NY State Senate Bill 2023-S8359

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Mental Health 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

Please enter your contact information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

A valid email address is required.

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.

Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 22, 2024	referred to mental health

2023-S8359 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Mental Health
Law Section:: Executive Law
Laws Affected:: Add Art 19-E §§461 - 464, Exec L

2023-S8359 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes a youth mental health advisory board consisting of youths aged 16-20 to examine and make recommendations for legislation and initiatives regarding issues of youth mental health including social media, bullying, substance use, trauma, poverty and access to services.

2023-S8359 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8359

SPONSOR: BROUK
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing a state-
wide youth mental health advisory board

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To establish a Youth Mental Health Advisory Board in which youth can
advise the legislature and other government actors on topics pertaining
to mental health needs and concerns of youth.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:  Section 1. Legislative Findings.

Section 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new article 19-E.
The article will create and establish the New York Youth Mental Health
Advisory Board. Section 461 names the New York State Youth Mental Health
Advisory Board. Section 462 establishes the organization of the advisory
board, along with the oversight committee. Section 463 gives the powers
and duties of the advisory board and the oversight committee. Section

464 establishes the requirement for the advisory board in cooperation
with the oversight committee to develop and submit a joint report.

Section 3. Establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Our youth's declining mental health is one the defining public health
crises of our time. According to the CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey,
from 2011- 2021, the rates of youth who persistently felt sad or hope-
less increased from 21 percent to 29 percent for teen boys, and from 36
percent to 57 percent for teen girls. A staggering 42% of high school
students felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for at least two weeks
in a row that they stopped doing their usual activities. Youth suicide
has risen by 3% nationwide in 2022, with a drastic increase in mental
health-related visits to emergency rooms. New York State has seen simi-
lar outcomes, with suicide as the third leading cause of death for kids
ages 15 to 19 - the highest it's been in 20 years in the State.

As the legislature considers bills and budget proposals to address this
adolescent mental health crisis, it is imperative that these efforts
center the youth voice. Those closest to the problems in society often
have the best solutions, and that means the legislature must acknowledge
that young people are an important source of ideas and feedback on poli-
cies that will result in meaningful and lasting improvement. With this
bill, the legislature further acknowledges the need for youth voice and
youth leadership in advocating for themselves and others regarding
mental and behavioral needs.

This bill calls for the creation of a Youth Mental Health Advisory Board
that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive with youth of various racial,
ethnic, geographic, socioeconomic, cultural, and religious backgrounds.
The advisory board will be charged with proposing ideas for legislation,
as well as commenting on pending legislation that relate to youth mental
health, including suicide prevention, implications of social media,
access to care and much more. By involving young people with diverse
lived experiences from throughout New York State in policy making, the
policies enacted will likely be more successful and relevant to the
lives of young people.

As stated by the U.S. Surgeon General. Dr. Murthy, "mental health chal-
lenges in children, adolescents, and young adults are real, and they are
widespread. But most importantly, they are treatable, and often prevent-
able." We cannot wait. Our youth have expressed interest in being a part
of the solution and policy making process. By providing opportunities
for our young people to be part of the policymaking process, our legis-
lative bodies will be more able to enact solutions that will meet the
needs of our youth during this dire time and help end this public health
crisis in which we find ourselves.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023-24:  New Bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred and twentieth day after it
shall have become a law.

