Assembly Bill A4879A

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4879
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 24, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  KELLES, COLTON, CRUZ, TAYLOR, SIMON, SAYEGH,
   EPSTEIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the  education  law  and  the  mental  hygiene  law,  in
   relation  to  requiring  training  for  teachers,  administrators  and
   instructors in the area of mental health first aid

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Section  3004 of the education law is amended by adding a
 new subdivision 7 to read as follows:
   7. ON AND AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS  SUBDIVISION,  THE  COMMIS-
 SIONER,  IN  CONJUNCTION WITH THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH, IS AUTHORIZED
 AND  DIRECTED  TO  REQUIRE  TRAINING  OF  TEACHERS,  ADMINISTRATORS  AND
 INSTRUCTORS  IN  THE  AREA  OF MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID. THE COMMISSIONER
 SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO PRESCRIBE THE NECESSARY REGULATIONS  AND  ESTAB-
 LISH SUCH PROGRAMS AND TRAINING RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID.
   § 2. Section 7.07 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision (i) to read as follows:
   (I)  THE  OFFICE  OF MENTAL HEALTH SHALL ADVISE AND ASSIST THE COMMIS-
 SIONER OF EDUCATION IN DEVELOPING A TRAINING  CURRICULUM  FOR  TEACHERS,
 ADMINISTRATORS AND INSTRUCTORS IN THE AREA OF MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TO
 MEET THE NEEDS OF A PERSON EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09669-01-3



              

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  4879--B
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 24, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  KELLES, COLTON, CRUZ, TAYLOR, SIMON, SAYEGH,
   EPSTEIN, BURDICK, DAVILA, ZACCARO -- read once  and  referred  to  the
   Committee on Education -- recommitted to the Committee on Education in
   accordance  with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill
   amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said  commit-
   tee  --  again  reported  from said committee with amendments, ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the  education  law  and  the  mental  hygiene  law,  in
   relation  to  requiring  training  for  teachers,  administrators  and
   instructors in the area of mental health response training
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. Section 3004 of the education law is amended by adding two
 new subdivisions 7 and 8 to read as follows:
   7. NO LATER THAN TWELVE MONTHS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SUBDI-
 VISION, THE COMMISSIONER, IN  CONJUNCTION  WITH  THE  OFFICE  OF  MENTAL
 HEALTH,  SHALL  REQUIRE  THE  TRAINING  OF TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND
 INSTRUCTORS IN THE AREA OF MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE TRAINING. SUCH  MENTAL
 HEALTH RESPONSE TRAINING SHALL INCLUDE INSTRUCTION IN:
   A.  THE RECOGNITION OF THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF PRESENT OR DEVELOPING
 MENTAL HEALTH CRISES OR ILLNESSES;
   B. THE AWARENESS OF AND APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO MENTAL  HEALTH  CRISES
 INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ATTEMPTED SUICIDE OR SUICIDAL IDEATION, THE
 THREAT  OR PRACTICE OF SELF-HARM OR HARM TO OTHERS, SUBSTANCE USE DISOR-
 DERS, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND PANIC ATTACKS,  AND  OTHER  MENTAL  HEALTH
 CRISES OR ILLNESSES, IN KEEPING WITH STANDARDS PROMULGATED BY THE AMERI-
 CAN ACADEMY OF MENTAL HEALTH AND AS DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER;
   C.  IDENTIFYING  AND SHARING INFORMATION, AS DETERMINED BY THE COMMIS-
 SIONER BUT WHICH SHALL INCLUDE BUT  NOT  BE  LIMITED  TO,  ABOUT  MENTAL
 HEALTH  PROFESSIONALS,  SERVICES AND RESOURCES, THE ROLE OF FAMILIAL AND
 SOCIAL SUPPORTS FOR THE PREVENTION, TREATMENT, AND RECOVERY FROM  MENTAL
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09669-06-4
              

 A. 4879--B                          2
 
 ILLNESS,  AND  THE  IMPORTANCE OF DIET, NUTRITION, EXERCISE, AND REGULAR
 SOCIALIZATION IN THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  STRESS,  ANXIETY,  DEPRESSION  AND
 ADDICTION OR OTHER SUCH MENTAL HEALTH CRISES AND ILLNESSES.
   8.  MENTAL  HEALTH RESPONSE TRAINING SHALL NOT INCLUDE TRAINING IN THE
 DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, OR COUNSELING OF STUDENTS, PEERS,  OR  MEMBERS  OF
 THE  COMMUNITY.    NOTHING  IN  THIS  SECTION SHALL BE DEEMED TO ALLOW A
 PERSON TO PROVIDE ANY SERVICE FOR WHICH A LICENSE, REGISTRATION, CERTIF-
 ICATION OR OTHER AUTHORIZATION UNDER TITLE EIGHT OF THE EDUCATION LAW IS
 REQUIRED AND WHICH THE PERSON DOES NOT POSSESS.    THE  COMMISSIONER  IS
 AUTHORIZED  TO  PROMULGATE  RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO ESTABLISH
 SUCH TRAINING PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   § 2. Section 7.07 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision (i) to read as follows:
   (I) THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH SHALL ADVISE AND  ASSIST  THE  COMMIS-
 SIONER  OF  EDUCATION  IN DEVELOPING A TRAINING CURRICULUM FOR TEACHERS,
 ADMINISTRATORS, AND INSTRUCTORS IN THE AREA OF  MENTAL  HEALTH  RESPONSE
 TRAINING  AS  DESCRIBED  IN SECTION THREE THOUSAND FOUR OF THE EDUCATION
 LAW.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.