BILL NUMBER: S5252
SPONSOR: CANZONERI-FITZPATRICK
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to a loan forgiveness
program for licensed mental health professionals in jails and prisons
 
PURPOSE:
To provide student-loan forgiveness awards to licensed mental health
professionals rendering mental health services in correctional insti-
tutions
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 adds section 679-k to the education law. This section estab-
lishes a program providing loan forgiveness. awards for the purpose of
increasing the number of mental health professionals rendering mental
health services in Correctional facilities in New York State. This
section provides that applicants must be a licensed mental health
professional pursuant to Article 163 of the Education Law, they must
comply with student loan requirements outlined in part 3 and part 5 of
section 661 of the Education Law, and they must have outstanding student
loan debt.
Section 1 further provides that awards will be annually disbursed, to
applicants who have provided full-time mental health services to incar-
cerated individuals and/or correction staff in a correctional facility
in the year prior to their application, first prioritizing applicants
who have already earned an award under this section, followed by those
who have not yet received an award under this section, and giving third
priority to those currently providing, such services and have been doing
so for less than one year.
Section 1 further provides that awards shall be granted in the value of
two thousand dollars, and that no recipient shall receive an award that
exceeds the total remaining balance of the student loan debt, nor shall
any recipient receive cumulative awards pursuant to this section in
excess of twenty thousand dollars.
Section one further authorizes the promulgation of rules and regulations
necessary for implementation of provisions of this section. The head of
the entity responsible for disbursing such awards shall also establish
regulations for how to distribute awards in circumstances where there
applicants in the highest priority category.
Section 2 provides the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Mental health professionals in corrections face unique challenges as
they are expected to provide desperately needed mental health services
to a high acuity population while facing strict security and confinement
regulations, and the legal and public health considerations unique to
this specialty. In addition to a growing workforce shortage in the
mental health field generally, only exacerbated in correctional insti-
tutions, the demand for mental health services in correctional insti-
tutions is increasing. In New York City alone, half of the population on
Rikers Island in 2021 had a mental health diagnosis - about 2,780 people
- and 16% had a serious mental health diagnosis, per the Mayor of the
City of New York's September 2022 Management Report.
According to the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, mental
health care in jails and prisons may be an individual's only opportunity
for treatment, and providing appropriate care reduces risk, improves
safety, and reduces recidivism. According to an estimate by the federal
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), there will be a
shortage of over 250,000 mental health professionals by 2025. In correc-
tional institutions, this mental health, professionals workforce short-
age is even graver. This bill is aimed at attracting more candidates to
the mental health in corrections field, retaining current mental health
professionals in correctional institutions, and ultimately increasing
the number of mental health professionals rendering mental health
services in correctional institutions, by providing student loan
forgiveness to eligible mental health professionals.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: S.7257 Referred to Higher Education
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.