2023-S8359 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8359
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 22, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  BROUK  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing a  state-
   wide youth mental health advisory board
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Legislative findings.  The  legislature  hereby  finds  and
 declares  that  poor mental health outcomes for youth is a public health
 crisis that poses a threat to the health, wellbeing, and quality of life
 for youth now and in the future. The legislature acknowledges  the  need
 for  youth  voice  and youth leadership in advocating for themselves and
 others regarding mental and behavioral needs. Amongst  the  shortage  of
 behavioral  and mental specialists, lack of representation within margi-
 nalized communities, and insufficient funding infrastructure and  oppor-
 tunities  for  appropriate school-based services, the legislature hereby
 finds the importance in establishing a dedicated board to support  youth
 in  their  mental and behavioral needs by increasing youth participation
 in state government. A dedicated  board  would  provide  advancement  in
 creating  policies  that aid in improving youth outcomes in an effort to
 address and resolve the youth mental health crisis in New York.
   § 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new article 19-E to read
 as follows:
                                ARTICLE 19-E
                NEW YORK YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD
 SECTION 461. NEW YORK YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD.
         462. ORGANIZATION AND MEMBERSHIP.
         463. POWERS AND DUTIES.
         464. REPORT.
   § 461. NEW YORK YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD.   THERE IS  HEREBY
 ESTABLISHED  A  NEW  YORK  YOUTH  MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD (ADVISORY
 BOARD) TO EXAMINE, EVALUATE, CONFER AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR  THE
 NEEDS  AND CONCERNS RELATED TO THE MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUTH NOW AND IN THE
 FUTURE.  THE NEW YORK YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD SHALL  FORMALLY
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13968-02-4

 S. 8359                             2
 
 ADVISE  AND  MAKE  RECOMMENDATIONS  REGARDING  THE  ISSUES ENUMERATED IN
 SECTION FOUR HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE OF THIS ARTICLE.
   §  462.  ORGANIZATION  AND  MEMBERSHIP. 1. THERE SHALL BE AN OVERSIGHT
 COMMITTEE TO THE ADVISORY BOARD ESTABLISHED BY THIS ARTICLE WHICH  SHALL
 BE COMPOSED OF THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE
 ASSEMBLY, THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE, AND THE CHAIR
 OF  THE  ASSEMBLY MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE, OR THEIR DESIGNEES. THE OVER-
 SIGHT COMMITTEE SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR APPOINTING MEMBERS TO THE ADVI-
 SORY BOARD AND OVERSEEING THEIR ACTIVITIES, FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES.
   2. THE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD SHALL CONSIST OF SEVENTY-TWO
 MEMBERS AS FOLLOWS:
   (A)  SIXTY-TWO  MEMBERS  REPRESENTING  THE  DIVERSE  RACIAL,   ETHNIC,
 GEOGRAPHIC,  SOCIOECONOMIC,  CULTURAL,  AND RELIGIOUS BACKGROUNDS OF THE
 STATE; AND
   (B) TEN AT LARGE MEMBERS REPRESENTING NEW YORK CITY.
   3. MEMBERS SHALL:
   (A) BE AT LEAST SIXTEEN YEARS OF AGE, BUT NO OLDER THAN  TWENTY  YEARS
 OF AGE;
   (B) BE ENROLLED IN AND ATTENDING A PUBLIC, ONLINE OR HOME-BASED EDUCA-
 TIONAL PROGRAM IN NEW YORK STATE; AND
   (C) HAVE RESIDED IN THIS STATE FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR.
   4.  THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO THE ADVISORY
 BOARD SHALL BE MADE BY THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE NO LATER THAN NINETY DAYS
 AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION. APPOINTMENTS OF  YOUTH  REPRE-
 SENTATIVES  SHALL  BE  DIVERSE,  EQUITABLE, AND INCLUSIVE OF YOUTHS FROM
 VARIOUS RACIAL, ETHNIC, GEOGRAPHIC, SOCIOECONOMIC, CULTURAL,  AND  RELI-
 GIOUS  BACKGROUNDS.  THE  ADVISORY  COMMITTEE SHALL MAKE A BEST POSSIBLE
 EFFORT TO INCLUDE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS WHO  ARE  RECEIVING,  OR
 HAVE  RECEIVED,  MENTAL  HEALTH  SERVICES, OR HAVE SIBLINGS OR IMMEDIATE
 FAMILY MEMBERS  WHO  ARE  MENTAL  HEALTH  CONSUMERS.  MEMBERS  SHALL  BE
 APPOINTED FOR TERMS OF TWO YEARS. THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL BE RESPON-
 SIBLE FOR CREATING THE PROCESS TO FILL VACANCIES.
   §  463.  POWERS  AND  DUTIES. 1. THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SHALL DEVELOP
 RULES, PROCEDURES, AND A LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE FOR  THE  ADVISORY  BOARD.
 THE ADVISORY BOARD SHALL MEET AS FREQUENTLY AS ITS BUSINESS MAY REQUIRE,
 BUT  NO  LESS  FREQUENTLY THAN FOUR TIMES PER YEAR. MEETINGS MAY BE HELD
 VIRTUALLY, PROVIDED THAT THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MAY PROVIDE FOR IN-PER-
 SON MEETINGS AS THEY DETERMINE AS NECESSARY OR DESIRABLE.  THE  ADVISORY
 BOARD  MEMBERS  SHALL  BE  REIMBURSED FOR ANY RELEVANT FEES AND EXPENSES
 INCURRED WHEN ATTENDING IN-PERSON MEETINGS.  THE  ADVISORY  BOARD  SHALL
 HAVE THE FOLLOWING DUTIES WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A) MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE REGARDING:
   (I)  THE  BETTERMENT  OF  MENTAL,  BEHAVIORAL,  AND PHYSICAL HEALTH OF
 YOUTH;
   (II) INITIATIVES FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION AND SUPPORTS;
   (III) IMPLICATIONS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON  MENTAL  HEALTH  AND  PROTECTIVE
 FACTORS;
   (IV) ADVANCEMENTS IN MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS;
   (V) ACCESS TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES;
   (VI) EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITHIN SCHOOLS;
   (VII) BULLYING PREVENTION;
   (VIII) SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MISUSE IN RELATION TO MENTAL HEALTH;
   (IX) POVERTY IN RELATION TO MENTAL HEALTH;
   (X) IMPLICATIONS OF TRAUMA INFORMED CARE;
   (XI)  INCLUSION OF YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS;
 AND
 S. 8359                             3
 
