Directs the commissioner of education to establish the youth violence prevention pilot program in schools throughout the state which have high rates of absenteeism, high rates of suspensions, designation of persistently dangerous school, and other factors as determined by the commissioner.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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5332--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 22, 2017
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Introduced by Sen. HAMILTON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance -- recommitted to
the Committee on Finance in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 --
committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the youth
violence prevention pilot program
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 319 to
2 read as follows:
3 § 319. Youth violence prevention pilot program. 1. Subject to avail-
4 able appropriations, the commissioner shall establish a pilot program
5 for the prevention of youth violence. The commissioner shall select
6 school districts to participate in the pilot program that have demon-
7 strated a need based on factors, including, but not limited to, high
8 rates of absenteeism, high rates of suspensions, designation of persis-
9 tently dangerous school, and other factors as determined by the commis-
10 sioner.
11 2. The program shall provide grant aid for the employment of mental
12 health professionals within participating school districts including,
13 but not limited to, social workers, school psychologists, and counse-
14 lors.
15 3. To be considered for the pilot program, a school district shall
16 submit a proposal to the commissioner detailing:
17 (a) the reasons why the district seeks to participate in this pilot;
18 (b) the school district's barriers to hiring mental health profes-
19 sionals; and
20 (c) the role that mental health professionals would provide if
21 selected for the pilot.
22 4. The commissioner shall establish rules and regulations necessary to
23 implement the provisions of this section.
24 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00687-05-8