This bill expands the types of mental health professionals authorized to provide services under New York’s Workers’ Compensation program, specifically including Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs) and other Article 163 licensees who hold diagnostic privilege. This is a crucial development for LMHCs, enabling them to serve a broader population of injured workers and ensuring greater access to essential mental health care.
S6912 — Defines mental health practitioners with diagnostic authority
Chamber:
Senate
Sponsor:
Christopher Ryan
Status:
Senate Floor Calendar (2026-02-25T00:00:00.000Z)
Companion:
A5894
Action alert
Email your Senator immediately to urge a YES vote on S6912, which expands mental health practitioner services for workers’ compensation. Let’s ensure injured New Yorkers have access to the mental health care they deserve!
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Senate:
SUBSTITUTED BY A5894A
Full bill text
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6912--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
March 26, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. C. RYAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Labor -- committee
discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
to said committee
AN ACT to amend the workers' compensation law, in relation to defining
mental health practitioners with diagnostic authority
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Paragraph (m) of subdivision 1 of section 13-b of the work-
ers' compensation law, as added by section 1 of part CC of chapter 55 of
the laws of 2019, is amended and a new paragraph (r) is added to read as
follows:
(m) "Provider" shall mean a duly licensed acupuncturist, chiropractor,
nurse practitioner, occupational therapist, physical therapist, physi-
cian, physician assistant, podiatrist, psychologist, MENTAL HEALTH PRAC-
TITIONER, or social worker authorized by the chair.
(R) "MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER" SHALL MEAN AN INDIVIDUAL LICENSED
PURSUANT TO ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE OF THE EDUCATION LAW WHO HAS
MET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR DIAGNOSTIC PRIVILEGE SET FORTH IN SECTION
EIGHTY-FOUR HUNDRED ONE-A OF THE EDUCATION LAW.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09924-03-5
