New York’s Budget to Include Pilot Program for Mental Health Response in Western New York
New York’s $237 billion budget is set to include a pilot program in Western New York that could revolutionize the way mental health crises are handled. The program, expected to be confined to Rochester initially, would make local mental health professionals the default responders to incidents involving mental health issues or substance use, rather than law enforcement.
The program, stemming from proposed legislation known as Daniel’s Law, is named after Daniel Prude, who tragically died in 2020 while in Rochester Police custody during a mental health incident. The goal is to create specialized mental health response units that would replace police officers in responding to such crises.
Advocates for the program, like Ruth Lowenkron of N.Y. Lawyers for the Public Interest, believe that a health response is crucial in dealing with mental health crises, rather than a police response. The hope is that this change will better serve individuals with mental health issues and prevent unnecessary harm or arrests.
However, the implementation of Daniel’s Law may face challenges due to staffing shortages in the mental health workforce. Despite this, Senate sponsor Samra Brouk is optimistic that peer groups and counselors can help staff crisis response teams and improve crisis intervention protocols.
The budget also includes a pay increase for human services staff, with some receiving a 1.7% increase and the option for agencies to provide an additional 1.5%. While this increase is a step in the right direction, there are concerns about retaining staff in the industry long-term due to the divided nature of the raise.
Lawmakers plan to use the pilot program as a trial run for Daniel’s Law before potentially mandating the change statewide. As the budget is finalized, details of tax credits, health care spending, and other items are still being discussed, with both houses expected to pass the budget by the end of the weekend.
Overall, the pilot program in Western New York represents a significant step towards improving the response to mental health crises and ensuring that individuals receive the appropriate care and support they need.
