New York is providing more than $16 million in additional annual funding to improve county coordination and oversight of court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment for people with serious mental illness.
The state is also standardizing a voluntary alternative to court orders, launching a statewide tracking system and changing when some former participants can be returned to treatment under Kendra's Law.
The Office of Mental Health said the fiscal year 2026 budget provides counties with an additional $16.5 million each year to coordinate treatment providers, emergency services, hospitals and other organizations serving people with complex needs.
The funding can also be used to update county policies, improve state reporting and reduce reliance on emergency care by expanding voluntary services.
Voluntary agreements standardized
Enhanced Voluntary Agreements allow an individual and county officials to develop a service plan without immediately seeking a court order. The state described the agreements as a less restrictive option that can involve hospitals, treatment providers, courts, law enforcement and emergency responders.
State Mental Health Commissioner Ann Sullivan said the agreements and added county funding are intended to support people with complex needs while helping them remain in their communities.
The budget also provides the Office of Mental Health with an additional $2 million annually for training and oversight.
New tracking system covers every county
The state launched an Assisted Outpatient Treatment Workspace this winter to replace its previous monitoring database. The system covers all counties and can connect with local data systems, allowing state and local officials to address concerns in real time.
Officials said the system will track outcomes for people receiving court-ordered treatment and those using Enhanced Voluntary Agreements, allowing the state to compare how the approaches are working.
The amended law also permits a new treatment order within six months after an earlier order expires if a person experiences a substantial increase in symptoms, emergency care, hospitalization or incarceration tied to not following recommended treatment.
How Kendra's Law works
Assisted outpatient treatment allows judges to order qualifying individuals to follow community-based treatment plans while requiring state and local governments to make the listed services available.
The program is intended for people with mental illness and a history of hospitalization or violence connected to not participating in treatment. Kendra's Law was enacted in 1999 in memory of Kendra Webdale, who was killed after being pushed in front of a New York City subway train.
The Office of Mental Health said assisted outpatient treatment participants have experienced declines of at least two-thirds in psychiatric hospitalization, incarceration and homelessness. The agency also reported a 22% increase in service engagement and a 38% decrease in harmful behaviors when comparing the six months before enrollment with the latest six-month follow-up.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.