STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7044 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN SENATE May 17, 2023 ___________ Introduced by Sen. WEBB -- 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 establishing the mental health educational opportunity program The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6457 2 to read as follows: 3 § 6457. Mental health educational opportunity program. 1. To provide 4 additional educational opportunities for students at the state universi- 5 ty of New York to enroll in academic programs that lead to a degree or 6 degrees required for licensure in any of the mental health professions 7 pursuant to articles one hundred fifty-three, one hundred fifty-four and 8 one hundred sixty-three of this chapter, the state university of New 9 York shall provide special programs for the screening, testing, coun- 10 seling and tutoring of, and assistance to, residents of the state, (i) 11 who are graduates of an approved high school or individuals who have 12 attained a New York state high school equivalency diploma or its equiv- 13 alent, as determined by the commissioner, (ii) who have potential for 14 the successful completion of a post-secondary program that leads to a 15 degree or degrees required for licensure in any mental health profes- 16 sion, and (iii) who are economically and educationally disadvantaged. 17 2. The state university of New York shall formulate a general plan for 18 the organization, development, coordination and operation of such a 19 program within the amounts made available therefor by law. Such a plan 20 shall include: 21 a. Definition of eligibility, 22 b. Procedures for the selection of students from among the eligibles, 23 c. Description of the contents of such proposed program including 24 counseling, tutoring and skill development, 25 d. Estimated costs, EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD11389-01-3S. 7044 2 1 e. Objectives including coordination with the university's long-range 2 plan, 3 f. Extent of other funds and resources to be utilized in support of 4 the program, 5 g. Procedures for the evaluation of student progress, and 6 h. Periodic reports. 7 3. The general plan shall be transmitted to the board of regents at 8 such time as the regents shall by rule require. Such plan shall be 9 reviewed by the regents and shall guide and determine the operation of 10 such program at the state university of New York. 11 4. a. State appropriations made available to the state university of 12 New York for this program shall be spent only for the following 13 purposes: 14 (i) Special testing, counseling and guidance services in the course of 15 screening potential students, 16 (ii) Remedial courses, developmental and compensatory courses and 17 summer classes for such students, 18 (iii) Special tutoring, counseling and guidance services for enrolled 19 students, 20 (iv) Central services including evaluation and administrative costs, 21 and 22 (v) Any necessary supplemental financial assistance, which may include 23 the cost of books and necessary maintenance for such students, including 24 students without lawful immigration status provided that the student 25 meets the requirements set forth in subparagraph (ii) of paragraph a or 26 subparagraph (ii) of paragraph b of subdivision five of section six 27 hundred sixty-one of this chapter, as applicable; provided, however, 28 that such supplemental financial assistance shall be furnished pursuant 29 to criteria promulgated by the state university of New York and approved 30 by the regents and the director of the budget. 31 b. No funds pursuant to this section shall be made available to 32 support the regular academic programs of any state university of New 33 York college or university participating in this program, nor shall 34 funds be provided for programs which are incompatible with the regents 35 plan for the expansion and development of higher education in the state. 36 5. The trustees of the state university of New York shall furnish to 37 the regents, the director of the budget, the chair of the senate finance 38 committee and the chair of the assembly ways and means committee, at 39 least annually, a report in such form, at such time and containing such 40 information as the regents and the director of the budget may require, 41 of the operations of such program. The report shall include: 42 a. A statement of the objectives of the program, 43 b. A description of the program, 44 c. The budgetary expenditures for such program, separately stating 45 academic credit instructional costs, other instructional costs, tutoring 46 costs, remediation, counseling, supplemental financial assistance and 47 central services, including evaluation and administrative costs, 48 d. The extent of other funds and resources used in support of such 49 program and their sources, 50 e. The progress of students, 51 f. The extent and nature of the responsibility exercised over such 52 program by such trustees, 53 g. The extent and nature of supervision and control exercised over 54 such program by the administrative officials of the constituent insti- 55 tutions of the state university of New York, andS. 7044 3 1 h. A certification by such trustees that the academic committees of 2 the constituent institutions of the state university of New York and 3 their faculty committees have reviewed and approved the academic content 4 of the courses offered for academic credit in such program and the 5 amount of academic credit granted therefor and that the registration 6 requirements of the regents and the commissioner have been met where 7 applicable. 8 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.