Provides for voluntary certification of certified recovery community centers.
Summary
This bill amends the Mental Hygiene Law to create a new section authorizing the Commissioner of the Office of Addiction Services and Supports to establish regulations for the voluntary certification of “certified recovery community centers.” The regulations must be evidence-based and draw on expertise in recovery, and must address staffing, referrals and coordination with community and peer-based supports, participant safety, participant rights, confidentiality, relapse/re-occurrence support, and administrative and operational procedures.
Once a location is certified, the bill requires that it be listed on the office’s website as an option for individuals seeking recovery support services. The commissioner is also given ongoing oversight authority to inspect certified centers and impose penalties, including limiting, suspending, or revoking certification, if a center fails to comply with the law’s requirements. The bill further directs the commissioner to consult with the Department of Health to ensure that services provided by these centers are reimbursable through the state Medicaid system.
Impact
The bill would add a new regulatory framework to New York’s Mental Hygiene Law for recovery community centers, creating a voluntary certification process and state oversight mechanism for these facilities. It would affect the Office of Addiction Services and Supports and any community-based organizations seeking certification, while also potentially expanding access to peer recovery and support services by linking certified centers to the state website and Medicaid reimbursement pathways. The measure could also influence how recovery support services are structured, monitored, and financed across the state.
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee transcript or vote history, so there is no documented debate or recorded floor sentiment to assess. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears generally supportive of recovery services, peer support, and standardized oversight, suggesting a policy intent focused on expanding and legitimizing recovery community centers rather than restricting them.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential areas of debate, based on the bill’s provisions, could include the scope of state regulation over voluntary centers, the cost and administrative burden of certification and inspections, and whether Medicaid reimbursement should be tied to this certification framework. However, no opposing or supporting arguments are recorded in the supplied context.
Establishes the "recovery ready workplace act" which provides for the certification of an employer to become a recovery ready workplace; defines terms; establishes the recovery-ready workplace program; provides criteria for employers to obtain certification as a recovery ready workplace; provides for employee involvement.