What's happening
This bill requires specialized autism training for firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical services personnel in New York.
Why it matters
Improves safety and communication. By training emergency personnel to recognize and respond to the unique behaviors and needs of individuals with autism, the bill aims to reduce misunderstandings and prevent potentially harmful interactions during crises.
Standardizes autism awareness across first responders. The law requires a consistent, state-developed training program for all firefighters (paid and volunteer), police officers, and emergency medical services, ensuring uniform knowledge and response strategies statewide.
Acknowledges the diversity of the autism spectrum. The mandated training covers both children and adults with autism, emphasizing that emergency responses need to be adaptable to a range of symptoms, characteristics, and communication styles.
Highlights the need for specialized knowledge. By embedding autism training into law, New York recognizes that general emergency training is insufficient for serving people with developmental disabilities, potentially setting a precedent for other conditions or states to follow.
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Who cares
Children and adults with autism spectrum disorder
The bill would establish training for emergency responders on recognizing their behavioral characteristics and responding appropriately in emergencies.
Paid and volunteer firefighters and police officers
The bill would require the autism emergency-response training program to be coordinated and provided to all of them.
Emergency medical services personnel
The program would be provided to all EMS personnel, including first responders, emergency medical technicians, advanced emergency medical technicians and emergency vehicle operators.
Commissioner of developmental disabilities and Department of Health
The commissioner would develop the training in consultation with appropriate agency representatives, while the department would coordinate and provide it to EMS personnel.
Headline styles
Train First Responders on Autism
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 111
6 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Enacting clause stricken
- Referred to governmental operations
- Referred to governmental operations
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.
Train Responders for Autism Emergencies
In Senate Committee · Mental Health And Developmental Disabilities · Sponsor John E. Brooks
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
223
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 4, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, the executive law and the public health law, in relation to a training program for firefighters, police officers and emergency medical services personnel on handling emergency situations involving individuals with autism spectrum disorder
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section 16.39 to read as follows: § 16.39 Autism spectrum disorder training; first responders.
The commissioner, in consultation with other appropriate agency representatives, shall develop a training program to provide instruction and information to firefighters, police officers and emergency medical services personnel on appropriate recognition and response techniques for handling emergency situations involving individuals with autism spectrum disorder and on recognizing the behavioral symptoms and characteristics of children and adults with autism spectrum disorders. Such training shall also include any other information deemed necessary and appropriate by the commissioner.
§ 2. Section 156 of the executive law is amended by adding a new subdivision 22 to read as follows:
22. Coordinate and provide the training program relating to handling emergency situations involving individuals with autism spectrum disorder developed by the commissioner of developmental disabilities pursuant to section 16.39 of the mental hygiene law to all firefighters, both paid and volunteer.
§ 3. Section 837-a of the executive law is amended by adding a new subdivision 10 to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05252-01-7
A. 223 2
10. Coordinate and provide the training program relating to handling emergency situations involving individuals with autism spectrum disorder developed by the commissioner of developmental disabilities pursuant to section 16.39 of the mental hygiene law to all police officers.
§ 4. Section 3011 of the public health law is amended by adding a new subdivision 12 to read as follows:
12. The department shall coordinate and provide the training program relating to handling emergency situations involving individuals with autism spectrum disorder developed by the commissioner of developmental disabilities pursuant to section 16.39 of the mental hygiene law to all emergency medical services personnel including, but not limited to, first responders, emergency medical technicians, advanced emergency medical technicians and emergency vehicle operators.
§ 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.