S 1008: Relates to improving student mental health and mental health literacy in institutions of higher education in the state; requires the amendment or adoption of related protocols, policies and programs in SUNY, CUNY and independent institutions of higher education.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1008 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE (Prefiled) January 8, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sens. BROUK, PALUMBO -- 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 improving student mental health and mental health literacy in institutions of higher education in the state, and requiring the amendment or adoption of related protocols and policies of SUNY, CUNY and independent insti- tutions of higher education 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 362 to 2 read as follows: 3 § 362. Student mental health. 1. The state university shall take the 4 following actions regarding student mental health needs: 5 (a) (i) review, amend and publish various protocols and policies 6 intended to improve the mental health of students, to improve mental 7 health literacy among students and staff, and to establish parity 8 between physical and mental health, including reasonable accommodations, 9 whenever possible and appropriate; 10 (ii) review, amend and publish enrollment, re-enrollment, medical 11 leave of absence, voluntary and involuntary leave and termination poli- 12 cies of the state university and create specific provisions for students 13 experiencing mental health issues or crises, that are intended to 14 improve responses to the mental health needs and crises of students, 15 improve suicide prevention and intervention, provide flexible voluntary 16 leave opportunities, provide individualized student assessments with 17 consideration of reasonable requests by students and appropriate defer- 18 ence to their treating providers, and provide reasonable accommodations 19 to avoid extended involuntary leave or termination, whenever possible 20 and appropriate; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD02172-01-5 
 S. 1008 2 1 (b) include a mental health section in orientation programs for newly 2 enrolled students intended to enhance mental health literacy among 3 students, to increase knowledge about mental health and help-seeking 4 behaviors, and to reduce stigma; 5 (c) all full-time faculty, administrators, athletic coaches, student- 6 facing and support staff, including adjunct professors of the universi- 7 ty, shall be required to receive mental health training on mental health 8 literacy, relevant disability law, reduction of stigma training, best 9 practices regarding reasonable accommodations for students with mental 10 health needs, and recognizing signs of mental distress among students 11 and recommended follow-up safety actions. All such training shall be 12 provided in a culturally competent manner. Staff shall receive initial 13 training within one year of the effective date of this section, or with- 14 in one year after the date upon which they commence employment at the 15 university, with refresher training required within each three-year 16 period thereafter. The chancellor of the state university, in conjunc- 17 tion with the commissioner, shall prescribe the form and manner in which 18 such training shall be provided; and 19 (d) institute other programs intended to address and improve student 20 mental health. 21 2. The state university and the department shall research, review, and 22 publish model protocols and policies, that may be adopted and imple- 23 mented by colleges and universities under their jurisdiction, to imple- 24 ment the provisions of subdivision one of this section. 25 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6235 to read 26 as follows: 27 § 6235. Student mental health. 1. The city university shall take the 28 following actions regarding student mental health: 29 (a) (i) review, amend and publish various protocols and policies 30 intended to improve the mental health of students, to improve mental 31 health literacy among students and staff, and to establish parity 32 between physical and mental health, including reasonable accommodations, 33 whenever possible and appropriate; 34 (ii) review, amend and publish enrollment, re-enrollment, medical 35 leave of absence, voluntary and involuntary leave and termination poli- 36 cies of the city university and create specific provisions for students 37 experiencing mental health issues or crises, that are intended to 38 improve responses to the mental health needs and crises of students, 39 improve suicide prevention and intervention, provide flexible voluntary 40 leave opportunities, provide individualized student assessments with 41 consideration of reasonable requests by students and appropriate defer- 42 ence to their treating providers, and provide reasonable accommodations 43 to avoid extended involuntary leave or termination, whenever possible 44 and appropriate; 45 (b) include a mental health section in orientation programs for newly 46 enrolled students intended to enhance mental health literacy among 47 students, to increase knowledge about mental health and help-seeking 48 behaviors, and to reduce stigma; 49 (c) all full-time faculty, administrators, athletic coaches, student- 50 facing and support staff, including adjunct professors of the city 51 university, shall be required to receive mental health training on 52 mental health literacy, relevant disability law, reduction of stigma 53 training, best practices regarding reasonable accommodations for 54 students with mental health needs, and recognizing signs of mental 55 distress among students and recommended follow-up safety actions. All 56 such training shall be provided in a culturally competent manner. Staff 
 S. 1008 3 1 shall receive initial training within one year of the effective date of 2 this section, or within one year after the date upon which they commence 3 employment at the city university, with refresher training required 4 within each three-year period thereafter. The chancellor of the city 5 university, in conjunction with the commissioner, shall prescribe the 6 form and manner in which such training shall be provided; and 7 (d) institute other programs intended to address and improve student 8 mental health. 9 2. The city university and the department shall research, review, and 10 publish model protocols and policies, that may be adopted and imple- 11 mented by colleges and universities under their jurisdiction, to imple- 12 ment the provisions of subdivision one of this section. 13 § 3. The education law is amended by adding a new section 237-a to 14 read as follows: 15 § 237-a. Student mental health, mental health literacy and training in 16 master plans of independent institutions of higher education. 1. The 17 regents plan for higher education, required to be developed and trans- 18 mitted pursuant to section two hundred thirty-seven of this part, and 19 approved master plans of independent institutions of higher education 20 shall include protocols and policies intended to improve the mental 21 health of students, improve mental health literacy among students, 22 faculty and support staff, and establish parity between physical and 23 mental health, including reasonable accommodations, whenever possible 24 and appropriate. The regents plan shall also require such institutions 25 to review, amend and publish enrollment, re-enrollment, medical leave of 26 absence, voluntary and involuntary leave, and termination policies for 27 students experiencing mental health issues or crises; improve responses 28 to mental health needs and crises; review and improve suicide prevention 29 and intervention policies; and provide appropriate staff training to all 30 full-time faculty, administrators, athletic coaches, student-facing and 31 support staff, as well as adjunct professors, to implement the above-re- 32 ferenced protocols and policies. 33 2. Independent institutions of higher education, shall review model 34 protocols and policies that may be developed or adopted by the universi- 35 ty, the city university, or the department and consider whether to adopt 36 such protocols and policies, in whole or in part, for inclusion in their 37 master plans, for purposes of improving student mental health, mental 38 health literacy, and responses to mental health needs and crises in such 39 institutions. 40 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that 41 the provisions relating to the regents plan and university master plans 42 pursuant to section three of this act, shall be effective on the first 43 date, following the effective date of this act, when such plans are 44 required to be completed under section 237 of the education law.