COONEY, HELMING, JACKSON, KENNEDY, MAY, SEPULVEDA, WEBB
MLTSPNSR
Establishes a Black youth suicide prevention task force to study the current mental health practices and suicide prevention efforts of Black youth age 5 through 18 years and make recommendations therefor; provides for the number of members, manner of appointment and the topics to be reviewed.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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8659
IN SENATE
February 27, 2024
___________
Introduced by Sens. BROUK, HELMING, JACKSON, KENNEDY, MAY, SEPULVEDA,
WEBB -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be commit-
ted to the Committee on Mental Health
AN ACT to establish a Black youth suicide prevention task force; and
providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Black youth suicide prevention task force. (a) There is
2 hereby created the Black youth suicide prevention task force to examine,
3 evaluate and determine how to improve mental health and suicide
4 prevention for Black New York residents aged 5 though 18 years, consist-
5 ing of seven members, each to serve until two years after the effective
6 date of this act.
7 (b)(1) Such members shall be appointed as follows: one member shall be
8 appointed by the governor; one member shall be appointed by the tempo-
9 rary president of the senate; one member shall be appointed by the
10 minority leader of the senate; one member shall be appointed by the
11 speaker of the assembly; one member shall be appointed by the minority
12 leader of the assembly; and two members shall be appointed by the
13 commissioner of mental health. Appointments shall be made within sixty
14 days of the effective date of this act. Vacancies in the task force
15 shall be filled in the same manner provided for original appointments.
16 (2) All appointees shall have expertise in fields or disciplines
17 related to mental health suicide prevention services, supports and know-
18 ledge related to the Black community. All appointments shall be coordi-
19 nated to ensure geographic representation from the entire state.
20 (3) The task force shall be chaired by the governor's appointee. The
21 task force shall elect a vice-chair by majority vote and other necessary
22 officers from among all appointed members.
23 (4) The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the
24 chair. Meetings may be held via teleconference. Special meetings may be
25 called by the chair at the request of a majority of the members of the
26 task force.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02877-01-3
S. 8659 2
1 (5) Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their
2 services but shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in
3 the performance of their duties in the work of the task force.
4 (c) The task force shall:
5 (1) study current mental health practices and suicide prevention
6 efforts for Black youths aged 5 through 18 years;
7 (2) recommend mental health practices and suicide prevention efforts
8 for such age group to increase effectiveness across the state; and
9 (3) determine potential reasons for the high number of Black youth
10 suicides.
11 (d) The task force may establish advisory committees as it deems
12 appropriate on matters relating to the task force's functions, powers
13 and duties. Such committees shall be chaired by a task force member, but
14 may be composed of task force members as well as other individuals
15 selected by the task force to provide expertise of interest specific to
16 the charge of such committees.
17 (e) The task force may, as it deems appropriate, request that studies,
18 surveys and analyses relating to the task force's powers and duties be
19 performed by any state department, commission, agency or public authori-
20 ty. All state departments, commissions, agencies or public authorities
21 shall provide information and advice in a timely manner and otherwise
22 assist the task force with its work; provided however, any information
23 or records otherwise confidential and privileged in accordance with
24 state or federal law that are provided to the task force pursuant to
25 this subdivision shall remain confidential as provided by such state or
26 federal law and provided, further, that reports of the task force shall
27 not identify the name or related identifying information concerning
28 individual persons who are deceased as a result of suicide.
29 (f) The task force shall provide a preliminary report to the governor
30 and the legislature of its findings, conclusions, recommendations and
31 activities already undertaken by the task force, not later than thirteen
32 months after the effective date of this act, and a final report of its
33 findings, conclusions, recommendations and activities already undertaken
34 by the task force, not later than twenty-two months after the effective
35 date of this act and shall submit with its reports legislative proposals
36 as it deems necessary to implement its recommendations.
37 § 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
38 have become a law and shall expire 2 years after such effective date
39 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.
