S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8434
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 16, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. KELLES -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Mental Health
 
 AN  ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing the
   rural suicide prevention council; and providing for the repeal of such
   provisions upon expiration thereof

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section
 7.49 to read as follows:
 § 7.49 RURAL SUICIDE PREVENTION COUNCIL.
   (A) THERE SHALL BE ESTABLISHED BY  THE  OFFICE,  A  COUNCIL  ON  RURAL
 SUICIDE PREVENTION. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL SHALL INCLUDE THE COMMISSION-
 ER  OR  THE  COMMISSIONER'S  DESIGNEE, THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH OR THE
 COMMISSIONER'S DESIGNEE, AND THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS
 OR THE COMMISSIONER'S DESIGNEE. THERE SHALL BE TWELVE ADDITIONAL MEMBERS
 OF THE COUNCIL INCLUDING FOUR MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE  GOVERNOR;  THREE
 MEMBERS SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY; THREE MEMBERS
 SHALL  BE APPOINTED BY THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE; ONE MEMBER
 SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE MINORITY  LEADER  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY;  AND  ONE
 MEMBER SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE.
   (B)  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL DESIGNATE THE CHAIR FROM APPOINTED COUNCIL
 MEMBERS. VACANCIES IN THE MEMBERSHIP OF SUCH COUNCIL SHALL BE FILLED  BY
 THE APPROPRIATE APPOINTING AUTHORITY.
   (C)  THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COUNCIL MAY INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO,
 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE CONFERENCE OF LOCAL MENTAL  HYGIENE  DIREC-
 TORS;  MENTAL  HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND PRACTITIONERS WITH EXPERIENCE IN
 THE DELIVERY OF MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT OR SUICIDE  PREVENTION  SERVICES
 IN  RURAL  AREAS;  PERSONS  WITH  EXPERTISE IN RESEARCH OF PUBLIC HEALTH
 ISSUES IN RURAL AREAS; ANY GROUP, ASSOCIATION, OR UNIVERSITY WITH EXPER-
 TISE IN FINANCIAL OR ECONOMIC ANALYSIS, BUSINESS PLANNING, AND PROVIDING
 SUPPORTS FOR FARMERS AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS RESIDING  IN  A  RURAL  AREA;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06752-02-5
              

 A. 8434                             2
 
 CERTIFIED  PEERS; RURAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE WHO HAVE
 BEEN OR ARE CURRENTLY RECEIVING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES OR SUPPORTS;  AND
 OTHERS  WHOSE  PROFESSIONAL  EXPERTISE INCLUDES RURAL AFFAIRS RELATED TO
 THE  DUTIES  OF  THE  COUNCIL. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION THE TERM
 RURAL AREAS SHALL HAVE THE SAME MEANING AS IT IS DEFINED IN SECTION FOUR
 HUNDRED EIGHTY-ONE OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW.
   (D) DUTIES OF THE COUNCIL SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (1) IDENTIFYING BARRIERS TO MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE  TREATMENT
 AND PREVENTION SERVICES, AS WELL AS THE CAUSES AND CONDITIONS RELATED TO
 DEATH BY SUICIDE OR SUICIDE ATTEMPTS IN RURAL PARTS OF THE STATE;
   (2)  DETERMINE  IF  THERE IS SUFFICIENT CAPACITY FOR PEER SUPPORTS AND
 MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS SERVICES;
   (3) ASSESS THE USE OF THE 988 SUICIDE AND  CRISIS  LIFELINE  IN  RURAL
 AREAS OF THE STATE AND IDENTIFY STRATEGIES TO INCREASE UTILIZATION;
   (4)  IDENTIFYING  VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN RURAL AREAS AND THE PREVA-
 LENCE OF SUICIDE AMONG SUCH POPULATIONS INCLUDING, BUT NOT  LIMITED  TO,
 FARMERS AND AGRICULTURAL WORKERS;
   (5)  IDENTIFYING  POLICIES, PRACTICES, RESOURCES, SERVICES, AND POTEN-
 TIAL LEGISLATION THAT  AIM  TO  REDUCE  DEATH  BY  SUICIDE  AND  SUICIDE
 ATTEMPTS  AND  ACKNOWLEDGE  THE  DEMOGRAPHIC AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN
 RURAL COMMUNITIES;
   (6) OFFERING RECOMMENDATIONS ON POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO IMPROVE THE
 COORDINATION OF SERVICES AND RESOURCES AMONG AGENCIES  INVOLVED  IN  THE
 DELIVERY   OF  MENTAL  HEALTH,  SUBSTANCE  USE,  OR  SUICIDE  PREVENTION
 SERVICES; AND
   (7) MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS ON FUNDING INITIATIVES TO  INCREASE  ACCESS
 TO  MENTAL  HEALTH,  SUBSTANCE  USE,  AND SUICIDE PREVENTION SERVICES IN
 RURAL AREAS AND FACILITATE THE USE OF INNOVATIVE INTERVENTION STRATEGIES
 SPECIFIC TO INDIVIDUALS RESIDING IN RURAL AREAS.
   (E) THE RURAL SUICIDE PREVENTION COUNCIL  SHALL  MEET  NOT  LESS  THAN
 THREE TIMES ANNUALLY, OR AS DEEMED NECESSARY BY THE CHAIR OF THE COUNCIL
 OR THE COMMISSIONER.
   (F)  THE MEMBERS OF THE RURAL SUICIDE PREVENTION COUNCIL SHALL RECEIVE
 NO COMPENSATION FOR THEIR SERVICES BUT SHALL BE ALLOWED THEIR ACTUAL AND
 NECESSARY EXPENSES INCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES.
   THE COUNCIL SHALL PROVIDE A PRELIMINARY REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE
 LEGISLATURE OF ITS FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTIVITIES
 ALREADY UNDERTAKEN BY THE COUNCIL, NOT LATER THAN NINE MONTHS AFTER  THE
 EFFECTIVE  DATE  OF  THIS  SECTION,  AND A FINAL REPORT OF ITS FINDINGS,
 CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTIVITIES ALREADY  UNDERTAKEN  BY  THE
 COUNCIL, NOT LATER THAN EIGHTEEN MONTHS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS
 SECTION  AND  SHALL  SUBMIT WITH ITS REPORTS LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS AS IT
 DEEMS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT ITS RECOMMENDATIONS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth  day  after  it  shall
 have  become  a  law  and shall expire 2 years after such effective date
 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.