NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A8961
SPONSOR: De La Rosa
 
TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to
the prevention of suicide; and to amend a chapter of the laws of 2017,
amending the mental hygiene law relating to establishing the adolescent
suicide prevention advisory council, as proposed in legislative bills
numbers S. 5500-C and A. 7225-B, in relation to the effectiveness there-
of; and repealing section 41.56 of the mental hygiene law relating ther-
eto
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To develop suicide prevention programs and services that meet the unique
needs of certain demographic groups.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
This bill would require the commissioner of the Office of Mental Health
(OMH) to assure the development of plans, programs, and services in the
area of research and prevention of suicide which aim to reduce suicidal
behavior and suicide through consultation, training, implementation of
evidence-based practices, and the use of suicide surveillance data. Such
plans, programs, and services must consider the unique needs of differ-
ing demographic groups and the impact of gender, race, and ethnicity, as
well as cultural and language needs. The bill also requires the commis-
sioner of OMH to develop the plans, programs, and services in cooper-
ation with other state agencies and departments of state, local govern-
ments, community organizations and entities, or other organizations and
individuals.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
According to the Governor's website, New York has the fifth largest
total number of suicides in the nation, with 1,652 in 2015, and it is
estimated that for every suicide death there are 25 non-fatal attempts.
In New York State and across the nation, there are several high-risk
demographic groups and special populations, including Latina adoles-
cents, members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender (LGBT)
community, veterans, individuals with mental illness, and individuals
besieged with alcohol and drug use. Some studies report that Latina
adolescents attempt suicide at more than twice the rate of white youths
(13.3 percent versus 5.9 percent); veterans in New York State represent
more than 15 percent of suicides, while nationally; LGBT adolescents are
four times more likely to have attempted suicide than their non-LGBT
peers.
This bill will help to reduce the prevalence of suicide and suicidal
behavior among high risk demographic groups by requiring the commission-
er of OMH to ensure the development suicide prevention plans, programs,
and services that also consider the impact of gender, race, and ethnici-
ty, as well as cultural and language needs.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately, provided, however, that sections
one and two of this act shall take effect on the same date and in the
same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2017, amending the mental
hygiene law relating to establishing the adolescent suicide prevention
advisory council, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S.5500-C and
A.7225-B takes effect.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8961
IN ASSEMBLY
January 9, 2018
___________
Introduced by M. of A. DE LA ROSA -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Mental Health
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to the prevention of
suicide; and to amend a chapter of the laws of 2017, amending the
mental hygiene law relating to establishing the adolescent suicide
prevention advisory council, as proposed in legislative bills numbers
S. 5500-C and A. 7225-B, in relation to the effectiveness thereof; and
repealing section 41.56 of the mental hygiene law relating thereto
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 41.56 of the mental hygiene law, as added by a
2 chapter of the laws of 2017, amending the mental hygiene law relating to
3 establishing the adolescent suicide prevention advisory council, as
4 proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 5500-C and A. 7225-B, is
5 REPEALED.
6 § 2. Section 7.07 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding a
7 new subdivision (g) to read as follows:
8 (g) The office of mental health shall have the responsibility for
9 assuring the development of plans, programs, and services in the areas
10 of research and prevention of suicide, to reduce suicidal behavior and
11 suicide through consultation, training, implementation of evidence-based
12 practices, and use of suicide surveillance data. Such plans, programs,
13 and services shall consider the unique needs of differing demographic
14 groups and the impact of gender, race and ethnicity, and cultural and
15 language needs. Such plans, programs, and services shall be developed in
16 cooperation with other agencies and departments of the state, local
17 governments, community organizations and entities, or other organiza-
18 tions and individuals.
19 § 3. Section 2 of a chapter of the laws of 2017, amending the mental
20 hygiene law relating to establishing the adolescent suicide prevention
21 advisory council, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 5500-C and
22 A. 7225-B, is amended to read as follows:
23 § 2. This act shall take effect [on the sixtieth day after it shall
24 have become a law] immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10846-10-8
A. 8961 2
1 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately, provided, however, that
2 sections one and two of this act shall take effect on the same date and
3 in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2017, amending the mental
4 hygiene law relating to establishing the adolescent suicide prevention
5 advisory council, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 5500-C and
6 A. 7225-B, takes effect.