New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation Friday that provides training for firefighters and emergency medical services personnel on addictions and mental health service, including crisis intervention team training, mental health first aid, implicit bias and naloxone training, in regions where crisis stabilization centers are located.
This bill will ensure that appropriate emergency services personnel complete the most up-to-date training on topics related to addiction and mental health issues. This training is necessary to address the growing mental health crisis and will be especially needed in crisis stabilization center catchment areas.
According to the National Council for Behavioral Health, drug overdoses and suicides have overtaken car accidents as the two leading causes of death among Americans ages 25 to 44. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention also states that suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in New York. York. In 2020, for every 100,000 New Yorkers, approximately eight people lost their lives by suicide; it is the second cause of death in people between 10 and 34 years old; and for people between the ages of 35 and 54, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death.
In recent years, New York State has developed a comprehensive mental health crisis response system, including short-term crisis residences, crisis relief services, Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Programs (CPEP), mobile crisis and crisis intervention training. Last year’s state budget authorized the establishment of crisis stabilization centers to move people away from hospitalization if they are experiencing or at risk of a mental health crisis, including through voluntary transportation of people by law enforcement. order and emergency medical services. The training required by this bill is a critical tool in ensuring that crisis stabilization centers are fully utilized.
Additionally, in 2020, Congress enacted the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Enhancement Act, which established 9-8-8 as the universal dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. This new hotline is expected to be implemented in New York by July 2022 and will be a critical component of the comprehensive crisis response system for suicide and mental health issues, equivalent to “9-1-1” for medical emergencies, from fire and public safety. Governor Hochul secured $35 million for fiscal year 2022-23 to significantly expand call center capacity throughout New York State, increasing to $60 million for the full year. In addition, New York recently received $7.2 million from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services to support this transition.
“I am proud to sign this legislation that will give our brave first responders the tools they need to help New Yorkers struggling with mental health and addiction,” Governor Hochul said. “The pandemic has only made things more difficult for New Yorkers, and it is critical that our first responders and emergency services personnel have the proper training, tools and resources to help keep our streets and subways safe.”
–
