Brouk, Bronson Bill to Expand Mental Health Diagnostic Authority Signed into Law

A bill aimed at bolstering New York’s mental health workforce by extending diagnostic privileges to certain licensed practitioners has been signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul, lawmakers announced Wednesday.

Assembly member Harry Bronson, State Senator Samra Brouk

The legislation—sponsored by State Senator Samra Brouk (D-55) and Assemblymember Harry Bronson (D-138)—extends the window for licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs), marriage and family therapists (LMFTs), and psychoanalysts (LPs) to apply for state certification allowing them to diagnose and develop treatment plans for patients.

Known as the Diagnostic Extender Bill (S7622/A8045), the measure builds on a 2022 law and aims to address the ongoing shortage of mental health professionals across New York State. Without the extension, many practitioners risked losing their authority to diagnose, a move lawmakers said would have worsened access to care.

“With this extension, New York State can continue addressing the mental health workforce shortage while increasing access for individuals with substance abuse and mental health needs,” said Brouk, who chairs the Senate Mental Health Committee. “As the federal government cuts funding for critical resources, I remain committed to protecting essential mental health services that our New Yorkers deserve.”

New York is home to more than 24,000 licensed mental health counselors, the second-highest number of any state. Supporters say the new law will help retain thousands of professionals in the field by giving them additional time to meet new licensure requirements established by the State Education Department.

Bronson said the law is essential to meeting growing demand for mental health services.

“Addressing the mental health challenges in our communities requires drastically increasing the number of qualified practitioners who can diagnose and develop treatment plans,” he said. “This law allows those already providing care to continue doing so while obtaining their updated credentials.”

Mental health advocates also praised the bill.

“Providing an additional two years for licensed mental health practitioners to engage in diagnosis and the development of assessment-based treatment plans is critically important,” said Maria Cristalli, president and CEO of Hillside. “We applaud the leadership of Senator Brouk and Assemblyman Bronson who continue to advocate for increased capacity and parity of mental health services.”

The legislation comes amid rising demand for behavioral health services in New York and nationwide, fueled in part by the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and a shortage of providers across both urban and rural areas.