Albany, NY – Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon (D-119) is proud to announce the New York State
Assembly has voted unanimously to advance Bill A.5213-A, legislation introduced by the Assemblywoman which
will establish a Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Behavioral Condition Community Stakeholder
Committee to examine and establish evidence-based best screening, intervention, and educational support methods
and practices for elementary students in kindergarten through grade five with developmental, mental, and
behavioral health conditions.
Here in New York, there is a growing and unmet need for enhanced mental health, behavioral, and developmental
disability services for elementary students across the State. Medical experts, educators, and parents agree that our
children are in crisis, yet our communities lack consistent, evidence-based tools to effectively assess and respond
to the needs of all students. This bill creates a formal stakeholder committee, led by the Commissioner of Mental
Health in consultation with the Commissioners of the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, the
Office of Children and Family Services, and the Department of Education, as well as community stakeholders to
examine and develop concrete recommendations for the establishment of best practices statewide.
“When we fail to identify and support a child with a developmental, mental health, or behavioral
condition early-on, we don’t just fail that child, we set them back for years,” said Assemblywoman
Buttenschon. “This committee will bring together the clinicians, educators, parents, and individuals
with lived experience who know this issue best, and task them with giving New York the evidence-based
screening and intervention tools our schools so urgently need. These children and their families are
counting on us to get this right, and this legislation is our commitment to do exactly that.”
Key provisions of the new law include:
● Directing the Commissioner of Mental Health, in consultation with the commissioners of the Office for
People with Developmental Disabilities, the Office of Children and Family Services, and the Department
of Education, to establish a community stakeholder committee to examine appropriate and effective
evidence-based screening methods and interventions for children in kindergarten through grade five
identified with a developmental disability, mental health condition, or behavioral condition.
● Requires the committee to include at least ten members, co-chaired by the four relevant commissioners,
and members appointed by the legislature including specialists in diagnosing developmental and
behavioral conditions, educators with relevant expertise, parents of affected students, and individuals with
lived experience of a developmental disability, mental health, or behavioral condition.
● Requires the committee to hold at least two public hearings to gather input from a broad range of
stakeholders, including licensed social workers, mental health practitioners, behavior analysts, teachers,
school administrators, and parents.
● Directs the committee to prepare and submit a report of findings and recommendations to the Governor,
the Temporary President of the Senate, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the minority leaders of both
chambers within eighteen months of the law’s effective date.
Under current law, no statewide body exists to systematically coordinate, examine, and recommend
evidence-based standards for screening and supporting elementary school students with developmental, mental
health, or behavioral conditions. This legislation addresses this critical gap by establishing a structured,
multi-agency process to develop actionable recommendations grounded in expert input and community
experience.
“No child should fall through the cracks because we lacked the tools or the coordination to help them
early on,” Assemblywoman Buttenschon added. “This committee will help New York build a smarter,
more comprehensive, and more compassionate system for our children and their families”
The legislation received unanimous support in the Assembly, and now awaits a vote in the Senate before
advancing to the Governor’s office for enactment.
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About Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon
Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon proudly represents New York’s 119th Assembly District, encompassing
the cities of Utica and Rome as well as the Towns of Floyd, Deerfield, Marcy, and Whitestown. From a lifelong
educator and former Dean of Public Service and Emergency Preparedness at Mohawk Valley Community College,
to a small family farm owner, Buttenschon brings decades of experience advocating for equity, access, and
opportunity across public health, education, agriculture, and emergency services. In the Assembly, she serves as
Chair of the Committee on Small Business and as a member of the Agriculture, Education, Higher Education, and
Veterans’ Affairs Committees, where she champions bipartisan solutions to improve quality of life. Her work
reflects a steadfast commitment to ensuring that every family in her district and beyond can live with dignity,
support, and a voice in their future.
