Assembly Bill A8339

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8339
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 13, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. GIBBS -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to  requiring  the  state
   education department to develop a model mental health training program
   to  serve  as  the  mental  health component of required school safety
   trainings

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Paragraph  (h)  of subdivision 2 of section 2801-a of the
 education law, as amended by section 1 of part B of chapter  54  of  the
 laws of 2016, is amended to read as follows:
   h.  (I)  policies and procedures for annual school safety training for
 staff and students; provided that  the  district  must  certify  to  the
 commissioner  that all staff have undergone annual training on the emer-
 gency response plan, and that the school safety training include  compo-
 nents  on  violence  prevention  and mental health, such training may be
 implemented and conducted  in  conjunction  with  existing  professional
 development  and  training;  provided  however  that new employees hired
 after the start of the school year shall receive training within  thirty
 days  of such hire or as part of a district's existing new hire training
 program, whichever is sooner;
   (II) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP A MODEL MENTAL  HEALTH  TRAINING
 PROGRAM  TO  BE  PROVIDED  EITHER ANNUALLY OR AS A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM
 BIENNIALLY WITH AN INTERNET-BASED REFRESHER COURSE ON THE OFF-YEARS, FOR
 ALL TEACHERS, ASSISTANTS, AIDES, SUBSTITUTES, COACHES,  NURSES,  PRINCI-
 PALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENTS, COUNSELORS, ADMIN-
 ISTRATORS,  TECHNOLOGY  STAFF,  BUS  DRIVERS, CLERICAL WORKERS, SECURITY
 STAFF, CUSTODIANS, FOOD SERVICE, MAINTENANCE AND OTHER NON-INSTRUCTIONAL
 STAFF WHICH SHALL INCLUDE AT A MINIMUM, RECOGNITION OF THE WARNING SIGNS
 OF MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS, BALANCING BEING A TRUSTED ADULT  PROVIDING  A
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11498-01-5
 A. 8339                             2
              

 
 SAFE  SPACE TO LEARN WITH BEING A MANDATED REPORTER, WHOM TO TURN TO FOR
 ASSISTANCE, AND HOW TO ACCESS APPROPRIATE SERVICES;
   (2)  EVERY  DISTRICT-WIDE  SCHOOL  SAFETY  TEAM  SHALL ADOPT THE MODEL
 MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING PROGRAM PRODUCED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBPARAGRAPH OR
 A PROGRAM WHICH HAS BEEN CERTIFIED BY THE DEPARTMENT  AS  EXCEEDING  THE
 REQUIREMENTS  OF SUCH MODEL PROGRAM TO SERVE AS THE MENTAL HEALTH COMPO-
 NENT OF THE SCHOOL SAFETY TRAINING AS DESCRIBED IN SUBPARAGRAPH  (I)  OF
 THIS PARAGRAPH;
   (3) THE DEPARTMENT MAY MODIFY THE MODEL MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING PROGRAM
 PRODUCED  PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SUBPARAGRAPH  AS  IT IDENTIFIES ADDITIONAL
 INFORMATION AND TOPICS TO BE ADDRESSED AS NEEDED;
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July  next  succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the
 addition,  amendment  and/or  repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
 for the implementation of this act on its effective date are  authorized
 to be made and completed on or before such effective date.