Establishes the "first responder peer support program act" which supplies peer-to-peer mental health programs to first responders.
S05407 would create the “First Responder Peer Support Program Act” by adding a new section to the mental hygiene law. The bill directs the state Office of Mental Health commissioner, in consultation with other public safety and health agencies, to establish a statewide grant program that funds peer-to-peer mental health programs for first responders. Eligible applicants include local governmental units and county or entity-based first responder peer programs that can provide training and support services.
The bill defines first responders broadly to include firefighters, police, probation and parole officers, corrections-related warrant officers, court officers, forest rangers, 9-1-1 and 9-8-8 operators, emergency dispatchers, EMS personnel, coroners, medical examiners, and certain peace officers. Grant-funded programs must provide evidence-based, trauma-informed training covering topics such as trauma exposure, suicide prevention, mental health literacy, addiction and recovery, resilience, and referral practices, including warm handoffs to mental health services when needed. The bill also requires annual reporting by grant recipients and an aggregated annual report by the commissioner, with an effective date 120 days after enactment.
The bill would expand New York’s mental health law by creating a new state grant program specifically for peer support services for first responders. It would authorize the state to fund local and county programs, set uniform standards for training and program operation, and require annual reporting to the state on program activity and funding use. The bill also establishes confidentiality protections for communications made under the program and prohibits the collection or disclosure of personally identifying information, except as otherwise required by law or in limited safety-related circumstances.
The available voting history shows strong and unanimous support at each stage of the Senate process: 7-0 in the Senate Mental Health Committee, 20-0 in Senate Rules, and 57-0 on final Senate passage. That pattern suggests broad bipartisan agreement that first responders need dedicated mental health support and that peer-based programs are an appropriate policy response. No committee transcript excerpts were provided, so there is no recorded floor or committee debate to indicate significant opposition.
There is little evidence of substantive opposition in the available record, but the bill does include a few areas that could raise implementation questions. Because the program is subject to appropriation, funding levels and the scope of grants will depend on future budget decisions. The confidentiality and recordkeeping provisions may also prompt discussion about how to balance privacy for first responders with oversight, reporting, and safety exceptions. In addition, the bill’s broad definition of eligible first responders and the requirement for uniform standards could lead to questions about administrative burden and program consistency across localities.