Bill Text: NY A01716 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes a Black youth suicide prevention task force; provides for the number of members, manner of appointment and the topics to be reviewed.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 25-4)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-05 - referred to mental health [A01716 Detail]
Download: New_York-2021-A01716-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1716 2021-2022 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 11, 2021 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. JEAN-PIERRE, VANEL, J. RIVERA, EPSTEIN, DARLING, SIMON, ZEBROWSKI, WILLIAMS, SAYEGH, FRONTUS, SCHMITT, McDONOUGH, JOYNER, CRUZ, STECK, RAMOS, FALL, GLICK, FERNANDEZ, TAYLOR, REYES, WEPRIN -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, M. MILLER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health AN ACT to establish a Black youth suicide prevention task force; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Black youth suicide prevention task force. (a) There is 2 hereby created the Black youth suicide prevention task force to examine, 3 evaluate and determine how to improve mental health and suicide 4 prevention for Black New York residents aged 5 though 18 years, consist- 5 ing of seven members, each to serve until two years after the effective 6 date of this act. 7 (b)(1) Such members shall be appointed as follows: one member shall be 8 appointed by the governor; one member shall be appointed by the tempo- 9 rary president of the senate; one member shall be appointed by the 10 minority leader of the senate; one member shall be appointed by the 11 speaker of the assembly; one member shall be appointed by the minority 12 leader of the assembly; and two members shall be appointed by the 13 commissioner of mental health. Appointments shall be made within sixty 14 days of the effective date of this act. Vacancies in the task force 15 shall be filled in the same manner provided for original appointments. 16 (2) All appointees shall have expertise in fields or disciplines 17 related to mental health suicide prevention services, supports and know- 18 ledge related to the Black community. All appointments shall be coordi- 19 nated to ensure geographic representation from the entire state. 20 (3) The task force shall be chaired by the governor's appointee. The 21 task force shall elect a vice-chair by majority vote and other necessary 22 officers from among all appointed members. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD04849-01-1A. 1716 2 1 (4) The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the 2 chair. Meetings may be held via teleconference. Special meetings may be 3 called by the chair at the request of a majority of the members of the 4 task force. 5 (5) Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their 6 services but shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in 7 the performance of their duties in the work of the task force. 8 (c) The task force shall: 9 (1) study current mental health practices and suicide prevention 10 efforts for Black youths aged 5 through 18 years; 11 (2) recommend mental health practices and suicide prevention efforts 12 for such age group to increase effectiveness across the state; and 13 (3) determine potential reasons for the high number of Black youth 14 suicides. 15 (d) The task force may establish advisory committees as it deems 16 appropriate on matters relating to the task force's functions, powers 17 and duties. Such committees shall be chaired by a task force member, but 18 may be composed of task force members as well as other individuals 19 selected by the task force to provide expertise of interest specific to 20 the charge of such committees. 21 (e) The task force may, as it deems appropriate, request that studies, 22 surveys and analyses relating to the task force's powers and duties be 23 performed by any state department, commission, agency or public authori- 24 ty. All state departments, commissions, agencies or public authorities 25 shall provide information and advice in a timely manner and otherwise 26 assist the task force with its work; provided however, any information 27 or records otherwise confidential and privileged in accordance with 28 state or federal law that are provided to the task force pursuant to 29 this subdivision shall remain confidential as provided by such state or 30 federal law and provided, further, that reports of the task force shall 31 not identify the name or related identifying information concerning 32 individual persons who are deceased as a result of suicide. 33 (f) The task force shall provide a preliminary report to the governor 34 and the legislature of its findings, conclusions, recommendations and 35 activities already undertaken by the task force, not later than thirteen 36 months after the effective date of this act, and a final report of its 37 findings, conclusions, recommendations and activities already undertaken 38 by the task force, not later than twenty-two months after the effective 39 date of this act and shall submit with its reports legislative proposals 40 as it deems necessary to implement its recommendations. 41 § 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall 42 have become a law and shall expire 2 years after such effective date 43 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.
