Legislation introduced by Assemblywoman Judy Griffin (D-Rockville Centre), and widely backed by law enforcement agencies statewide, has been adopted by both houses of the legislature, with no dissenting votes. The bill (A.6721-A/S.6244-A), which will be sent to the Governor for final enactment, would establish a formal peer mental health counseling program for law enforcement officers by offering formal professional training to designated police personnel, and authorize those officers to provide confidential counseling to their fellow officers.
“The goal of this legislation is to provide access to suitable mental health resources that will provide effective support for our law enforcement officers, so that they may better serve our citizens,” stated Assemblywoman Griffin. “By nature of their profession, the repetitive trauma experienced in the aftermath of imminent danger, violence, and loss of life associated with emergency response operations is well documented and can exact a toll, both personally and professionally. When these daunting experiences are not processed and addressed, they have the potential to exacerbate and disrupt all areas of life. When my bill becomes law, it will help ensure that any officer struggling with these issues will have a confidential and proximate resource for timely, direct assistance with a trained peer.”
The confidentiality included in the legislation is consistent with other types of professional mental health services in New York, and those officers formally designated as peer counselors will receive comprehensive training in this regard.
This bill is modeled after the successful federal COPS Counseling Act, which was enacted for federal law enforcement officers in 2021. Since that time, several states, including Oregon, Massachusetts, Nevada, Kentucky, and Ohio, have passed similar legislation for their police officers.
The legislation was introduced in memory of Lt. Joseph Banish, a New York State Trooper who died by suicide. Lt. Banish’s brother, Jim Banish, a retired law enforcement officer, has honored his brother’s memory by advocating for programs such as this that help officers deal with mental health issues and prevent suicide. Banish is also the Founder and President of the New York Law Enforcement Assistance Program (NYLEAP), a non-profit organization created to educate and assist law enforcement agencies all over the state of New York and beyond. Jim Banish joined forces with Tommy Shevlin, President of Nassau County PBA, to highlight the vital need for peer support statewide, create awareness, and prevent suicide. Police Officers are 54% more likely to commit suicide than the general population.
Jim Banish added, “This single piece of legislation, once signed, will start saving lives immediately. Law Enforcement officers statewide will now be able to reach out for help confidentially without the fear of retribution or retaliation. Lt. Joseph J. Banish would have benefited from this law, and I’m honored and proud to have worked with some amazing people to see it get passed. Thank you to all that played a part in seeing this through and helping to save lives and get officers back to work in a healthy frame of mind.”
Griffin concluded, “The unanimous passage and bi-partisan support from virtually every region of our state is an encouraging message to every law enforcement officer, from local villages and towns to larger urban departments alike. This is a message of hope, of compassion, and recognition of the unique struggles faced by the courageous men and women who protect us all.”
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