What's happening
This bill allows qualified psychiatric nurse practitioners to admit patients to inpatient mental health units on a voluntary basis.
Why it matters
Expands access to mental health care. by allowing psychiatric nurse practitioners, not just physicians, to admit patients—potentially reducing delays for those seeking voluntary mental health treatment.
Recognizes the expertise of psychiatric nurse practitioners. , acknowledging their advanced training and certification in psychiatry, which may improve patient trust and satisfaction by broadening the pool of qualified evaluators.
May address workforce shortages in mental health settings. by allowing more qualified professionals to perform critical admission functions, particularly in underserved or rural areas where psychiatrists are in short supply.
Could lead to faster and more flexible patient admissions. , as hospitals would have more options for qualified staff to evaluate and confirm the need for inpatient mental health care, improving responsiveness to patient needs.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Nurses Admit Mental Patients
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities
- Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities
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.
Let Nurses Admit Mental Patients
In Assembly Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Felix Ortiz
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5163
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 10, 2017
Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to authorizing nurse practitioners to admit a patient to an inpatient mental health unit on a voluntary basis
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 9.01 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new ninth undesignated paragraph to read as follows:
"qualified nurse practitioner" means an individual licensed pursuant to article one hundred thirty-nine of the education law and certified as a nurse practitioner pursuant to section sixty-nine hundred two of the education law with a certificate in the specialty of psychiatry.
§ 2. Subdivision (a) of section 9.13 of the mental hygiene law, as amended by chapter 465 of the laws of 1992, is amended to read as follows:
(a) The director of any hospital may receive as a voluntary patient any suitable person in need of care and treatment, who voluntarily makes written application therefor. To the extent that such written application requires an examination of the patient and confirmation that the patient has a mental illness for which care and treatment in a mental hospital is appropriate, such evaluation and confirmation shall be made by either a physician or a qualified nurse practitioner. If the person is under sixteen years of age, the person may be received as a voluntary patient only on the application of the parent, legal guardian, or nextof-kin of such person, or, subject to the terms of any court order or any instrument executed pursuant to section three hundred eighty-four-a of the social services law, a social services official or authorized agency with care and custody of such person pursuant to the social services law, the director of the division for youth, acting in accord-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08875-01-7
S. 5163 2
ance with section five hundred nine of the executive law, or a person or entity having custody of the person pursuant to an order issued pursuant to section seven hundred fifty-six or one thousand fifty-five of the family court act. If the person is over sixteen and under eighteen years of age, the director may, in his discretion, admit such person either as a voluntary patient on his own application or on the application of the person's parent, legal guardian, next-of-kin, or, subject to the terms of any court order or any instrument executed pursuant to section three hundred eighty-four-a of the social services law, a social services official or authorized agency with care and custody of such person pursuant to the social services law, the director of the division for youth, acting in accordance with section five hundred nine of the executive law, provided that such person knowingly and voluntarily consented to such application in accordance with such section, or a person or entity having custody of the person pursuant to an order issued pursuant to section seven hundred fifty-six or one thousand fifty-five of the family court act.
§ 3. Section 9.15 of the mental hygiene law, as renumbered by chapter 978 of the laws of 1977, is amended to read as follows: § 9.15 Informal admissions.
The director of any hospital approved by the commissioner for such purpose may receive therein as an informal patient any suitable person in need of care and treatment requesting admission thereto. Such person may be admitted as a patient without making formal or written application therefor and any such patient shall be free to leave such hospital at any time after such admission. To the extent that such admission requires an examination of the patient and confirmation that the patient has a mental illness for which care and treatment in a mental hospital is appropriate, such evaluation and confirmation shall be made by either a physician or a qualified nurse practitioner.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to authorizing nurse practitioners to admit a patient to an inpatient mental health unit on a voluntary basis
Purpose
This bill allows a nurse practitioner, acting within their lawful scope of practice, to admit a patient to an inpatient mental health unit on a voluntary basis.
Summary of provisions
Section one of the bill amends section 9.01 of the mental hygiene law to define a qualified nurse practitioner as an individual licensed pursuant to the education law and certified as a nurse practitioner with a certificate in the specialty of psychiatry.
Section two of the bill amends the mental hygiene to provide that when a written application for voluntary admission requires an examination of the patient and a confirmation that the patient has a mental illness for which care and treatment in a facility is appropriate, such evaluation and confirmation can be made by a physician or a qualified nurse practitioner.
Justification
Most inpatient admissions currently occur through a psychiatrist. However, since there is a shortage of psychiatrists in certain areas of the State, trained nurse practitioners in the specialty of psychiatry should have the ability to admit patients on a voluntary basis. This legislation would allow nurse practitioners, acting within their lawful scope of practice and certified in psychiatry, to admit a patient to an inpatient mental health unit on a voluntary basis.
Legislative history
2010: A11650 Referred to Higher Education 2011/12: A1603A Amended and Recommitted to Higher Education 2013/14: A4886A Referred to Higher Education 2015/16: A8440 Referred to Higher Education
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
Immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.