Bill Text: NY A06788 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Creates "Robin's law"; relates to mental health and chemical dependence outpatient treatment of sex offenders; requires the development of guidelines and procedures for outpatient group settings.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-05 - referred to mental health [A06788 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-A06788-Introduced.html

---

                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          6788

                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                      April 8, 2021
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by M. of A. CUSICK -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ABBATE,
          BRAUNSTEIN, COOK, DAVILA, DiPIETRO, McDONOUGH, SIMON -- read once  and
          referred to the Committee on Mental Health

        AN  ACT to create "Robin's law"; and to amend the mental hygiene law, in
          relation to mental health and chemical dependence outpatient treatment
          of sex offenders

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as "Robin's law."
     2    § 2. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section 7.48 to
     3  read as follows:
     4  § 7.48 Sex offenders; outpatient group setting.
     5    The commissioner shall develop guidelines and procedures regarding sex
     6  offenders,  as  defined  in  section  one  hundred  sixty-eight-a of the
     7  correction law, and detained sex offenders, as defined in section  10.03
     8  of  this  title, receiving services in an outpatient group setting. Such
     9  guidelines and procedures shall  outline  best  practices  to  ensure  a
    10  protected,  safe  and  clinically  sound  treatment  environment for all
    11  patients and shall,  to  the  greatest  extent  possible,  be  based  on
    12  evidence-based clinical treatment standards regarding the segregation of
    13  sex  offenders  from  the general patient population. In developing such
    14  guidelines and procedures, the commissioner shall consult with  a  panel
    15  of  stakeholders  who  shall  include,  but not be limited to, represen-
    16  tatives of consumer advocates, providers and victim rights groups.  Such
    17  panel shall consist of nine members, of whom: five shall be appointed by
    18  the  governor,  two shall be appointed by the temporary president of the
    19  senate and two shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly.
    20    § 3. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new  section  19.45
    21  to read as follows:
    22  § 19.45 Sex offenders; outpatient group setting.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD09813-01-1
        A. 6788                             2

     1    The commissioner shall develop guidelines and procedures regarding sex
     2  offenders,  as  defined  in  section  one  hundred  sixty-eight-a of the
     3  correction law, and detained sex offenders, as defined in section  10.03
     4  of this chapter, receiving services in an outpatient group setting. Such
     5  guidelines  and  procedures  shall  outline  best  practices to ensure a
     6  protected, safe and  clinically  sound  treatment  environment  for  all
     7  patients  and  shall,  to  the  greatest  extent  possible,  be based on
     8  evidence-based clinical treatment standards regarding the segregation of
     9  sex offenders from the general patient population.  In  developing  such
    10  guidelines  and  procedures, the commissioner shall consult with a panel
    11  of stakeholders who shall include, but  not  be  limited  to,  represen-
    12  tatives  of consumer advocates, providers and victim rights groups. Such
    13  panel shall consist of nine members, of whom: five shall be appointed by
    14  the governor, two shall be appointed by the temporary president  of  the
    15  senate and two shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly.
    16    § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.