  Shama Haider (D),  Dan Hutchison (D),  Michael Inganamort (R),  Paul Kanitra (R),  Robert Karabinchak (D),  Andrea Katz (D),  Yvonne Lopez (D),  Greg McGuckin (R),  Cody Miller (D),  Bill Moen (D),  Gregory Myhre (R),  Ellen Park (D),  Luanne Peterpaul (D),  Erik Peterson (R),  Eliana Pintor Marin (D),  Annette Quijano (D),  Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D),  Gabriel Rodriguez (D),  Brian Rumpf (R),  William Sampson (D),  Alex Sauickie (R),  Gerry Scharfenberger (R),  Alexander Schnall (D),  Shanique Speight (D),  Sterley Stanley (D),  Lisa Swain (D),  Cleopatra Tucker (D),  Michael Venezia (D),  Anthony Verrelli (D), 

Withdrawn Because Approved P.L.2025, c.177. (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document