Bill Text: NY S01285 | 2013-2014 | General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Requires public and private colleges and universities to provide all incoming and current students with information relating to suicide prevention and resources available to them on campus.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-10 - PRINT NUMBER 1285A [S01285 Detail]

Download: New_York-2013-S01285-Introduced.html

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                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         1285
                              2013-2014 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 9, 2013
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
         printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
       AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring  public  and
         private  colleges and universities to provide all incoming and current
         students with information about depression and suicide prevention  and
         resources available to them on campus
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. Legislative intent.    The  legislature  hereby  finds  and
    2  declares  that there is a need to address the growing number of students
    3  at the collegiate level who are  suffering  from  psychiatric  stressors
    4  that  may  lead to suicide. The legislature further recognizes that such
    5  psychiatric stressors also contribute to difficulties  in  learning  and
    6  success  on  the collegiate level. Early detection and identification of
    7  at-risk individuals may not only prevent suicide,  but  may  also  allow
    8  such  other  students  suffering  from  psychiatric stressors to get the
    9  support needed to be successful in their academic endeavors. The support
   10  necessary to achieve these goals may often require collaboration between
   11  college officials and parents and/or guardians in such a manner as to be
   12  consistent with the needs of each student.
   13    Therefore, to achieve the above-stated goals, the  legislature  hereby
   14  finds and declares that every college within the state shall establish a
   15  suicide prevention program.
   16    S 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6438 to read
   17  as follows:
