BILL NUMBER: S1310
SPONSOR: CANZONERI-FITZPATRICK
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to creating a school
mental health services program coordinator
 
PURPOSE:
This bill would establish a Mental Health Services Coordinator Program
under the education law and establish a mental health services program
coordinator education aid program to reimburse school districts outside
the city of New York, $50,000 for the hiring of such a mental health
services professional.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
This bill would add a new section 2801-c to the education law to:
- Define the term Mental Health Services Program Coordinator to include
a mental health services professional, with qualifications determined by
regulation by the commissioner of education.
- Authorize school districts to hire mental health services program
coordinators, or contract for their services with mental health services
providers.
- Define the role and responsibility of a mental health services program
coordinator as working with students, faculty and other mental health
and health care professionals to identify, report and address mental
health issues of students, faculty and administration, at any public or
non-public school, that could pose a risk to public safety.
- Authorize the state department of education by regulation, to deter-
mine the qualifications for a mental health services program coordina-
tor, and establish the mandatory reports, the persons or entities with
whom such reports shall be filed, and the treatment services that may be
offered or directed by a mental health services program coordinator.
This bill would further amend the education law, to establish mental
health services program coordinator aid for the hiring of mental health
services professionals.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
School attacks across the nation have demonstrated an important need to
increase security at schools. In many of these tragedies, it has been
demonstrated that the failure to properly identify and address mental
illness of the attacker has led, at least in part, to the failure to
prevent the attack. Therefore, one of the best possible preventive and
responsive measures is the deployment of mental health services to iden-
tify, report and address individuals who they, in their clinical and
professional judgment could pose a threat to public safety and security.
This bill would provide a specific definition of Mental Health Services
Program Coordinator, requiring such persons to be experienced mental
health services professional, with the qualifications determined by
regulations established by the state department of education. It further
provides, for the first time, an important state aid component, which
will allow all schools across the state, to have the necessary funds to
retain the services of such invaluable mental health services
professions who could seriously enhance public protection.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24 - S5683: Referred to Education
2021-22 - S1956: Referred to Education
2019-20 - S2462: Referred to Education
2018 - S7805: Passed Senate
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.