Requires the office of mental health to convene statewide forums and listening sessions in areas with high rates of death by suicide, suicide attempts, or other risk factors associated with suicide, and high risk minority groups or special populations.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
988
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. DAVILA, SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to
the Committee on Mental Health
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to requiring the
office of mental health to convene forums and listening sessions in
areas with high rates of death by suicide, suicide attempts, or other
risk factors associated with suicide, and high risk minority groups or
special populations
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 7.07 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding
2 a new subdivision (i) to read as follows:
3 (i) The office of mental health shall convene statewide forums and
4 listening sessions for the purpose of meeting its statutory responsibil-
5 ities and duties pursuant to subdivisions (g) and (h) of this section.
6 Such forums and listening sessions shall be conducted in areas of the
7 state which have high rates of death by suicide, suicide attempts, or
8 other risk factors associated with suicide, and high risk minority
9 groups or special populations, including but not limited to Latina and
10 Latino adolescents, black youth, individuals residing in rural communi-
11 ties, veterans, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
12 community, and any other group deemed high risk or underserved by the
13 office. The office may consult or work collaboratively with any state
14 agency, advocacy group, or association to promote or convene a forum or
15 listening session. The office shall include its findings and any recom-
16 mendations resulting from a forum or listening session in its report
17 required pursuant to subdivision (g) of this section.
18 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00290-01-5
