Senate Bill S1488

2015-2016 Legislative Session

Enacts the "minority mental health act" to establish the division of minority mental health within the office of mental health

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Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Mental Health And Developmental Disabilities Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2015-S1488 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A3108
Current Committee:
Senate Mental Health And Developmental Disabilities
Law Section:
Mental Hygiene Law
Laws Affected:
Add Art 8 ยงยง8.01 - 8.09, Ment Hyg L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2009-2010: S7023
2011-2012: S3063
2013-2014: S852, A7719
2017-2018: S3286, A2818
2019-2020: S4791
2021-2022: S5209
2023-2024: S6375

2015-S1488 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Enacts the "minority mental health act" to establish the division of minority mental health within the office of mental health; provides that such division shall be responsible for assuring that mental health programs and services are culturally and linguistically appropriate to meet the needs of racial and ethnic minorities.

2015-S1488 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S1488 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  1488

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            January 13, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health and Develop-
  mental Disabilities

AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing  the
  division of minority mental health within the office of mental health,
  and providing for its powers and duties

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Legislative  intent.  The  legislature  hereby  finds  that
racial  and  ethnic  minorities  in  America  comprise a substantial and
vibrant segment of the United States population. According to  the  2000
United  States Census, minorities comprised the majority of the New York
City population. Further, the legislature finds that nearly half of  all
New  York  City  households speak a language other than English at home,
and that the "enormous shortage  of  trained  bilingual  and  bicultural
counselors, therapists, psychiatrists and social workers, make it impos-
sible,  for many limited-English-proficient New Yorkers to obtain refer-
rals and timely, appropriate mental health  services"  (New  York  State
Assembly  Standing  Committee  on Mental Health report, AN EVALUATION OF
THE DELIVERY OF MENTAL HYGIENE SERVICES  IN  NEW  YORK  STATE,  February
2005).  Moreover, the legislature finds that the President's New Freedom
Commission on Mental Health also found that the mental health system  in
the  United  States  "has not kept pace with the diverse needs of racial
and ethnic minorities.  Misunderstanding and  misinterpreting  behaviors
have  led  to  tragic  consequences,  including  inappropriately placing
minorities in the criminal and juvenile justice systems."  Consequently,
the  legislature  finds that a division of minority mental health should
be created to address the unique mental health needs of the  racial  and
ethnic minority citizens of the state.
  S  2.  Short  title.  This  act shall be known and may be cited as the
"minority mental health act".

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD01409-01-5
              

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