Requires the office of mental health to conduct a study on utilizing the therapeutic techniques studied by the research and recognition project for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Relates to witnesses to a health care proxy; changes the witness requirement for the health care proxy from two adult witnesses to one adult witness; makes an exception for persons who reside in mental health facilities by requiring such persons to have two adult witnesses; includes falsely making or altering a health care proxy within the crime of forgery in the second degree.
Establishes a statewide youth mental health and social media campaign to promote public awareness of the impacts of social media usage on mental health; requires a course of study on social media usage for all students.
Requires at least a ratio of one clinical, non-student mental health staff member per one thousand students on all SUNY and CUNY campuses and for state colleges and universities to update such ratio every five years.
Requires the development of guidelines and procedures by the office of mental health to help avert retraumatization of victims of sexual offenses in a behavioral health outpatient setting.
New York State bill A 3627 would allow public employees to take paid leave for mental health treatment without using their accrued sick leave. It applies to state workers, county employees, school staff, and retirement system employees across multiple public sectors. The law creates a specific leave category for mental or behavioral health needs, ensuring such absences don’t reduce an employee’s sick time allowance. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.
Directs the commissioner of mental health to review all proposals by an agency to provide new services at a new facility, expand the size of existing facilities or change the type of services that are provided at facilities within a city of one million or more; provides a definition for the types of facilities subject to such review; directs the commissioner of mental health to issue a report regarding such review.
This bill strengthens New York's Kendra's Law (assisted outpatient treatment program) by making it permanent and adding specific oversight requirements. It requires program coordinators to monitor treatment compliance, ensures timely service delivery, and mandates an educational pamphlet explaining the petition process in plain language. The law directly affects individuals court-ordered into outpatient treatment for serious mental illness, community mental health providers, and court staff handling petitions. Key changes include eliminating the program's automatic expiration and clarifying duties for directors of community services to investigate reports and coordinate care.
Bill A 8477 establishes a peer-to-peer support service program specifically for women veterans. It amends the veterans' services law to mandate coordination with various state agencies, including the office of mental health and the department of labor, for the development and implementation of this program. The bill also adds the establishment of this program as a new, specific function under the veterans' services law. This initiative aims to provide targeted support services tailored to the unique experiences of women who have served in the military.
Relates to domestic violence training for health and mental health professionals; requires such trainings to be updated annually by the commissioner of health in consultation with the office for the prevention of domestic violence; requires the commissioner of health to collect data on participation of such trainings by health professionals.