   18    S 6438. THE COLLEGIATE SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM. 1.  THE TRUSTEES OR
   19  GOVERNING  BOARD  OF  EACH  COLLEGE SHALL INFORM INCOMING STUDENTS ABOUT
   20  SUICIDE PREVENTION MEASURES THROUGH PROGRAMS  WHICH  MAY  INCLUDE  WORK-
   21  SHOPS,  SEMINARS, DISCUSSION GROUPS, AND FILM PRESENTATIONS, IN ORDER TO
   22  DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ABOUT PRESSURES AND MATTERS  THAT  MAY  PLACE  A
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD00184-01-3
       S. 1285                             2
    1  PERSON  AT  RISK  OF SUICIDE, PROMOTE DISCUSSION, ENCOURAGE REPORTING OF
    2  PERSONS AT RISK OF SUICIDE, AND FACILITATE PREVENTION OF SUCH INCIDENTS.
    3  SUCH INFORMATION SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
    4    A. THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS,
    5    B. HOW TO IDENTIFY AN AT RISK PERSON,
    6    C.  THE PROCEDURES IN EFFECT AT THE COLLEGE FOR DEALING WITH ATTEMPTED
    7  SUICIDE,
    8    D. THE AVAILABILITY OF  COUNSELING  AND  OTHER  SUPPORT  SERVICES  FOR
    9  PERSONS AT RISK AND THOSE AFFECTED BY SUICIDE,
   10    E.  THE  NATURE  OF  AND  COMMON  CIRCUMSTANCES RELATING TO SUICIDE ON
   11  COLLEGE CAMPUSES, AND
   12    F. THE METHODS THE COLLEGE EMPLOYS TO SUPPORT AT RISK STUDENTS.
   13    2. PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION ONE  OF  THIS
   14  SECTION,  EACH COLLEGE SHALL FILE A REPORT ANNUALLY ON ITS COMPLIANCE OF
   15  SUCH PROGRAM WITH THE COMMISSIONER.
   16    3. IF THE TRUSTEES OR OTHER GOVERNING BOARD OF A COLLEGE FAILS TO FILE
   17  THE RULES AND REGULATIONS WITHIN THE TIME REQUIRED BY THIS SECTION  SUCH
   18  COLLEGE  SHALL  NOT  BE  ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE ANY STATE AID OR ASSISTANCE
   19  UNTIL SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS ARE DULY FILED.
   20    4. A. THE PRESIDENT OR CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER OF  EACH  COLLEGE,
   21  EXCEPT  THOSE INDEPENDENT COLLEGES INELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE STATE AID UNDER
   22  SECTION SIXTY-FOUR HUNDRED ONE OF THIS TITLE, WHICH MAINTAINS  A  CAMPUS
   23  AND  IS  CHARTERED  BY THE REGENTS OR INCORPORATED BY SPECIAL ACT OF THE
   24  LEGISLATURE SHALL APPOINT AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON MENTAL HEALTH.
   25    B. SUCH COMMITTEE SHALL CONSIST OF A MINIMUM OF SIX MEMBERS, ONE INDI-
   26  VIDUAL SHALL BE A PROFESSIONAL IN THE AREA OF MENTAL  HEALTH,  AT  LEAST
   27  ONE  MEMBER  SHALL  BE AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CAMPUS BASED MEDICAL FACILITY,
   28  TWO MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE APPOINTED FROM A LIST OF  STUDENTS
   29  THAT  ARE  PARTICIPANTS  IN  THE STUDENT GOVERNANCE ORGANIZATION ON SUCH
   30  CAMPUS, AND AT LEAST TWO MEMBERS SHALL  BE  APPOINTED  FROM  A  LIST  OF
   31  FACULTY  MEMBERS.  ALL  APPOINTMENTS  SHALL  BE MADE BY THE PRESIDENT OR
   32  CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER OF THE COLLEGE.
   33    C. THE COMMITTEE SHALL REVIEW CURRENT CAMPUS  MENTAL  HEALTH  POLICIES
   34  AND  PROCEDURES AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THEIR IMPROVEMENT. IT SHALL
   35  SPECIFICALLY REVIEW CURRENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES  (1)  FOR  EDUCATING
   36  THE  CAMPUS COMMUNITY, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL AND
   37  THOSE PERSONS WHO ADVISE OR  SUPERVISE  STUDENTS,  ABOUT  MENTAL  HEALTH
   38  ISSUES  PURSUANT  TO  SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, (2) FOR EDUCATING
   39  THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND SUICIDE  PREVENTION,
   40  (3)  FOR  REPORTING  PERSONS IN CRISIS AND DEALING WITH PERSONS IN NEED,
   41  (4) FOR REFERRING INDIVIDUALS IN CRISIS  TO  APPROPRIATE  PROFESSIONALS,
   42  (5) FOR COUNSELING INDIVIDUALS, AND (6) FOR RESPONDING TO INQUIRIES FROM
   43  CONCERNED PERSONS.
   44    D. THE COMMITTEE SHALL REPORT, IN WRITING, TO THE COLLEGE PRESIDENT OR
   45  CHIEF  ADMINISTRATIVE  OFFICER  ON  ITS  FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS AT
   46  LEAST ONCE EACH ACADEMIC YEAR, AND SUCH REPORT SHALL BE  AVAILABLE  UPON
   47  REQUEST.
   48    5. ANY HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL WHO IS EMPLOYED BY, OR AFFILIATED WITH
   49  THE  COLLEGE, AND WHO THROUGH THEIR EMPLOYMENT IS IN A POSITION TO IDEN-
   50  TIFY A STUDENT WHO  IS  POTENTIALLY  AT  RISK  FOR  SUICIDE,  IS  HEREBY
   51  REQUIRED  TO REPORT SUCH BELIEF TO THE COLLEGE PRESIDENT OR CHIEF ADMIN-
   52  ISTRATIVE OFFICER. THE COLLEGE PRESIDENT OR CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
   53  OF THE COLLEGE MAY, AFTER CONSULTATION WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS,
   54  NOTIFY THE PARENTS OR GUARDIANS OF SUCH STUDENT AS  TO  THE  CONCERN  OF
   55  SUCH STUDENT'S MENTAL WELL BEING.
       S. 1285                             3
    1    S  3.  This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
    2  the date on which it shall have become a law; provided that the  commis-
    3  sioner  of  education  is authorized to promulgate any and all rules and
    4  regulations necessary for the timely implementation of this act  on  its
    5  effective date on or before such date.