Creating an office of community mental health and a citywide mental health emergency response protocol.

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to creating an office of community mental health and a citywide mental health emergency response protocol

This bill would require the establishment of an Office of Community Mental Health (“Office”) within the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, to be headed by a deputy commissioner. This Office would create a citywide mental health emergency response protocol, and a mental health emergency response unit to respond to mental health emergencies within 30 minutes of receiving a mental health emergency call. This bill would also require the Office to identify gaps in mental health provision in New York City, coordinate between City agencies and community-based organization and mental health providers, and provide training to all relevant City agencies regarding the established mental health emergency response protocol. This bill would additionally require the New York City Police Department, in conjunction with the Office of Community Mental Health, to train all members of service, 911 call operators, and new academy recruits in the mental health emergency response protocol. Finally, this bill would require the Office to report monthly and annually about the emergency mental health calls received, and other work that the Office is conducting.