What's happening
This bill creates a council and advisory board to address and reduce disparities in substance use disorder treatment for vulnerable populations in New York.
Why it matters
Directly targets the root causes of disparities. by requiring the council to analyze economic, social, cultural, and structural barriers that prevent vulnerable groups from accessing quality substance use disorder treatment—potentially leading to more effective, tailored interventions.
Mandates community engagement and outreach. , ensuring that education and prevention efforts are culturally relevant and accessible to populations often overlooked by traditional public health messaging.
Institutionalizes accountability through annual reporting. , requiring the council to regularly inform state leadership about progress, challenges, and recommendations—this could drive ongoing policy adjustments and keep the issue of treatment equity visible.
Ensures diverse, expert input in decision-making. by establishing an advisory board with mandated community expertise and geographic representation, increasing the likelihood that solutions will reflect real-world conditions and community needs.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create Treatment Equity Council
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to ways and means
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Referred to alcoholism and drug abuse
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
692
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL, JAFFEE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing a council for treatment equity within the office of alcoholism and substance abuse
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 19.45 to read as follows: § 19.45 The council for treatment equity.
1. Definitions. As used in this section:
(a) "Council" shall mean the council for treatment equity created pursuant to this section which shall consist of a full time director and any additional full or part time staff the commissioner deems necessary to effectuate the provisions of this section.
(b) "Treatment equity advisory board" shall mean the advisory board to the council, created pursuant to subdivision three of this section.
(c) "Vulnerable populations" shall mean those who have experienced injustices and disadvantages as a result of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, age, socioeconomic status and/or any other status which has caused a person to experience injustices and disadvantages.
(d) "Racially and ethnically diverse areas" shall mean counties where the non-white population is forty percent or more or the service area of an agency, corporation, facility or individual providing substance use disorder services where the non-white population of said area is forty percent or more.
(e) "Provider of services" shall mean any agency, corporation, facility or individual providing substance use disorder services to vulnerable populations.
(f) "Treatment disparities" shall mean measurable differences in access to and quality of substance use disorder services as determined
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04782-01-9
A. 692 2
by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, age and socioeconomic status.
(g) "Treatment equity" shall mean achieving the highest level of substance use disorder services for all people and shall entail focused efforts to address avoidable inequalities by equalizing those conditions for substance use disorder services for those that have experienced injustices and socioeconomic disadvantages.
2. The council for treatment equity. There is hereby created a council for treatment equity. The council, in conjunction with the treatment equity advisory board, shall have the following powers and duties:
(a) Work collaboratively with the office, other relevant state agencies and affected stakeholders, including, but not limited to, providers and representatives of vulnerable populations, in order to set priorities to achieve treatment equity in both racial and ethnically diverse areas and for vulnerable populations throughout the state;
(b) Analyze collected data to determine the causes of treatment disparities in both racially and ethnically diverse areas and for vulnerable populations throughout the state, including any economic, physical, social or cultural barriers;
(c) Develop and implement strategies aimed at achieving treatment equity in racially and ethnically diverse areas and among vulnerable populations;
(d) Promote community involvement by conducting promotional and educational outreach programs regarding substance use disorders and available services; and
(e) Review the impact of current laws, rules, regulations, policies and programs that may be affecting the ability to achieve treatment equity.
3. The treatment equity advisory board. (a) The treatment equity advisory board shall consist of twelve members. All members shall be appointed by the governor, with three members appointed upon recommendation from the temporary president of the senate and three members appointed upon recommendation from the speaker of the assembly. The chairperson of the council shall be the commissioner or their designee.
(b) The members of the council shall be from the community with expertise in conducting substance use disorder services. In making such appointments, due consideration shall be given to ensuring adequate geographic representation.
(c) The term of office for each member of the treatment equity advisory board shall be six years. Vacancies in the treatment equity advisory board, other than by expiration of a term, shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in the same manner as original appointments.
(d) The members of the treatment equity advisory board shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for all expenses actually and necessarily incurred by them in the performance of their duties under this section within the amount made available by appropriation therefor.
4. Report. The council shall submit a written report to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly no later than one year succeeding the effective date of this section and annually thereafter, setting forth the findings, recommendations and activities of the council on matters within the scope of its powers and duties as set forth in this section.
§ 2. 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.