What's happening
Writing a plain-English summary… Track this bill to get it by email.
Why it matters
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 3
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Committee discharged and committed to higher education
- Referred to veterans, homeland security and military affairs
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Grants mental health practitioners the authority to diagnose in certain United States veterans administration facilities; repealer
In Assembly Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Michael DenDekker
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to granting mental health practitioners the authority to diagnose in certain United States veterans administration facilities; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
Purpose
The purpose of this legislation is to create a pilot program whereby the U.S. Veterans Health Administration may permit employees who are licensed under Article 163 of the education law (licensed mental health counselors (LMHC), licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT), licensed psychoanalysts (LP) and licensed creative art therapists (LCAT)) to diagnose.
Summary of specific provisions
Program and facilities funded, operated or administered by the U.S. Veterans Health Administration upon notification to the New York State Education Department allow individuals licensed under article 163 of the education law (licensed mental health counselors (LMHC), licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT), licensed psychoanalysts (LP) and licensed creative arts therapists (LCAT)) the authority to diagnose while performing their duties in VA facilities.
The legislation defines diagnosis for this purpose as the process of distinguishing, beyond a general assessment, between similar mental, emotional, behavioral, developmental and addictive disorders, impairments and disabilities within a psychosocial framework on the basis of their similar and unique characteristics consistent with accepted classification systems.
Existing law
This legislation impacts section eight thousand four hundred and eleven (8411) of article one hundred and sixty three (163) of the education law to add new subdivision four (4).
Justification
The U.S. Veterans Health Administration employees NYS LMHC, LMFT, LP and LCATs but does not permit them to work in a clinical capacity unless they are dually licensed in another state. The U.S. Veterans Health Administration believes the scopes of those licensed by Article 163 of the NYS education law are insufficient to provide a full array of clinical services. A pilot program will enable U.S. Veterans Health Administration to notify the NYS Education Department of their intention to allow those licensed to diagnose and provide mental health care to veterans.
Prior legislative history
None
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately and shall remain in effect until the July first of two thousand and eighteen.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.