New York is putting real money behind Daniel’s Law, and Rochester is on the short list of early winners. State officials on Wednesday named three community pilot sites and cut $2 million checks to each, seeding health-led crisis response teams that are meant to take some 911 calls out of police hands and hand them to behavioral health clinicians and peer responders instead. Supporters are calling it a crucial first move, even as local advocates and lawmakers warn that the initial pot will not stretch far enough to support true 24/7 coverage statewide.
Who Got The Grants
As reported by Spectrum News, the Office of Mental Health awarded $2 million each to the city of Rochester, Central Nassau Guidance & Counseling Services and the Children’s Home of Jefferson County. The money is meant to launch or expand teams of trained behavioral health professionals and peer support staff. Rochester plans to use its share to grow its Person In Crisis team, which responds to certain calls without law enforcement. OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “By establishing a health-led system of response, communities can safely, effectively, and compassionately respond to individuals who experience a behavioral health crisis.”
How The Pilots Will Work
Per New York State Office of Mental Health, the agency’s request for proposals sought at least three pilots, including one urban, one suburban and one rural site. Applicants needed letters of commitment from county executives or the New York City mayor to qualify. The procurement directs pilot communities to line up with Daniel’s Law Task Force recommendations on trauma-informed and peer-led response models, and to build out data and dispatch protocols that can test how 988 and 911 work together. OMH says the pilots are expected to serve as templates for broader adoption if they deliver results.
Budget Context
Lawmakers set aside $6 million for Daniel’s Law pilot programs in last year’s state budget and added another $2 million to create a statewide Behavioral Health Crisis Technical Assistance Center, according to a New York State Senate press release. The money was framed as part of a phased strategy, first piloting health-led crisis responses in selected communities, then using the technical assistance center to train localities and track outcomes data. Sponsors and members of the Daniel’s Law Task Force say the allocations are meant as an initial investment that will guide a longer-term funding plan.
Advocates Push For Bigger Investment
Advocates and some legislators are already pushing Albany to go further. Sen. Samra Brouk is urging the Legislature to secure another $8 million to support additional pilots and more sustainable funding, as reported by Spectrum News. That reporting also notes OMH expects the current pilot awards to cover operations for roughly three years, and quotes the governor’s office saying Albany will continue negotiating with lawmakers over budget priorities. Local providers have cautioned that building reliable round-the-clock crisis teams will likely take more than a single round of pilot grants.
Task Force Estimates And Next Steps
The Daniel’s Law Task Force’s Funding Strategy Roadmap estimated that $15 million to $20 million could support about six to eight pilots, an analysis that works out to roughly $1.5 million to $2.5 million per pilot once staffing and other costs are factored in. The roadmap lays out more specific staffing estimates that range from about $1.2 million in rural areas to $1.7 million in downstate urban settings, and separately recommends $2 million for a technical assistance center to handle training, data collection and interoperability work. As Albany hammers out its budget, pilot sites will feed operational lessons back to OMH and state lawmakers, shaping the decision on whether to build out recurring funding for a statewide, non-police crisis response system.
