S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  7171--A
     Cal. No. 403
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 3, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  SERINO,  HANNON, AMEDORE, AVELLA, BONACIC, CROCI,
   HELMING, JACOBS, LARKIN, LITTLE, MARCHIONE, O'MARA, PHILLIPS,  RANZEN-
   HOFER,  RITCHIE,  SAVINO,  SEWARD,  TEDISCO, VALESKY -- read twice and
   ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on
   Mental  Health  and  Developmental  Disabilities -- reported favorably
   from said committee, ordered to first and second report, ordered to  a
   third  reading,  passed  by  Senate  and  delivered  to  the Assembly,
   recalled, vote reconsidered, restored to third  reading,  amended  and
   ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading
 
 AN  ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to impact studies on
   tick-borne diseases
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  public health law is amended by adding a new section
 207-a to read as follows:
   § 207-A. TICK-BORNE DISEASES AND BLOOD-BORNE  PATHOGEN  IMPACT  STUDY.
 1.  THE  DEPARTMENT,  IN  CONJUNCTION  WITH  THE  COMMISSIONER OF MENTAL
 HEALTH, SHALL ISSUE A REPORT EXAMINING  THE  MENTAL  HEALTH  IMPACTS  OF
 TICK-BORNE DISEASES AND BLOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS ON MENTAL ILLNESS RATES IN
 ENDEMIC AREAS OF THE STATE. SUCH REPORT SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED
 TO:
   (A) CONSIDERATIONS OF HOW LYME, TICK-BORNE ILLNESSES, AND OTHER BLOOD-
 BORNE  PATHOGENS  OR  VECTOR-BORNE  DISEASES  MAY HAVE CORRELATIONS WITH
 MENTAL ILLNESS IN INFECTED INDIVIDUALS;
   (B) POPULATIONS AT-RISK INCLUDING THOSE INDIVIDUALS  WITH  OCCUPATIONS
 OUTDOORS AND/OR INCREASED EXPOSURE TO VECTORS;
   (C)  DIAGNOSTIC INDICATORS OF MENTAL ILLNESS THAT CAN BE USED AS GUID-
 ANCE FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS;
   (D) HISTORICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF INFECTION RATES  AND  MENTAL  ILLNESS
 INDICATORS  THAT  MAY  HAVE  GONE UNDIAGNOSED OR MISDIAGNOSED IN ENDEMIC
 AREAS; AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13692-05-8

 S. 7171--A                          2
 
   (E) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INTERVENTION AND COORDINATED CARE FOR INDIVID-
 UALS WHO EXHIBIT MENTAL ILLNESS SYMPTOMS AS WELL AS THOSE WHO HAVE  BOTH
 PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH INDICATORS.
   2.  SUCH  REPORT  SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE
 SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY NO LATER THAN OCTOBER FIRST,  TWO
 THOUSAND  NINETEEN. THE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMISSIONER OF MENTAL HEALTH
 MAY ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMPILATION OF THE REPORT, INCLUDING  BUT
 NOT  LIMITED  TO, MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, HEALTH CARE PRACTITION-
 ERS, MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, COUNTY AND  LOCAL  GOVERNMENT,  AND  ADVO-
 CATES.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.