Establishes a youth mental health advisory board consisting of youths aged 16-20 to examine and make recommendations for legislation and initiatives regarding issues of youth mental health including social media, bullying, substance use, trauma, poverty and access to services.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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8359
IN SENATE
January 22, 2024
___________
Introduced by Sen. BROUK -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing a state-
wide youth mental health advisory board
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature hereby finds and
2 declares that poor mental health outcomes for youth is a public health
3 crisis that poses a threat to the health, wellbeing, and quality of life
4 for youth now and in the future. The legislature acknowledges the need
5 for youth voice and youth leadership in advocating for themselves and
6 others regarding mental and behavioral needs. Amongst the shortage of
7 behavioral and mental specialists, lack of representation within margi-
8 nalized communities, and insufficient funding infrastructure and oppor-
9 tunities for appropriate school-based services, the legislature hereby
10 finds the importance in establishing a dedicated board to support youth
11 in their mental and behavioral needs by increasing youth participation
12 in state government. A dedicated board would provide advancement in
13 creating policies that aid in improving youth outcomes in an effort to
14 address and resolve the youth mental health crisis in New York.
15 § 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new article 19-E to read
16 as follows:
17 ARTICLE 19-E
18 NEW YORK YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD
19 Section 461. New York youth mental health advisory board.
20 462. Organization and membership.
21 463. Powers and duties.
22 464. Report.
23 § 461. New York youth mental health advisory board. There is hereby
24 established a New York youth mental health advisory board (advisory
25 board) to examine, evaluate, confer and provide recommendations for the
26 needs and concerns related to the mental health of youth now and in the
27 future. The New York youth mental health advisory board shall formally
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13968-02-4
S. 8359 2
1 advise and make recommendations regarding the issues enumerated in
2 section four hundred sixty-three of this article.
3 § 462. Organization and membership. 1. There shall be an oversight
4 committee to the advisory board established by this article which shall
5 be composed of the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the
6 assembly, the chair of the senate mental health committee, and the chair
7 of the assembly mental health committee, or their designees. The over-
8 sight committee shall be responsible for appointing members to the advi-
9 sory board and overseeing their activities, functions and duties.
10 2. The youth mental health advisory board shall consist of seventy-two
11 members as follows:
12 (a) sixty-two members representing the diverse racial, ethnic,
13 geographic, socioeconomic, cultural, and religious backgrounds of the
14 state; and
15 (b) ten at large members representing New York city.
16 3. Members shall:
17 (a) be at least sixteen years of age, but no older than twenty years
18 of age;
19 (b) be enrolled in and attending a public, online or home-based educa-
20 tional program in New York state; and
21 (c) have resided in this state for at least one year.
22 4. The application process and appointment of members to the advisory
23 board shall be made by the oversight committee no later than ninety days
24 after the effective date of this section. Appointments of youth repre-
25 sentatives shall be diverse, equitable, and inclusive of youths from
26 various racial, ethnic, geographic, socioeconomic, cultural, and reli-
27 gious backgrounds. The advisory committee shall make a best possible
28 effort to include youth mental health consumers who are receiving, or
29 have received, mental health services, or have siblings or immediate
30 family members who are mental health consumers. Members shall be
31 appointed for terms of two years. The advisory committee will be respon-
32 sible for creating the process to fill vacancies.
33 § 463. Powers and duties. 1. The oversight committee shall develop
34 rules, procedures, and a leadership structure for the advisory board.
35 The advisory board shall meet as frequently as its business may require,
36 but no less frequently than four times per year. Meetings may be held
37 virtually, provided that the oversight committee may provide for in-per-
38 son meetings as they determine as necessary or desirable. The advisory
39 board members shall be reimbursed for any relevant fees and expenses
40 incurred when attending in-person meetings. The advisory board shall
41 have the following duties which shall include, but not be limited to:
42 (a) Making recommendations to the oversight committee regarding:
43 (i) the betterment of mental, behavioral, and physical health of
44 youth;
45 (ii) initiatives for suicide prevention and supports;
46 (iii) implications of social media on mental health and protective
47 factors;
48 (iv) advancements in mental health wellness;
49 (v) access to state and local government services;
50 (vi) educational development within schools;
51 (vii) bullying prevention;
52 (viii) substance abuse and misuse in relation to mental health;
53 (ix) poverty in relation to mental health;
54 (x) implications of trauma informed care;
55 (xi) inclusion of youth participation in state and local governments;
56 and
S. 8359 3
1 (xii) any other topics related to youth mental health that the board
2 considers relevant.
3 (b) Proposing ideas for legislation to the oversight committee and
4 commenting on pending legislation dealing with issues related to youth
5 mental health.
6 (c) Working with any existing and appropriate local, state, or
7 national organizations and groups, including youth groups, to collect
8 and analyze information on issues related to youth mental health.
9 (d) At the discretion of the oversight committee, providing testimony
10 to any legislative committees, commissions, task forces, or state agen-
11 cies and departments, as appropriate.
12 (e) Setting priorities and establishing any subcommittees that may be
13 necessary to achieve the goals of the advisory board.
14 2. The oversight committee, subject to appropriation, may contract
15 with a mental health professional and other appropriate staff members to
16 assist the advisory board and facilitate its powers and duties.
17 § 464. Report. The advisory board, in cooperation with the oversight
18 committee, shall develop and submit a joint report to the speaker of the
19 assembly, the temporary president of the senate, the chair of the senate
20 mental health committee, and the chair of the assembly mental health
21 committee no later than December thirty-first, two thousand twenty-four
22 and annually thereafter regarding the recommendations, findings and
23 other activities of the advisory board. Additionally, the report shall
24 indicate recommendations for the implementation of any initiatives
25 developed by the advisory board or other appropriate recommendations of
26 the oversight committee.
27 § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
28 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
29 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
30 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
31 completed on or before such effective date.
