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Bill

S 6081

Establishes the child psychiatry access project within the office of mental health; establishes a gift for such purpose on personal income tax forms

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Kevin Parker

New York establishes a child psychiatry access project funded partly through voluntary income tax donations to expand youth mental health services.

REFERRED TO MENTAL HEALTH
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Bill Summary · S 6081

Legislative bill overview

S 6081 creates a Child Psychiatry Access Project under New York's Office of Mental Health and establishes a voluntary tax checkoff mechanism on state income tax forms to fund this initiative. The project aims to improve children's access to psychiatric services, particularly in underserved areas.

Why is this important

Child mental health services face significant access barriers in many communities, with long wait times and geographic shortages of pediatric psychiatrists. Establishing a dedicated project with alternative funding through tax checkoffs could expand services without requiring general fund appropriations, addressing a critical gap in youth mental healthcare.

Potential points of contention

  • Effectiveness of tax checkoffs: Voluntary tax checkoff programs historically generate modest and unpredictable revenue, potentially limiting the project's scope and sustainability
  • Program design details absent: The bill provides minimal specifics on how the project would operate, which populations it serves, or performance metrics, making it difficult to assess feasibility
  • Equity concerns: Without clear targeting mechanisms, the project may not effectively reach the most underserved or vulnerable children who face the greatest barriers to care

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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