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1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to veterans' affairs
- Referred to veterans' affairs
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Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:A8760
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law and the mental hygiene law, in relation to enacting the "behavioral health services for veterans act"
Purpose or General Idea of bill: To establish a behavioral health services for veterans advisory board. The board shall study and analyze both the adequacy of existing and the need for new behavioral health services for veterans.
Summary of specific provisions: The executive law is amended by adding a new section 368 to establish a behavioral health services for veterans advisory board. Such board shall consist of nine members, three of whom shall be appointed by the governor, two of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the Assembly, one by the minority leader of the Assembly and one by the minority leader of the Senate.
The board shall study and analyze the adequacy of existing and the need for new behavioral health services for veterans. The board shall work in cooperation with the division, the office of alcoholism and substance abuse services and the department of mental hygiene.
The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section 19.43 which shall establish access to behavioral health services for veterans. Staff providing said services shall receive training in the specific needs of veterans.
The office shall provide the following services: coordination of services by an individual care coordinator for each veteran seeking services, screening and assessment for post traumatic stress disorder, agency networking to provide veterans with consistent treatment and transportation to and from the services provided by this section.
Justification: The experiences of First Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom have raised national consciousness about the mental health and substance use disorders that afflict veteran and civilian combatants and support personnel.
Of the 1.64 million military personnel involved in OEF/ OIF have been exposed to psychological and/or cognitive injury placing them at risk for mental health or substance use disorders (Rand Institute's Center for Military Health Policy Research).
The length and frequency of deployments, prevalence of concussive injuries and inherent stress of military operations have all resulted in high prevalence of post traumatic stress, major depression and potential traumatic brain injuries.
To say that the behavioral health needs of our veterans are increasing is an understatement; therefore there is a compelling rationale for the Behavioral Health Services for Veterans Act.
Prior legislative history: New bill
Financial implications: Unknown
Effective date: Shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.