BILL NUMBER:  S5332

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the mental hygiene law and the education law, in
relation to establishing the urban youth gun violence reduction pilot
program; making an appropriation therefor; and providing for the
repeal of certain provisions upon expiration thereof

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

The bill acknowledges the proliferation of gun violence which is often
connected to mental health issues. The purpose of the bill is to
significantly reduce gun violence by providing additional resources to
participating schools in participating districts to identify mental
health issues and establish appropriate curriculums for various age
ranges on the issue. The pilot program will be targeted to serve
communities with the highest level of gun related homicides and gun
related injuries.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 2. Provides definitions for important terms such as
"Establishment", "Social worker services", "Youth mental health first
aid training", "Mental health curriculums". This section also
establishes that the office will work within five school districts and
              

twenty-four schools. The program shall provide for the employment of
one additional social work at participating schools. All
professionals, teachers and other staff members such as after school
counselors working at any of the participating schools are mandated to
receive youth mental health first aid training. Also mandated is that
after schools programs have a social worker present during all hours
of operation. The program would also establish various curriculums for
grades K-5, 6-8, 9-12.

Section 3. Describes the amendment of section 305 of education law by
adding a new subdivision describing the commissioner's assistance in
implementation.

Section 4. Appropriates twelve million dollars ($12,000,000) out of
moneys in the state treasury account. This section also indicates that
the moneys shall be paid out by vouchers certified or approve by the
commissioner of mental health.

Section 5. Establishes when the act shall take effect on the first of
next July.

 JUSTIFICATION :

Currently many of our schools are dealing with mental health incidents
that are materializing themselves through gun violence. A major reason
why the encounters persist is the lack of preventative care and
identification of the mental health illnesses. Instead of address the
illnesses schools have resorted to militarizing their teaching
environments with more school security and metal detectors. Creating a
safe school environment is important however we must simultaneously
attempt to address the root of many of the gun violence problems in
our communities, mental health issues.

This bill would bring in additional personnel and mental health
resources to schools in need in order to have round the clock support
for students who may be dealing with circumstances that require
professional care. By placing social workers on full time basis and
for on-site during after school programs and with the incorporation of
mental health first aid training for teachers and staff, the required
age-appropriate mental health curriculum will address the destructive
behavior which has been well documented in communities with high
levels of youth gun related homicides and injuries.

High gun violence communities in Brooklyn and the Bronx have
shouldered the burden of gun related homicides and injuries. Data
compiled the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has
identified high rates of mental health problems facing youth in the
highest gun related violence neighborhoods. While this problem is not
exclusive to these two boroughs, the data provided by the New York
City DOHMH calls for immediate action on all fronts to combat this
violence:

The study found that youth in high gun violence communities are
suffering from depression, have suicidal tendencies, abuse alcohol and
drugs, display signs of paranoia and depression. Addressing the mental
health component of youth engaged in gun violence is clearly a need
that has not been met and needs serious focus by the New York State
Legislature.

*In Crown Heights, Brooklyn the rate of firearm homicides is four
times that of the rest of New York City or 41.9 deaths per 100,000
youth ages 15-24.

*In Fordham/Bronx Park in the Bronx, the rate of firearm homicides is
over two ties the rest of New York City or 22.5 deaths per 100,000
youth ages 15-24.

*The firearm assault hospitalization rate in Crown Heights, Brooklyn
for the same age group is 123.8 per 100,000 youth or 3.5 times higher
than the rest of New York City.

*The firearm assault hospitalization rate in Fordham/Bronx Park, the
Bronx for the same age groups is 88.4 per 100,000 youth or over 2
times higher than the rest of New York City.

*Besides the loss of life, gun violence has other associated costs to
our society and is traumatizing entire communities. For our health
care system the costs are also very tangible: In New York, between the
period of 2010-13, almost $13 million were spent by our Medicaid
program to cover public hospital costs for the treatment of over 1,840
gun-shot victims. The impact on the mental health of families and
communities impacted by gun violence is exponentially larger.

We must seize this opportunity and address the causes of minority
youth violence. To highlight the devastation of this violence, a
review of data compiled by the Children's Defense Fund is necessary.
It documented that between 1979 and 2009, 116,385 children have died
due to gun violence. Extrapolated to 2015 numbers, Americans have
stood by and allowed over 134,000 children to die due to gun violence,
47% of these children were African American.

More recent data tells us that there were more than 28,000 children
and teens killed by guns between 2003 and 2014. Today, one teen per
hour is hospitalized due to gun violence in the United States.

There is a tremendous need for successful youth programs and mental
health services in African American and Latino communities where youth
unemployment rates are as high as 50%; where schools fail to provide a
nurturing educational setting; and where violence at home is as common
as on the streets. We have in place an existing web of
government-funded programs to address these ills. To stop the gun
violence, we must now expand and improve on these mechanisms that are
focused on building minds and building communities.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New Legislation

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

There is a $12 million dollar appropriation needed to implement a 24
school pilot program in high risk communities.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect on the first of next July.