The New York State Senate

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5085
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               March 2, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. GUNTHER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to  requiring  the  state
   university  of  New  York and the city university of New York to adopt
   certain provisions related to student mental health

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 362 to
 read as follows:
   §  362.  STUDENT  MENTAL  HEALTH.  1.  THE UNIVERSITY SHALL CREATE AND
 ADMINISTER, AT THE START OF A STUDENT'S  FRESHMAN  AND  JUNIOR  YEAR,  A
 MENTAL  HEALTH SURVEY. SUCH SURVEY SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO,
 QUESTIONS REGARDING A STUDENT'S MENTAL HEALTH  AND  GENERAL  WELL-BEING.
 PARTICIPATION  IN SUCH SURVEY SHALL BE OPTIONAL TO EACH STUDENT, AND THE
 RESULTS OF SUCH SURVEY FROM PARTICIPATING STUDENTS SHALL BE SENT TO  THE
 CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY, APPROPRIATE STAFF INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMIT-
 ED  TO THE PRESIDENT OF EACH STATE-OPERATED INSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSI-
 TY, ANY OVERSIGHT COUNCIL AS MANDATED PURSUANT TO SECTION THREE  HUNDRED
 FIFTY-SIX  OF  THIS ARTICLE AND ANY LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS
 EMPLOYED BY ANY OF THE STATE-OPERATED INSTITUTIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY.
   2. THERE SHALL BE A  FIVE  MEMBER  COMMITTEE  ESTABLISHED  WITHIN  THE
 UNIVERSITY THAT SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENGAGING WITH AND DISSEMINATING
 MENTAL  HEALTH  RESOURCES TO FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS. SUCH COMMITTEE
 SHALL BE COMPOSED OF A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS CHOSEN BY THE CHANCELLOR  OF
 THE UNIVERSITY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PRESIDENTS OF EACH STATE-OPERATED
 INSTITUTION  OF THE UNIVERSITY. SUCH COMMITTEE SHALL ALSO BE RESPONSIBLE
 FOR MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE REGENTS OF  THE  UNIVERSITY  REGARDING
 HOW  OFTEN  AND  IN  WHAT MANNER FACULTY OF THE UNIVERSITY SHALL PROVIDE
 MENTAL  HEALTH  WELLNESS  DAYS  AND  EXCUSED  ABSENCES  FROM  CLASS  FOR
 STUDENTS.
   3.  ALL FACULTY AND OTHER STAFF OF THE UNIVERSITY SHALL BE REQUIRED ON
 AN ANNUAL BASIS TO UNDERGO MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING WITH A FOCUS ON  IDEN-
 TIFYING  OR  RECOGNIZING  SIGNS  OF  MENTAL DISTRESS AMONG STUDENTS. THE
 CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY,  IN  CONJUNCTION  WITH  THE  COMMISSIONER,
 

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06720-01-3
 A. 5085                             2
 
 SHALL  PRESCRIBE  THE  FORM  AND  MANNER IN WHICH SUCH TRAINING SHALL BE
 PROVIDED.
   4.  THE  UNIVERSITY  SHALL  ALSO  TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS REGARDING
 STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH:
   (A) REVIEW ENROLLMENT AND RE-ENROLLMENT POLICIES OF THE UNIVERSITY AND
 CREATE SPECIFIC PROVISIONS FOR STUDENTS THAT MAY REQUIRE EXTENDED MENTAL
 HEALTH LEAVE;
   (B)  CREATE  OPPORTUNITIES  FOR  TELEHEALTH  AND  VIRTUAL   COUNSELING
 OPTIONS;
   (C)  REQUIRE A MENTAL HEALTH SEMINAR TO BE INCLUDED IN ALL ORIENTATION
 PROGRAMS FOR NEWLY ENROLLED STUDENTS; AND
   (D) INSTITUTE OTHER PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS  AND  IMPROVE  STUDENT  MENTAL
 HEALTH.
   § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6235 to read
 as follows:
   § 6235. STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH. 1. THE CITY UNIVERSITY SHALL CREATE AND
 ADMINISTER,  AT  THE  START  OF  A  STUDENT'S FRESHMAN AND JUNIOR YEAR A
 MENTAL HEALTH SURVEY. SUCH SURVEY SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED  TO,
 QUESTIONS  REGARDING  A  STUDENT'S MENTAL HEALTH AND GENERAL WELL-BEING.
 PARTICIPATION IN SUCH SURVEY SHALL BE OPTIONAL TO EACH STUDENT, AND  THE
 RESULTS  OF SUCH SURVEY FROM PARTICIPATING STUDENTS SHALL BE SENT TO THE
 CHANCELLOR OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY, APPROPRIATE STAFF INCLUDING  BUT  NOT
 LIMITED  TO  THE  PRESIDENT  OF EACH SENIOR AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF THE
 CITY UNIVERSITY, ANY OVERSIGHT COUNCIL OF THE CITY  UNIVERSITY  AND  ANY
 LICENSED  MENTAL  HEALTH  PRACTITIONERS EMPLOYED BY ANY OF THE SENIOR OR
 COMMUNITY COLLEGES WITHIN THE CITY UNIVERSITY.
   2. THERE SHALL BE A FIVE MEMBER COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE  CITY
 UNIVERSITY THAT SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENGAGING WITH AND DISSEMINATING
 MENTAL  HEALTH  RESOURCES TO FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS. SUCH COMMITTEE
 SHALL BE COMPOSED OF A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS CHOSEN BY THE CHANCELLOR  OF
 THE  CITY UNIVERSITY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PRESIDENTS OF EACH CITY-OP-
 ERATED INSTITUTION OF THE  UNIVERSITY.  SUCH  COMMITTEE  SHALL  ALSO  BE
 RESPONSIBLE  FOR MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGARD-
 ING HOW OFTEN AND IN WHAT MANNER FACULTY OF THE  CITY  UNIVERSITY  SHALL
 PROVIDE  MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS DAYS AND EXCUSED ABSENCES FROM CLASS FOR
 STUDENTS.
   3. ALL FACULTY AND  OTHER  STAFF  OF  THE  CITY  UNIVERSITY  SHALL  BE
 REQUIRED  ON  AN  ANNUAL  BASIS TO UNDERGO MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING WITH A
 FOCUS ON IDENTIFYING OR  RECOGNIZING  SIGNS  OF  MENTAL  DISTRESS  AMONG
 STUDENTS. THE CHANCELLOR OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE
 COMMISSIONER, SHALL PRESCRIBE THE FORM AND MANNER IN WHICH SUCH TRAINING
 SHALL BE PROVIDED.
   4. THE CITY UNIVERSITY SHALL ALSO TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS REGARDING
 STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH:
   (A) REVIEW ENROLLMENT AND RE-ENROLLMENT POLICIES OF THE CITY UNIVERSI-
 TY AND CREATE SPECIFIC PROVISIONS FOR STUDENTS THAT MAY REQUIRE EXTENDED
 MENTAL HEALTH LEAVE;
   (B)   CREATE  OPPORTUNITIES  FOR  TELEHEALTH  AND  VIRTUAL  COUNSELING
 OPTIONS;
   (C) REQUIRE A MENTAL HEALTH SEMINAR TO BE INCLUDED IN ALL  ORIENTATION
 PROGRAMS FOR NEWLY ENROLLED STUDENTS; AND
   (D)  INSTITUTE  OTHER  PROGRAMS  TO ADDRESS AND IMPROVE STUDENT MENTAL
 HEALTH.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.