Alliance Note: Yesterday, the Daniel’s Law Task Force convened its members to continue its work towards creating recommendations for a non-police response to mental health and substance use emergencies. Task force members began the meeting by considering principles to guide their recommendations. The group discussed issues around when to send mental health responders, New York’s lack of centralized emergency dispatch services, the need for compassionate person-centered language, and considerations for rural communities with less resources and a smaller workforce.
While it is encouraging to see the task force move forward with these needed discussions, we must continue to push for the removal of police involvement in these types of emergencies wherever possible. The group must also take more time to review and understand the proposed Daniel’s Law legislation, sponsored by Assemblymember Bronson and Senator Brouk. The bill, which was passed by the Senate mental health committee before the end of last session, addresses many of the questions brought up during yesterday’s meeting and must be considered more heavily during future conversations. The task force must also focus on identifying sustainable funding streams to implement mental health first responder teams quickly and effectively in all areas of the state.
The Daniel’s Law Coalition, along with the Alliance and other statewide advocates, will continue to push for the full passage of Daniel’s Law during the upcoming session because New Yorkers need access to comprehensive, caring support when they are experiencing a health emergency, whether it is physical or mental health related. Continue monitoring this email to learn ways you can get involved, such as joining the Daniel’s Law Coalition. See below for more information.
Daniel’s Law Task Force Meets, Moves Closer to Issuing Recommendations
By Jack Arpey | Spectrum News 1 | July 24, 2024
The Daniel’s Law Task Force met virtually Wednesday as New York continues to explore reducing police involvement in mental health-related calls.
The program stems from proposed legislation known as Daniel’s Law, named for Daniel Prude, who died in 2020 of asphyxiation while in Rochester police custody during a mental health incident.
“No matter where you are in New York state, you should be able to rely on the fact that the right people will show up,” said the bill’s sponsor, state Senator Samra Brouk.
Brouk said according to Daniel’s Law, “the right people” to respond to a mental health crisis are not police officers, but a mental health response unit.
“These are really the only type of health-related crisis that we are sending armed police officers to, simply because we have not created a framework for what this statewide response could look like,” she said.
Meeting periodically, the Daniel’s Law Task Force is working to create that framework. State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan updated members, saying the taskforce is moving closer to completing recommendations, though Daniel’s Law itself has still not passed.
“We’re getting to the point here where we are trying to pull things together,” Sullivan said.
That work on Wednesday involved reviewing research from consulting firm NYSTEC, dealing with questions like what is the threshold in which the unit would respond and what terminology would be used to communicate across agencies as such determinations are made.
Brouk says while the taskforce is getting closer to completing its work and some individual municipalities have already developed their own programs, her priority heading into next legislative session is simple.
“We still need to pass Daniel’s Law to make sure New York can provide that kind of compassionate care,” she said.
Brouk emphasized the bill did pass the Senate Mental Health Committee last session, and she expects to continue pushing for its full passage when lawmakers return to Albany in January.
Task force continues to develop framework for Daniel’s Law (spectrumlocalnews.com)