Senator Samra Brouk Announces Mental Health Extender Bill Signed into Law

ALBANY, NY - This week, legislation sponsored by Senator Samra Brouk, Chair of the Senate Committee on Mental Health, to extend the ability of certain mental health practitioners to make diagnoses was signed into law (S6431). 

Extending this law will ensure New York State can keep up with the skyrocketing need for mental health care and prevent gaps in services,” said Senator Brouk.“I’m proud that this bill has been signed and I look forward to delivering more legislative accomplishments that make a lasting impact for families in my neighborhood and across the state.”

COVID-19 exposed existing mental health needs in our state and exacerbated them by increasing the demand for services among our families, educators and essential workforce. Without legislative intervention, thousands of individuals would face an added barrier to receiving a diagnosis and ultimately, services and treatment when New York State needs mental health care practitioners the most.

The bill was sponsored in the Assembly by Rochester Assemblymember Harry Bronson. Senator Brouk thanks the many advocates and organizations who supported this legislation, including the Hillside Children’s Foundation, the University of Rochester, Northern Rivers, the Mental Health Association of New York State and the New York State Coalition for Children’s Behavioral Health.

Senator Brouk is serving her first term as the senator to the 55th Senate District. In her first legislative session, she has worked in the Senate to increase access to mental health care services, recruit and maintain a diverse network of mental health care practitioners and destigmatize seeking mental health treatment, especially within communities of color. Her bill to create a 9-8-8 mental health crisis hotline passed both houses of the legislature during the 2021 legislative session (S6194-B).

Senator Brouk has also passed legislation in the Senate to establish a black youth suicide task force (S3408) and legislation to increase the number of trained professionals who are able to assist youth outside of an educational setting, which would increase sorely needed access to timely services (S4347A). She looks forward to working on these bills in the coming legislative session. In addition to her work on mental health issues, she secured historic funding for our schools in this year’s New York State Budget, with a three-year commitment to fully funding Foundation Aid and over $1 billion dollars in emergency relief to New York’s small business community.