The NYS Senate and Assembly have adjourned the 2025 session.

The NYS Council is preparing a detailed summary of all bills that were passed by both houses this session in the Mental Hygiene/Health sectors.  Linked here is a complete list of all bills the NYS Council tracked this session, with status. (Note: if a bill passed both houses the status will be listed as “returned to Senate (or Assembly),” otherwise it will list the committee it remained in when the session adjourned.)

Most recently, the Governor signed into law A8045 – Bronson, which the NYS Council supported.  This legislation extends certain provisions authorizing certain mental health practitioners, marriage and family therapists, and psychoanalysts, to engage in diagnosis and the development of assessment-based treatment plans.

To view the text/memo for any bill, click here to search by bill number.

The House is currently out on recess, but there’s a lot going on in DC since the Senate released the text for health and tax provisions of their own budget reconciliation bill.  Despite a lot of work and high hopes that the Senate version of the bill would address all the problems in the House version, that’s clearly not the case.

There are enough changes that House GOP Members will raise big objections and potentially balk at passing it. And, of course, this bill still has to pass in the Senate and there are some Republican Senators who still don’t agree with the package. Sen. Rand Paul (Kentucky) opposes the legislation because it raises the country’s debt limit. Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Josh Hawley (Missouri), Jerry Moran (Kansas) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) remain concerned about Medicaid but it remains to be seen whether that concern will translate into the no votes needed to stop the bill. Meanwhile, Senator Ron Johnson of WI is also saying he’s a no because of the size of the bill and impact on the deficit.

GOP Senate leaders continue to insist they will pass the legislation by July 4. Even if the Senate makes that deadline, the House will have to vote again and with the current draft, it’s not clear they will get all the votes they need.

In a recent Crain’s Health Pulse article, Lauri Cole, NYS Council Executive Director, was quoted on the NYS Council’s ongoing concerns over health plan non-compliance with the new commercial rate mandate. Many plans are still not paying the new rates, and they are using delay tactics that appear to be acceptable with state regulators, despite the fact that the law was effective January 1, 2025.

Although many health plans provided excuses for why they are not complying, or incorrectly stated that the state never provided plans with specific rate information, the article was important in elevating the problem for all to see.  The state has provided detailed rate information for every conceivable rate code combination to the health plans on November 22 of last year. It’s publicly available on OMHs website and has been since last year.

The article, for those with a Crain’s subscription, is available online here.

Lauri Cole, NYS Council Executive Director, was recently presented with the Behavioral Health Advocacy Award from Mental Health News Education at their Annual Leadership Awards event. The MHNE Annual Leadership Award event celebrates outstanding leaders making a difference in people’s lives.

In the Event Journal, MHNE noted that “Our five honorees have had a tremendous impact on the behavioral health and autism communities, devoting their careers to making a difference in people’s lives, and we are honored to recognize their leadership and commitment to people living with autism, mental illness, and substance use disorders.”

Lauri accepted the award on behalf of the NYS Council members’ that constantly demonstrate courage, integrity and strategic ‘smarts’ despite the odds.