What's happening
The bill requires service providers for people with developmental disabilities to post visible notices instructing employees on emergency and abuse reporting procedures.
Why it matters
Improves staff awareness and readiness. By making emergency and abuse reporting instructions highly visible, the bill helps ensure that all employees know exactly what to do in urgent or dangerous situations, potentially leading to quicker and more effective responses.
Reduces risk of underreporting. Explicitly reminding employees of their legal obligations to report suspected abuse or neglect lowers the risk that incidents go unreported due to ignorance or uncertainty about procedures.
Provides direct access to resources. Including phone numbers for the Justice Center hotline and local law enforcement on the notice means staff can act immediately, removing barriers to reporting and supporting faster intervention when necessary.
Strengthens accountability and compliance. Visible reminders about reporting laws reinforce institutional accountability, making it harder for organizations or staff to claim a lack of awareness about mandatory reporting requirements.
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Who cares
Providers of OPWDD-regulated or funded programs
They would have to post a notice in a public area visible to employees with emergency and abuse-reporting instructions and phone numbers for the Justice Center hotline and local law enforcement.
Employees of covered programs
The notice would instruct them to call 911 during emergencies, report suspected abuse or neglect to the Justice Center and contact law enforcement if they believe a crime occurred.
People with developmental disabilities receiving services
The required notice would address emergency responses and reporting of suspected abuse or neglect involving service recipients.
Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs
The notice would list its hotline number and remind employees of their duty to report suspected abuse or neglect.
Headline styles
Post 911 Emergency Notices
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.37
- Rules report cal.37
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to codes
- Referred to mental health
- Referred to mental health
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.
Post 911 Emergency Notices
In Senate Committee · Mental Health And Developmental Disabilities · Sponsor Tony Avella
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2846
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 23, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ABINANTI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to duties of providers of service to people with developmental disabilities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 31.11 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new subdivision 6 to read as follows:
6. for programs licensed, certified, operated, authorized or funded by the office for people with developmental disabilities, posting a visible notice in a public area visible to employees informing such employees to call 911 in the event of an emergency. Further, the notice shall inform employees that, pursuant to article eleven of the social services law, they shall report to the justice center for the protection of people with special needs if it is believed that abuse or neglect of a service recipient has occurred; and may contact law enforcement if it is believed that such abuse or neglect constitutes a crime. Such notice shall contain the phone number of the justice center hotline and local law enforcement entity.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01260-01-7
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.