Bill Text: NY A05563 | 2025-2026 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relates to the development of a public anti-stigma mental health education program targeting the general public and underserved populations.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-14 - referred to mental health [A05563 Detail]

Download: New_York-2025-A05563-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          5563

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    February 14, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  SIMON,  SANTABARBARA, TAPIA -- read once and
          referred to the Committee on Mental Health

        AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to  the  development
          of a public anti-stigma mental health education program

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Subdivision (l) of section 7.09 of the mental hygiene  law,
     2  as separately amended by section 15 of part PP of chapter 56 and chapter
     3  363 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
     4    (l)  [Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the]
     5  (1) The commissioner, in conjunction with the commissioner of the office
     6  of addiction services and supports [and], the director of the department
     7  of veterans' services and the commissioner of  agriculture  and  markets
     8  shall develop a public education [initiative designed to eliminate stig-
     9  ma  and  misinformation  about  mental  illness  and substance use among
    10  service members, veterans,  and  their  families,]  anti-stigma  program
    11  targeting  the  general  public  and underserved populations which shall
    12  include but not be limited to: black,  Latina  and  Latino  adolescents;
    13  members  of   the   lesbian,   gay,  bisexual and transgender community,
    14  persons of Asian descent; service members, veterans; and individuals who
    15  reside in rural communities, and any other group deemed  appropriate  by
    16  the commissioner.
    17    (2)  The  goal  of  the program is to reduce stigma and misinformation
    18  among the general public and underserved populations listed in paragraph
    19  one of this subdivision about mental illness, improve their  understand-
    20  ing of symptoms for mental health and substance use disorders [and], the
    21  existence  and  benefits of effective treatment, and provide information
    22  regarding available resources and  how  to  access  them.  These  public
    23  education  [initiatives]  programs may [include the use of the internet,
    24  including the use of social networking  sites]  utilize  public  forums,
    25  social  media  and  mass  media,  including but not limited to internet,

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD08460-01-5
        A. 5563                             2

     1  radio,  and  print  advertising and shall include educational  materials
     2  and information on the office's website.
     3    (3)  The  development  of  any  program under this section shall be in
     4  consultation with  local  community  stakeholders;  consumer  advocates;
     5  local  organizations  and  institutions,  to  ensure  the  programs  are
     6  culturally and linguistically appropriate and meet the specific needs of
     7  each underserved population.
     8    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.