Senate Bill S6241

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6241
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 19, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to developing  mate-
   rials  relating to suicide prevention for school-aged children, and to
   amend the education law, in relation to including  suicide  prevention
   in health education curriculum
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 7.07 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding
 a new subdivision (i) to read as follows:
   (I) THE OFFICE SHALL, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE  EDUCATION  DEPARTMENT,
 IDENTIFY OR DEVELOP MATERIALS FOR EDUCATORS REGARDING SUICIDE PREVENTION
 MEASURES AND SIGNS OF DEPRESSION AMONG SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN WHICH MAY BE
 USED BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND BOARDS OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES,
 AT THEIR OPTION, TO EDUCATE STUDENTS ABOUT SUCH TOPICS AS SUCH DISTRICTS
 AND  BOARDS  DEEM APPROPRIATE. SUCH EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS SHALL INCLUDE,
 BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, INFORMATION REGARDING SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION, HOW
 DEPRESSION MANIFESTS ITSELF IN  DIFFERENT  CULTURES,  WARNING  SIGNS  OF
 SUICIDE,  ACTIONS  TO  TAKE  ONCE  A  CHILD  IS  IDENTIFIED AS A RISK OF
 SUICIDE, SOCIAL MEDIA SAFETY AND THE PREVENTION OF CYBERBULLYING, AND  A
 LIST  OF EDUCATIONAL WEBSITES REGARDING SUICIDE AND CHILDREN. SUCH MATE-
 RIAL SHALL BE AVAILABLE  ON  THE  EDUCATION  DEPARTMENT'S  WEBSITE.  THE
 OFFICE  SHALL  PROVIDE  A  HYPERLINK  ON  ITS WEBSITE TO THE PAGE OF THE
 EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE THAT DISPLAYS SUCH MATERIALS.
   § 2. The education law is amended by adding a  new  section  804-e  to
 read as follows:
   § 804-E. INSTRUCTION REGARDING THE PREVENTION OF SUICIDE AMONG SCHOOL-
 AGED  CHILDREN.  1. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL MAKE AVAILABLE ON THE DEPART-
 MENT WEBSITE MATERIALS IDENTIFIED OR DEVELOPED BY THE OFFICE  OF  MENTAL
 HEALTH  IN  CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION (H)
 OF SECTION 7.07 OF THE MENTAL HYGIENE LAW.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD10892-01-1

 S. 6241                             2
 
   2. INSTRUCTION REGARDING THE PREVENTION OF SUICIDE MAY BE INCLUDED  IN
 THE  HEALTH  EDUCATION PROVIDED TO ALL SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS AND SHALL
 BE TAUGHT BY TEACHERS CERTIFIED IN HEALTH EDUCATION. RELATED COURSES  IN
 THE  SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM MAY BE TAUGHT IN A MANNER SUPPORTIVE OF
 HEALTH  EDUCATION  REGARDING THE PREVENTION OF SUICIDE AMONG SCHOOL-AGED
 CHILDREN.
   3. SCHOOL AUTHORITIES SHALL BE AUTHORIZED  TO  PROVIDE  THE  NECESSARY
 FACILITIES, TIME AND PLACE FOR THE INSTRUCTION SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION
 AND  TO  PROVIDE  LEARNING  AIDS AND CURRICULUM RESOURCE MATERIALS WHICH
 CONTRIBUTE TO EFFECTIVE TEACHING METHODS AND LEARNING IN  HEALTH  EDUCA-
 TION  REGARDING  THE  PREVENTION  OF  SUICIDE AMONG SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN
 INCLUDING INSTRUCTION IN SOCIAL  MEDIA  SAFETY  AND  THE  PREVENTION  OF
 CYBERBULLYING.
   §  3.  This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law.