S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5563
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 14, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  SIMON,  SANTABARBARA, TAPIA -- read once and
   referred to the Committee on Mental Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to  the  development
   of a public anti-stigma mental health education program
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision (l) of section 7.09 of the mental hygiene  law,
 as separately amended by section 15 of part PP of chapter 56 and chapter
 363 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (l)  [Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the]
 (1) THE commissioner, in conjunction with the commissioner of the office
 of addiction services and supports [and], the director of the department
 of veterans' services AND THE COMMISSIONER OF  AGRICULTURE  AND  MARKETS
 shall develop a public education [initiative designed to eliminate stig-
 ma  and  misinformation  about  mental  illness  and substance use among
 service members, veterans,  and  their  families,]  ANTI-STIGMA  PROGRAM
 TARGETING  THE  GENERAL  PUBLIC  AND UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS WHICH SHALL
 INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO: BLACK,  LATINA  AND  LATINO  ADOLESCENTS;
 MEMBERS  OF   THE   LESBIAN,   GAY,  BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY,
 PERSONS OF ASIAN DESCENT; SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS; AND INDIVIDUALS WHO
 RESIDE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES, AND ANY OTHER GROUP DEEMED  APPROPRIATE  BY
 THE COMMISSIONER.
   (2)  THE  GOAL  OF  THE PROGRAM IS TO REDUCE STIGMA AND MISINFORMATION
 AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS LISTED IN PARAGRAPH
 ONE OF THIS SUBDIVISION ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS, improve their  understand-
 ing of SYMPTOMS FOR mental HEALTH and substance use disorders [and], the
 existence  AND  BENEFITS of effective treatment, and provide information
 regarding available resources and  how  to  access  them.  These  public
 education  [initiatives]  PROGRAMS may [include the use of the internet,
 including the use of social networking  sites]  UTILIZE  PUBLIC  FORUMS,
 SOCIAL  MEDIA  AND  MASS  MEDIA,  INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INTERNET,
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08460-01-5
              

 A. 5563                             2
 
 RADIO,  AND  PRINT  ADVERTISING AND SHALL INCLUDE EDUCATIONAL  MATERIALS
 AND INFORMATION ON THE OFFICE'S WEBSITE.
   (3)  THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  ANY  PROGRAM UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE IN
 CONSULTATION WITH  LOCAL  COMMUNITY  STAKEHOLDERS;  CONSUMER  ADVOCATES;
 LOCAL  ORGANIZATIONS  AND  INSTITUTIONS,  TO  ENSURE  THE  PROGRAMS  ARE
 CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE AND MEET THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF
 EACH UNDERSERVED POPULATION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.