Senator Carlucci at Joint Legislative Hearing on Sexual Harassment in Albany

Carlucci asks the State’s Labor Department commissioner what mental health services are available to survivors following sexual harassment

Albany, NY – Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Westchester) attended a joint legislative hearing on sexual harassment today.

The hearing held to examine sexual harassment issues in the workplace and look at proposals to combat these events.

For the first time in more than two decades, lawmakers heard horrific stories from former Albany staffers who suffered sexual harassment in the workplace.

Following their testimony, Carlucci, who chairs the New York State Senate’s Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Committee asked how lawmakers could best help survivors who maybe suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or other mental health issues, following sexual harassment or assault.

The New York State Department of Labor’s Commissioner, Roberta Reardon said, “…women and men who suffer this, often have PTSD, among other things, and low self-esteem, depression. Our services are really educational at this point. I am hopeful that those services will be offered like victim services often are for victims of crime. That would be a good thing to look into, but it is not something the Department of Labor, we do, but I support the idea.”

Senator Carlucci said he is looking to work with his fellow colleagues to increase access to services for survivors, while eliminating any stigma related to seeking help.