New York Laws
Article 36 - Addiction and Mental Health Services and Supports
36.03 - 9-8-8 Suicide Prevention and Behavioral Health Crisis Hotline System.

(a) Definitions. When used in this article, the following words and
phrases shall have the following meanings unless the specific context
clearly indicates otherwise:
(1) "9-8-8" means the three digit phone number designated by the
federal communications commission for the purpose of connecting
individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis with suicide
prevention and behavioral health crisis counselors, mobile crisis teams,
and crisis stabilization services and other behavioral health crises
services through the national suicide prevention lifeline.
(2) "9-8-8 crisis hotline center" means a state-identified and funded
center participating in the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Network
to respond to statewide or regional 9-8-8 calls.
(3) "Crisis stabilization centers" means facilities providing
short-term observation and crisis stabilization services jointly
licensed by the office of mental health and the office of addiction
services and supports under section 36.01 of this article.
(4) "Crisis residential services" means a short-term residential
program designed to provide residential and support services to persons
with symptoms of mental illness who are at risk of or experiencing a
psychiatric crisis.
(5) "Crisis intervention services" means the continuum to address
crisis intervention, crisis stabilization, and crisis residential
treatment needs that are wellness, resiliency, and recovery oriented.
Crisis intervention services include but not limited to: crisis
stabilization centers, mobile crisis teams, and crisis residential
services.
(6) "Behavioral health professional" shall mean any of the following,
but shall not be limited to:
(i) a licensed clinical social worker, licensed under article one
hundred fifty-four of the education law;
(ii) a licensed psychologist, licensed under article one hundred
fifty-three of the education law;
(iii) a registered professional nurse, licensed under article one
hundred thirty-nine of the education law;
(iv) a licensed master social worker, licensed under article one
hundred fifty-four of the education law, under the supervision of a
physician, psychologist or licensed clinical social worker;
(v) a licensed mental health counselor, licensed under article one
hundred sixty-three of the education law; or
(vi) a credentialed alcoholism and substance use counselor with a
valid credential issued or approved by the office of addiction services
and supports.
(7) "Certified peer specialist" means an individual who is certified
as a peer in New York state from a certifying authority recognized by
the commissioner of the office of mental health.
(8) "Certified recovery peer advocate" means an individual who holds a
certification issued by an entity approved and recognized by the
commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports.
(9) "Credentialed family peer advocate" means an individual who is
credentialed as a peer in New York state from a certifying authority
recognized by the commissioner of the office of mental health or the
commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports.
(10) "Credentialed youth peer advocate" means an individual who is
credentialed as a peer in New York state from a certifying authority
recognized by the commissioner of the office of mental health or the
commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports.
(11) "Mobile crisis teams" means a team licensed, certified, or
authorized by the office of mental health and the office of addiction
services and supports to provide community-based mental health or
substance use disorder interventions for individuals who are
experiencing a mental health or substance use disorder crisis. Members
of a mobile crisis team may include, but not be limited to: behavioral
health professionals, certified peer specialists, certified recovery
peer advocates, credentialed family peer advocates, and credentialed
youth peer advocates.
(12) "National suicide prevention lifeline" or "NSPL" means the
national network of local crisis centers that provide free and
confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional
distress twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week via a toll-free
hotline number, which receives calls made through the 9-8-8 system. The
toll-free number is maintained by the Assistant Secretary for Mental
Health and Substance Use under Section 50-E-3 of the Public Health
Service Act, Section 290bb-36c of Title 42 of the United States Code.
(b) The commissioner of the office of mental health, in conjunction
with the commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports,
shall have joint oversight of the 9-8-8 suicide prevention and
behavioral health crisis hotline and shall work in concert with NSPL for
the purposes of ensuring consistency of public messaging.
(c) The commissioner of the office of mental health, in conjunction
with the commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports,
shall, on or before July sixteenth, two thousand twenty-two, designate a
crisis hotline center or centers to provide or arrange for crisis
intervention services to individuals accessing the 9-8-8 suicide
prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline from anywhere within the
state twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Each 9-8-8 crisis
hotline center shall do all of the following:
(1) A designated hotline center shall have an active agreement with
the administrator of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for
participation within the network.
(2) A designated hotline center shall meet NSPL requirements and best
practices guidelines for operation and clinical standards.
(3) A designated hotline center may utilize technology, including but
not limited to, chat and text that is interoperable between and across
the 9-8-8 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline system
and the administrator of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
(4) A designated hotline center shall accept transfers of any call
from 9-1-1 pertaining to a behavioral health crisis.
(5) A designated hotline center shall ensure coordination between the
9-8-8 crisis hotline centers, 9-1-1, behavioral health crisis services,
and, when appropriate, other specialty behavioral health warm lines and
hotlines and other emergency services. If a law enforcement, medical, or
fire response is also needed, 9-8-8 and 9-1-1 operators shall coordinate
the simultaneous deployment of those services with mobile crisis
services.
(6) A designated hotline center shall have the authority to deploy
crisis intervention services, including but not limited to mobile crisis
teams, and coordinate access to crisis stabilization centers, and other
crisis intervention services, as appropriate, and according to
guidelines and best practices established by New York State and the
NSPL.
(7) A designated hotline center shall meet the requirements set forth
by New York State and the NSPL for serving high risk and specialized
populations including but not limited to: Black, African American,
Hispanic, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, Alaskan

