New York Assembly Bill A01856

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/14/25
• Refer: 1/14/25
• Refer: 1/7/26
• Report Pass: 2/25/26
• Refer: 2/25/26

Caption

Requires the office of temporary and disability assistance, in conjunction with the office of mental health and the office of children and family services, to develop a mental illness training course to be utilized by providers of temporary housing assistance to focus on recognizing signs and symptoms of mental illness.

Summary

A01856 would require the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, working with the Office of Mental Health and the Office of Children and Family Services, to create a training course for providers of temporary housing assistance. The course would focus on recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental illness and on making appropriate referrals for people who may be experiencing a mental health condition. The bill defines temporary housing providers broadly to include family shelters, adult shelters, hotels, emergency apartments, domestic violence shelters, runaway and homeless youth shelters, and safe houses for refugees. All employees and volunteers at these facilities would have to receive the training, and facilities would need to ensure that at least one trained intake worker is present whenever applicable law or operating plans require staff to be on site.

Impact

The bill would add a new title to Article 2-A of the Social Services Law establishing a statewide mental illness training requirement for temporary housing providers. It would place responsibility on OTDA, OMH, and OCFS to develop the curriculum and would impose compliance obligations on shelters and other temporary housing facilities, including training for employees and volunteers and staffing expectations for intake functions. The measure would affect social services districts, shelter operators, and related temporary housing programs by adding a new operational requirement intended to improve identification and referral of residents with mental health needs.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests generally favorable sentiment toward the bill, as it advanced out of the Assembly Social Services Committee by an 11-4 vote to Ways and Means. No committee transcript is available, so there is no recorded debate to indicate broader support or opposition arguments. The committee result indicates that a majority viewed the proposal as a worthwhile service and safety measure for vulnerable populations in temporary housing.

Contention

The main points of contention likely center on implementation burden and staffing requirements for shelters and other temporary housing providers. Opponents may be concerned about the cost of developing and delivering training, the administrative load on providers, and whether smaller facilities or volunteer-run programs can meet the requirement to have trained intake personnel available at all times when staffing is required. Supporters are likely focused on improving early identification of mental illness, connecting residents to services, and reducing crises in shelters and other temporary housing settings.