STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5754
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 20, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. K. BROWN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring schools to
include prevention of co-occurring disorders as an integral part of
their health education programs
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The section heading of section 804 of the education law, as
2 amended by chapter 390 of the laws of 2016, is amended and a new subdi-
3 vision 2-a is added to read as follows:
4 Health education regarding mental health, alcohol, drugs, tobacco
5 abuse, co-occurring disorders and the prevention and detection of
6 certain cancers.
7 2-a. (a) All schools shall include, as an integral part of health
8 education, instruction on the prevention of co-occurring disorders, such
9 as mental health issues and the misuse and abuse of alcohol, tobacco and
10 other drugs.
11 (b) Such instruction shall be designed according to the needs and
12 abilities of the pupils at successive grade levels with the purpose of
13 educating about the importance of maintaining mental health and well-
14 ness, fostering and developing healthy decision making through an under-
15 standing of pathways to substance misuse/addiction and preparing pupils
16 to live healthy lives. In developing such instruction, the commissioner
17 may consult with the advisory council on underage alcohol consumption
18 and youth substance abuse, established pursuant to section 19.06 of the
19 mental hygiene law, and the adolescent suicide prevention program,
20 established pursuant to section 41.49 of the mental hygiene law.
21 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
22 the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the
23 addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
24 for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized
25 to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09583-01-5
