S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    41
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  WALCZYK, BORRELLO, GALLIVAN, OBERACKER, RHOADS --
   read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to  be  committed  to
   the Committee on Mental Health
 
 AN  ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to developing mate-
   rials relating to suicide prevention for school-aged children, and  to
   amend  the  education law, in relation to including suicide prevention
   in health education curriculum
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 7.07 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding
 a new subdivision (i) to read as follows:
   (I)  THE  OFFICE SHALL, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT,
 IDENTIFY OR DEVELOP MATERIALS FOR EDUCATORS REGARDING SUICIDE PREVENTION
 MEASURES AND SIGNS OF DEPRESSION AMONG SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN WHICH MAY BE
 USED BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND BOARDS OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES,
 AT THEIR OPTION, TO EDUCATE STUDENTS ABOUT SUCH TOPICS AS SUCH DISTRICTS
 AND BOARDS DEEM APPROPRIATE. SUCH EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS  SHALL  INCLUDE,
 BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, INFORMATION REGARDING SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION, HOW
 DEPRESSION  MANIFESTS  ITSELF  IN  DIFFERENT  CULTURES, WARNING SIGNS OF
 SUICIDE, ACTIONS TO TAKE ONCE  A  CHILD  IS  IDENTIFIED  AS  A  RISK  OF
 SUICIDE,  SOCIAL MEDIA SAFETY AND THE PREVENTION OF CYBERBULLYING, AND A
 LIST OF EDUCATIONAL WEBSITES REGARDING SUICIDE AND CHILDREN. SUCH  MATE-
 RIAL  SHALL  BE  AVAILABLE  ON  THE  EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE. THE
 OFFICE SHALL PROVIDE A HYPERLINK ON ITS  WEBSITE  TO  THE  PAGE  OF  THE
 EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE THAT DISPLAYS SUCH MATERIALS.
   §  2.  The  education  law is amended by adding a new section 804-e to
 read as follows:
   § 804-E. INSTRUCTION REGARDING THE PREVENTION OF SUICIDE AMONG SCHOOL-
 AGED CHILDREN. 1. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL MAKE AVAILABLE ON  THE  DEPART-
 MENT  WEBSITE  MATERIALS IDENTIFIED OR DEVELOPED BY THE OFFICE OF MENTAL
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD00106-01-5
 S. 41                               2
 
 HEALTH IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT PURSUANT TO  SUBDIVISION  (I)
 OF SECTION 7.07 OF THE MENTAL HYGIENE LAW.
   2.  INSTRUCTION REGARDING THE PREVENTION OF SUICIDE MAY BE INCLUDED IN
 THE HEALTH EDUCATION PROVIDED TO ALL SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS  AND  SHALL
 BE  TAUGHT BY TEACHERS CERTIFIED IN HEALTH EDUCATION. RELATED COURSES IN
 THE SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM MAY BE TAUGHT IN A MANNER SUPPORTIVE  OF
 HEALTH  EDUCATION  REGARDING THE PREVENTION OF SUICIDE AMONG SCHOOL-AGED
 CHILDREN.
   3. SCHOOL AUTHORITIES SHALL BE AUTHORIZED  TO  PROVIDE  THE  NECESSARY
 FACILITIES, TIME AND PLACE FOR THE INSTRUCTION SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION
 AND  TO  PROVIDE  LEARNING  AIDS AND CURRICULUM RESOURCE MATERIALS WHICH
 CONTRIBUTE TO EFFECTIVE TEACHING METHODS AND LEARNING IN  HEALTH  EDUCA-
 TION  REGARDING  THE  PREVENTION  OF  SUICIDE AMONG SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN
 INCLUDING INSTRUCTION IN SOCIAL  MEDIA  SAFETY  AND  THE  PREVENTION  OF
 CYBERBULLYING.
   §  3.  This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law.