§ 36.03 9-8-8 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline

system.

(a) Definitions. When used in this article, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings unless the specific context clearly indicates otherwise:

(1) "9-8-8" means the three digit phone number designated by the federal communications commission for the purpose of connecting individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis with suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis counselors, mobile crisis teams, and crisis stabilization services and other behavioral health crises services through the national suicide prevention lifeline.

(2) "9-8-8 crisis hotline center" means a state-identified and funded center participating in the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Network to respond to statewide or regional 9-8-8 calls.

(3) "Crisis stabilization centers" means facilities providing short-term observation and crisis stabilization services jointly licensed by the office of mental health and the office of addiction services and supports under section 36.01 of this article.

(4) "Crisis residential services" means a short-term residential program designed to provide residential and support services to persons with symptoms of mental illness who are at risk of or experiencing a psychiatric crisis.

(5) "Crisis intervention services" means the continuum to address crisis intervention, crisis stabilization, and crisis residential treatment needs that are wellness, resiliency, and recovery oriented. Crisis intervention services include but not limited to: crisis stabilization centers, mobile crisis teams, and crisis residential services.

(6) "Behavioral health professional" shall mean any of the following, but shall not be limited to:

(i) a licensed clinical social worker, licensed under Article one hundred fifty-four of the education law;

(ii) a licensed psychologist, licensed under Article one hundred fifty-three of the education law;

(iii) a registered professional nurse, licensed under Article one hundred thirty-nine of the education law;

(iv) a licensed master social worker, licensed under Article one hundred fifty-four of the education law, under the supervision of a physician, psychologist or licensed clinical social worker;

(v) a licensed mental health counselor, licensed under Article one hundred sixty-three of the education law; or

(vi) a credentialed alcoholism and substance use counselor with a valid credential issued or approved by the office of addiction services and supports.

(7) "Certified peer specialist" means an individual who is certified as a peer in New York state from a certifying authority recognized by the commissioner of the office of mental health.

(8) "Certified recovery peer advocate" means an individual who holds a certification issued by an entity approved and recognized by the commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports.

(9) "Credentialed family peer advocate" means an individual who is credentialed as a peer in New York state from a certifying authority recognized by the commissioner of the office of mental health or the commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports.

(10) "Credentialed youth peer advocate" means an individual who is credentialed as a peer in New York state from a certifying authority recognized by the commissioner of the office of mental health or the commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports.

(11) "Mobile crisis teams" means a team licensed, certified, or authorized by the office of mental health and the office of addiction services and supports to provide community-based mental health or substance use disorder interventions for individuals who are experiencing a mental health or substance use disorder crisis. Members of a mobile crisis team may include, but not be limited to: behavioral health professionals, certified peer specialists, certified recovery peer advocates, credentialed family peer advocates, and credentialed youth peer advocates.

(12) "National suicide prevention lifeline" or "NSPL" means the national network of local crisis centers that provide free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week via a toll-free hotline number, which receives calls made through the 9-8-8 system. The toll-free number is maintained by the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use under Section 50-E-3 of the Public Health Service Act, Section 290bb-36c of Title 42 of the United States Code.

(b) The commissioner of the office of mental health, in conjunction with the commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports, shall have joint oversight of the 9-8-8 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline and shall work in concert with NSPL for the purposes of ensuring consistency of public messaging.

(c) The commissioner of the office of mental health, in conjunction with the commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports, shall, on or before July sixteenth, two thousand twenty-two, designate a crisis hotline center or centers to provide or arrange for crisis intervention services to individuals accessing the 9-8-8 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline from anywhere within the state twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Each 9-8-8 crisis hotline center shall do all of the following:

(1) A designated hotline center shall have an active agreement with the administrator of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for participation within the network.

(2) A designated hotline center shall meet NSPL requirements and best practices guidelines for operation and clinical standards.

(3) A designated hotline center may utilize technology, including but not limited to, chat and text that is interoperable between and across the 9-8-8 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline system and the administrator of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

(4) A designated hotline center shall accept transfers of any call from 9-1-1 pertaining to a behavioral health crisis.

(5) A designated hotline center shall ensure coordination between the 9-8-8 crisis hotline centers, 9-1-1, behavioral health crisis services, and, when appropriate, other specialty behavioral health warm lines and hotlines and other emergency services. If a law enforcement, medical, or fire response is also needed, 9-8-8 and 9-1-1 operators shall coordinate the simultaneous deployment of those services with mobile crisis services.

(6) A designated hotline center shall have the authority to deploy crisis intervention services, including but not limited to mobile crisis teams, and coordinate access to crisis stabilization centers, and other crisis intervention services, as appropriate, and according to guidelines and best practices established by New York State and the NSPL.

(7) A designated hotline center shall meet the requirements set forth by New York State and the NSPL for serving high risk and specialized populations including but not limited to: Black, African American, Hispanic, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, Alaskan Native; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, queer, and questioning individuals; veterans; members of rural communities; individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities; individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability; immigrants and refugees; children and youth; older adults; and religious communities as identified by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, including training requirements and policies for providing linguistically and culturally competent care.

(8) A designated hotline center shall provide follow-up services as needed to individuals accessing the 9-8-8 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline consistent with guidance and policies established by New York State and the NSPL.

(9) A designated hotline center shall provide data, and reports, and participate in evaluations and quality improvement activities as required by the office of mental health and the office of addiction services and supports.

(d) The commissioner of the office of mental health, in conjunction with the commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports, shall establish a comprehensive list of reporting metrics regarding the 9-8-8 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline's usage, services and impact which, to the maximum extent practicable, shall include, at a minimum:

(1) The volume of requests for assistance that the 9-8-8 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline received;

(2) The average length of time taken to respond to each request for assistance, and the aggregate rates of call abandonment;

(3) The types of requests for assistance that the 9-8-8 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline received;

(4) The number of mobile crisis teams dispatched;

(5) The number of individuals engaged by mobile crisis teams;

(6) The number of individuals transported by mobile crisis teams to crisis intervention services or other behavioral health crisis services;

(7) The number of individuals engaged by mobile crisis teams transported to an emergency room;

(8) The number of individuals transferred by mobile crisis teams to the custody of law enforcement;

(9) The number of times a mobile crisis team was the first responder to a behavioral health crisis and the mobile crisis team had to request deployment of law enforcement; and

(10) The age, gender, race, and ethnicity of the individual, if reasonably ascertainable, of individuals contacted, transported, or transferred by each mobile crisis team.

(e) The commissioner of the office of mental health, in conjunction with the commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports, shall submit an annual report on or by December thirty-first, two thousand twenty-three and annually thereafter, regarding the comprehensive list of reporting metrics to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of the senate and the minority leader of the assembly.

(f) Moneys allocated for the payment of costs determined in consultation with the commissioners of mental health and the office of addiction services and supports associated with the administration, design, installation, construction, operation, or maintenance of a 9-8-8 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline system serving the state, including, but not limited to: staffing, hardware, software, consultants, financing and other administrative costs to operate crisis call-centers throughout the state and the provision of acute and crisis services for mental health and substance use disorder by directly responding to the 9-8-8 hotline established pursuant to the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 (47 U.S.C. § 251a) and rules adopted by the Federal Communications Commission, including such costs incurred by the state, shall not supplant any separate existing, future appropriations, or future funding sources dedicated to the 9-8-8 crisis response system.