STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6007 2019-2020 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY February 26, 2019 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. BARRETT -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. EPSTEIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to creating the rural suicide prevention council The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section 2 7.48 to read as follows: 3 § 7.48 Rural suicide prevention council. 4 (a) There shall be established by the office, a council on rural 5 suicide prevention, to consist of twelve members: 6 1. two members shall be appointed by the commissioner; 7 2. two members shall be appointed by the commissioner of health; 8 3. two members shall be appointed by the commissioner of agriculture 9 and markets; 10 4. two members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly; 11 5. two members shall be appointed by the temporary president of the 12 senate; 13 6. one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assem- 14 bly; and 15 7. one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate. 16 (b) The commissioner shall designate the chair of the council from 17 among such twelve members. Vacancies in the membership of such council 18 shall be filled by the appropriate appointing authority. The membership 19 of the council may include, but not be limited to, representatives of 20 the state conference of local mental hygiene directors, psychiatric and 21 psychological practitioners, substance use and mental health profes- 22 sionals with experience in the delivery of treatment and prevention 23 services in rural areas, persons with expertise in public health issues, 24 any group, association, or university with expertise in financial or 25 economic analysis, business planning, and providing supports for farmers EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD00560-01-9A. 6007 2 1 and other individuals residing in rural areas, and others whose profes- 2 sional expertise includes rural affairs related to the duties of the 3 council. 4 (c) The council shall focus its efforts and work on "rural areas" as 5 such term is defined in section four hundred eighty-one of the executive 6 law. 7 (d) Duties of the council shall include, but not be limited to: 8 1. examining the causes and conditions related to rural suicides or 9 suicide attempts and the prevalence of suicide among certain professions 10 including, but not limited to, farmers and agricultural workers; 11 2. identifying policies, practices, resources, services, and potential 12 legislation that may result in the reduction of rural suicide and rural 13 suicide attempts; 14 3. offering recommendations on policies and procedures to improve the 15 coordination of services and resources among agencies involved in the 16 delivery of mental health, substance use, or suicide prevention 17 services; and 18 4. making recommendations on funding initiatives to increase access to 19 mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention services in rural 20 areas and facilitate the use of innovative intervention strategies 21 specific to individuals residing in rural areas. 22 (e) The rural suicide prevention council shall meet not less than two 23 times annually, or as deemed necessary by the chair of the council or 24 the commissioner. 25 (f) The members of the rural suicide prevention council shall receive 26 no compensation for their services, but shall be allowed their actual 27 and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. 28 (g) The council shall prepare and submit a report no later than Janu- 29 ary first, two thousand twenty-one, and biennially thereafter, to the 30 governor and the legislature that recommends policies, legislation, and 31 funding needed to implement any of the findings in the council's report. 32 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 33 have become a law.