Native; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, queer, and
questioning individuals; veterans; members of rural communities;
individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities;
individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability; immigrants
and refugees; children and youth; older adults; and religious
communities as identified by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration, including training requirements and
policies for providing linguistically and culturally competent care.
(8) A designated hotline center shall provide follow-up services as
needed to individuals accessing the 9-8-8 suicide prevention and
behavioral health crisis hotline consistent with guidance and policies
established by New York State and the NSPL.
(9) A designated hotline center shall provide data, and reports, and
participate in evaluations and quality improvement activities as
required by the office of mental health and the office of addiction
services and supports.
(d) The commissioner of the office of mental health, in conjunction
with the commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports,
shall establish a comprehensive list of reporting metrics regarding the
9-8-8 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline's usage,
services and impact which, to the maximum extent practicable, shall
include, at a minimum:
(1) The volume of requests for assistance that the 9-8-8 suicide
prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline received;
(2) The average length of time taken to respond to each request for
assistance, and the aggregate rates of call abandonment;
(3) The types of requests for assistance that the 9-8-8 suicide
prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline received;
(4) The number of mobile crisis teams dispatched;
(5) The number of individuals engaged by mobile crisis teams;
(6) The number of individuals transported by mobile crisis teams to
crisis intervention services or other behavioral health crisis services;
(7) The number of individuals engaged by mobile crisis teams
transported to an emergency room;
(8) The number of individuals transferred by mobile crisis teams to
the custody of law enforcement;
(9) The number of times a mobile crisis team was the first responder
to a behavioral health crisis and the mobile crisis team had to request
deployment of law enforcement; and
(10) The age, gender, race, and ethnicity of the individual, if
reasonably ascertainable, of individuals contacted, transported, or
transferred by each mobile crisis team.
(e) The commissioner of the office of mental health, in conjunction
with the commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports,
shall submit an annual report on or by December thirty-first, two
thousand twenty-three and annually thereafter, regarding the
comprehensive list of reporting metrics to the governor, the temporary
president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority
leader of the senate and the minority leader of the assembly.
(f) Moneys allocated for the payment of costs determined in
consultation with the commissioners of mental health and the office of
addiction services and supports associated with the administration,
design, installation, construction, operation, or maintenance of a 9-8-8
suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline system serving
the state, including, but not limited to: staffing, hardware, software,
consultants, financing and other administrative costs to operate crisis
call-centers throughout the state and the provision of acute and crisis
services for mental health and substance use disorder by directly

responding to the 9-8-8 hotline established pursuant to the National
Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 (47 U.S.C. § 251a) and rules
adopted by the Federal Communications Commission, including such costs
incurred by the state, shall not supplant any separate existing, future
appropriations, or future funding sources dedicated to the 9-8-8 crisis
response system.

Structure New York Laws