STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6007
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 26, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BARRETT -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. EPSTEIN
-- read once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to creating the
rural suicide prevention council
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section
2 7.48 to read as follows:
3 § 7.48 Rural suicide prevention council.
4 (a) There shall be established by the office, a council on rural
5 suicide prevention, to consist of twelve members:
6 1. two members shall be appointed by the commissioner;
7 2. two members shall be appointed by the commissioner of health;
8 3. two members shall be appointed by the commissioner of agriculture
9 and markets;
10 4. two members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
11 5. two members shall be appointed by the temporary president of the
12 senate;
13 6. one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assem-
14 bly; and
15 7. one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate.
16 (b) The commissioner shall designate the chair of the council from
17 among such twelve members. Vacancies in the membership of such council
18 shall be filled by the appropriate appointing authority. The membership
19 of the council may include, but not be limited to, representatives of
20 the state conference of local mental hygiene directors, psychiatric and
21 psychological practitioners, substance use and mental health profes-
22 sionals with experience in the delivery of treatment and prevention
23 services in rural areas, persons with expertise in public health issues,
24 any group, association, or university with expertise in financial or
25 economic analysis, business planning, and providing supports for farmers
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00560-01-9
A. 6007 2
1 and other individuals residing in rural areas, and others whose profes-
2 sional expertise includes rural affairs related to the duties of the
3 council.
4 (c) The council shall focus its efforts and work on "rural areas" as
5 such term is defined in section four hundred eighty-one of the executive
6 law.
7 (d) Duties of the council shall include, but not be limited to:
8 1. examining the causes and conditions related to rural suicides or
9 suicide attempts and the prevalence of suicide among certain professions
10 including, but not limited to, farmers and agricultural workers;
11 2. identifying policies, practices, resources, services, and potential
12 legislation that may result in the reduction of rural suicide and rural
13 suicide attempts;
14 3. offering recommendations on policies and procedures to improve the
15 coordination of services and resources among agencies involved in the
16 delivery of mental health, substance use, or suicide prevention
17 services; and
18 4. making recommendations on funding initiatives to increase access to
19 mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention services in rural
20 areas and facilitate the use of innovative intervention strategies
21 specific to individuals residing in rural areas.
22 (e) The rural suicide prevention council shall meet not less than two
23 times annually, or as deemed necessary by the chair of the council or
24 the commissioner.
25 (f) The members of the rural suicide prevention council shall receive
26 no compensation for their services, but shall be allowed their actual
27 and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
28 (g) The council shall prepare and submit a report no later than Janu-
29 ary first, two thousand twenty-one, and biennially thereafter, to the
30 governor and the legislature that recommends policies, legislation, and
31 funding needed to implement any of the findings in the council's report.
32 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
33 have become a law.