   (XII) ANY OTHER TOPICS RELATED TO YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH THAT  THE  BOARD
 CONSIDERS RELEVANT.
   (B)  PROPOSING  IDEAS  FOR  LEGISLATION TO THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND
 COMMENTING ON PENDING LEGISLATION DEALING WITH ISSUES RELATED  TO  YOUTH
 MENTAL HEALTH.
   (C)  WORKING  WITH  ANY  EXISTING  AND  APPROPRIATE  LOCAL,  STATE, OR
 NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS, INCLUDING YOUTH  GROUPS,  TO  COLLECT
 AND ANALYZE INFORMATION ON ISSUES RELATED TO YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH.
   (D)  AT THE DISCRETION OF THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, PROVIDING TESTIMONY
 TO ANY LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS, TASK FORCES, OR STATE  AGEN-
 CIES AND DEPARTMENTS, AS APPROPRIATE.
   (E)  SETTING PRIORITIES AND ESTABLISHING ANY SUBCOMMITTEES THAT MAY BE
 NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF THE ADVISORY BOARD.
   2. THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, SUBJECT  TO  APPROPRIATION,  MAY  CONTRACT
 WITH A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL AND OTHER APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBERS TO
 ASSIST THE ADVISORY BOARD AND FACILITATE ITS POWERS AND DUTIES.
   §  464.  REPORT. THE ADVISORY BOARD, IN COOPERATION WITH THE OVERSIGHT
 COMMITTEE, SHALL DEVELOP AND SUBMIT A JOINT REPORT TO THE SPEAKER OF THE
 ASSEMBLY, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE
 MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE, AND THE CHAIR OF  THE  ASSEMBLY  MENTAL  HEALTH
 COMMITTEE  NO LATER THAN DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR
 AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER  REGARDING  THE  RECOMMENDATIONS,  FINDINGS  AND
 OTHER  ACTIVITIES  OF THE ADVISORY BOARD. ADDITIONALLY, THE REPORT SHALL
 INDICATE RECOMMENDATIONS  FOR  THE  IMPLEMENTATION  OF  ANY  INITIATIVES
 DEVELOPED  BY THE ADVISORY BOARD OR OTHER APPROPRIATE RECOMMENDATIONS OF
 THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition,  amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation  of  this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
 completed on or before such effective date.

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Senate Bill S8359

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Mental Health Committee

2023-S8359 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S8359 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S8359 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S8359 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S8359

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Samra G. Brouk

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Mental Health Committee

2023-S8359 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S8359 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S8359 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S8359 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments