Relates to improving student mental health and mental health literacy in institutions of higher education in the state; requires the amendment or adoption of related protocols, policies and programs in SUNY, CUNY and independent institutions of higher education.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1008
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE(Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sens. BROUK, PALUMBO -- read twice and ordered printed,
and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to improving student
mental health and mental health literacy in institutions of higher
education in the state, and requiring the amendment or adoption of
related protocols and policies of SUNY, CUNY and independent insti-
tutions of higher education
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 362 to
2 read as follows:
3 § 362. Student mental health. 1. The state university shall take the
4 following actions regarding student mental health needs:
5 (a) (i) review, amend and publish various protocols and policies
6 intended to improve the mental health of students, to improve mental
7 health literacy among students and staff, and to establish parity
8 between physical and mental health, including reasonable accommodations,
9 whenever possible and appropriate;
10 (ii) review, amend and publish enrollment, re-enrollment, medical
11 leave of absence, voluntary and involuntary leave and termination poli-
12 cies of the state university and create specific provisions for students
13 experiencing mental health issues or crises, that are intended to
14 improve responses to the mental health needs and crises of students,
15 improve suicide prevention and intervention, provide flexible voluntary
16 leave opportunities, provide individualized student assessments with
17 consideration of reasonable requests by students and appropriate defer-
18 ence to their treating providers, and provide reasonable accommodations
19 to avoid extended involuntary leave or termination, whenever possible
20 and appropriate;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02172-01-5
S. 1008 2
1 (b) include a mental health section in orientation programs for newly
2 enrolled students intended to enhance mental health literacy among
3 students, to increase knowledge about mental health and help-seeking
4 behaviors, and to reduce stigma;
5 (c) all full-time faculty, administrators, athletic coaches, student-
6 facing and support staff, including adjunct professors of the universi-
7 ty, shall be required to receive mental health training on mental health
8 literacy, relevant disability law, reduction of stigma training, best
9 practices regarding reasonable accommodations for students with mental
10 health needs, and recognizing signs of mental distress among students
11 and recommended follow-up safety actions. All such training shall be
12 provided in a culturally competent manner. Staff shall receive initial
13 training within one year of the effective date of this section, or with-
14 in one year after the date upon which they commence employment at the
15 university, with refresher training required within each three-year
16 period thereafter. The chancellor of the state university, in conjunc-
17 tion with the commissioner, shall prescribe the form and manner in which
18 such training shall be provided; and
19 (d) institute other programs intended to address and improve student
20 mental health.
21 2. The state university and the department shall research, review, and
22 publish model protocols and policies, that may be adopted and imple-
23 mented by colleges and universities under their jurisdiction, to imple-
24 ment the provisions of subdivision one of this section.
25 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6235 to read
26 as follows:
27 § 6235. Student mental health. 1. The city university shall take the
28 following actions regarding student mental health:
29 (a) (i) review, amend and publish various protocols and policies
30 intended to improve the mental health of students, to improve mental
31 health literacy among students and staff, and to establish parity
32 between physical and mental health, including reasonable accommodations,
33 whenever possible and appropriate;
34 (ii) review, amend and publish enrollment, re-enrollment, medical
35 leave of absence, voluntary and involuntary leave and termination poli-
36 cies of the city university and create specific provisions for students
37 experiencing mental health issues or crises, that are intended to
38 improve responses to the mental health needs and crises of students,
39 improve suicide prevention and intervention, provide flexible voluntary
40 leave opportunities, provide individualized student assessments with
41 consideration of reasonable requests by students and appropriate defer-
42 ence to their treating providers, and provide reasonable accommodations
43 to avoid extended involuntary leave or termination, whenever possible
44 and appropriate;
45 (b) include a mental health section in orientation programs for newly
46 enrolled students intended to enhance mental health literacy among
47 students, to increase knowledge about mental health and help-seeking
48 behaviors, and to reduce stigma;
49 (c) all full-time faculty, administrators, athletic coaches, student-
50 facing and support staff, including adjunct professors of the city
51 university, shall be required to receive mental health training on
52 mental health literacy, relevant disability law, reduction of stigma
53 training, best practices regarding reasonable accommodations for
54 students with mental health needs, and recognizing signs of mental
55 distress among students and recommended follow-up safety actions. All
56 such training shall be provided in a culturally competent manner. Staff
S. 1008 3
1 shall receive initial training within one year of the effective date of
2 this section, or within one year after the date upon which they commence
3 employment at the city university, with refresher training required
4 within each three-year period thereafter. The chancellor of the city
5 university, in conjunction with the commissioner, shall prescribe the
6 form and manner in which such training shall be provided; and
7 (d) institute other programs intended to address and improve student
8 mental health.
9 2. The city university and the department shall research, review, and
10 publish model protocols and policies, that may be adopted and imple-
11 mented by colleges and universities under their jurisdiction, to imple-
12 ment the provisions of subdivision one of this section.
13 § 3. The education law is amended by adding a new section 237-a to
14 read as follows:
15 § 237-a. Student mental health, mental health literacy and training in
16 master plans of independent institutions of higher education. 1. The
17 regents plan for higher education, required to be developed and trans-
18 mitted pursuant to section two hundred thirty-seven of this part, and
19 approved master plans of independent institutions of higher education
20 shall include protocols and policies intended to improve the mental
21 health of students, improve mental health literacy among students,
22 faculty and support staff, and establish parity between physical and
23 mental health, including reasonable accommodations, whenever possible
24 and appropriate. The regents plan shall also require such institutions
25 to review, amend and publish enrollment, re-enrollment, medical leave of
26 absence, voluntary and involuntary leave, and termination policies for
27 students experiencing mental health issues or crises; improve responses
28 to mental health needs and crises; review and improve suicide prevention
29 and intervention policies; and provide appropriate staff training to all
30 full-time faculty, administrators, athletic coaches, student-facing and
31 support staff, as well as adjunct professors, to implement the above-re-
32 ferenced protocols and policies.
33 2. Independent institutions of higher education, shall review model
34 protocols and policies that may be developed or adopted by the universi-
35 ty, the city university, or the department and consider whether to adopt
36 such protocols and policies, in whole or in part, for inclusion in their
37 master plans, for purposes of improving student mental health, mental
38 health literacy, and responses to mental health needs and crises in such
39 institutions.
40 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
41 the provisions relating to the regents plan and university master plans
42 pursuant to section three of this act, shall be effective on the first
43 date, following the effective date of this act, when such plans are
44 required to be completed under section 237 of the education law.
