New Initiatives Will Recruit, Train and Protect First Responders, Supporting Those Who Step Into Harm’s Way To Keep New Yorkers Safe

Supports Veterans With Critical Mental Health Investments and Proposed Legislation To Expand Support for Gold Star Families

Expands Resources for Crime Victims by Increasing Compensation Thresholds and Dedicating More Funding to Child Advocacy Centers

Proposals Build on Governor’s Ongoing Commitments to Law Enforcement and Frontline Personnel; Expand Victim Compensation and Supportive Services

Governor Kathy Hochul today unveiled a series of proposals aimed at protecting first responders, expanding resources for training and recruitment and supporting veterans and victims of crime as part of her 2025 State of the State. The Governor proposed new initiatives to increase the number of first responders serving our communities and supporting them with training and mental health resources. The Governor also proposed new initiatives to support New York’s veterans, as well as increased support for victims of crime.

“We all owe an enormous debt to the first responders who put on a uniform each day to serve the communities they love,” Governor Hochul said. “I’m putting the safety and security of our communities first with new initiatives that open pathways to public service, provide critical support to first responders and veterans, and expand assistance for Gold Star families.”

Supporting First Responders

Launching a First Responder Counseling Scholarship Program
First responders face unique mental health challenges, but a shortage of counselors familiar with the responder community creates gaps in care. Financial barriers often deter first responders from pursuing counseling degrees, limiting the availability of culturally competent mental health professionals. To address this, Governor Hochul will launch the First Responder Counseling Scholarship Program through the State University of New York (SUNY). This initiative will support first responders pursuing counseling degrees and offer micro-credentials in areas like trauma-informed care and peer support leadership. In return for scholarship support, recipients will commit to serving as counselors in New York State, creating a sustainable pipeline of mental health professionals uniquely equipped to support the responder community.

Eliminating Outdated Barriers in Public Safety Recruitment
Outdated recruitment standards limit public safety agencies’ ability to attract qualified candidates, excluding individuals with valuable experience and worsening staffing shortages. To address this, Governor Hochul will modernize occupational standards to expand pathways for qualified candidates. This includes raising the New York State Police retirement age to 63 and removing the 35-year-old maximum age restriction for law enforcement recruitment, as well as allowing non-New York residents to apply for correctional officer positions. These changes will ensure agencies can draw from a broader and more diverse pool of applicants.

Expanding Educational Pathways to Public Service Careers
Many New Yorkers face barriers to pursuing public safety careers due to misaligned training programs and limited opportunities for advancement. Governor Hochul will partner with SUNY and the City University of New York (CUNY) to award academic credit for public safety training programs and integrate these credits into degree pathways. These efforts will attract more candidates to public safety careers and provide advancement opportunities for those currently working in public safety.

Securing Additional Funding for Volunteer Fire Infrastructure and Response Equipment Grant Program
Volunteer fire services protect over 45 percent of New Yorkers, yet many departments lack the tools and infrastructure required for modern firefighting. Outdated equipment and aging facilities put both firefighter safety and operational readiness at risk. Governor Hochul will secure additional funding for the V-FIRE grant program, allowing departments to renovate or construct compliant fire stations equipped to meet the needs of a diversifying workforce.

Keeping Firefighters Safe With Better Protective Gear
Our brave firefighters selflessly risk their lives to protect our communities, facing immense heat and hazardous conditions. To safeguard these heroes, they rely on specialized protective gear designed to withstand extreme temperatures and repel water and oil. For years, this essential equipment has unfortunately contained the emerging contaminant per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Evolving evidence has revealed the potential dangers of PFAS exposure, raising concerns about the long-term health and safety of our firefighters even as we continue to work to limit the release of this contaminant into New York’s air, lands and waters. Recognizing the need to protect both our firefighters and the environment, Governor Hochul will introduce legislation to ban the sale of firefighter gear containing PFAS in the state. This measure will help ensure our firefighters have access to the highest quality and safest protective equipment available while mitigating the potential public health and environmental impact of these chemicals. The legislation will take effect in 2028.

Establishing a Mass Violence Crisis Response Team
Mass violence incidents, including the 2022 Tops supermarket shooting in Buffalo, have exposed gaps in New York State’s ability to provide immediate support to victims and survivors. Delays in emergency funding, limited access to mental health services and inadequate resources for basic needs have highlighted the need for a more effective response. To address these challenges, Governor Hochul will establish a Mass Violence Crisis Response Team, led by the Office of Victim Services (OVS) in partnership with the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES). This team will ensure rapid, coordinated support for survivors and their communities, addressing immediate needs in the aftermath of such events.

Investing in Resources for Crime Victims

Expanding Victim Support Services to Protect Vulnerable Populations
New York’s current victim services program offers essential support but falls short in addressing financial abuse of older and disabled adults and in meeting the needs of families of homicide victims. Existing limits on compensation, outdated reimbursement caps and restrictive eligibility criteria hinder effective support for vulnerable populations. To address these issues, Governor Hochul proposes increasing compensation for scam victims, raising funeral reimbursement caps, expanding crime scene cleanup coverage and eliminating barriers such as the consideration of contributory conduct.

Ensuring Child Victims of Crime Are Maximally Supported
A child becoming the victim of a crime is every parent's worst nightmare, especially when the crime is violent in nature. When that does happen, families must walk the difficult line of supporting the pursuit of justice while also protecting their young loved one from having to re-experience and relive the crime and trauma. Child Advocacy Centers provide a child-friendly, safe, supportive environment for child victims of abuse or neglect and crime. Children and their loved ones have access to victim advocacy, mental health support and specialized medical exams from a multi-disciplinary team of professionals. This year, Governor Hochul will double funding to the Child Advocacy Centers to ensure that as children receive services and support, they have one single advocate who works with them and their family through the entire process. This will ensure young victims of crime and their families are prepared and supported by the same trusted adult at every step in the process.

Helping Veterans and Their Families

Enhancing Veteran Suicide Prevention Initiatives
Veterans in New York experience suicide rates significantly higher than the general population, driven by high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Approximately one in four New York veterans experience conditions that significantly increase their risk of suicide. Through the national Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans and Military Families, New York has developed innovative approaches to reducing veteran suicides. To build on these efforts, Governor Hochul will secure new funding to expand suicide prevention initiatives. This will include enhanced risk assessment training, outreach tools, gun safety programs and improved access to tele-mental health services for veterans statewide.

Expanding Support to Gold Star Families
While New York State honors families of fallen service members, the current Gold Star Parent Annuity Program only provides benefits to parents of service members who died in combat, excluding spouses, children and families of those who die during non-combat active duty.

Governor Hochul will propose legislation to expand this program to include all immediate family members of service members who die while on active duty. Additionally, the Governor will advance legislation authorizing the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue commemorative license plates for Gold Star family members, reflecting New York’s gratitude for their sacrifice.