BILL NUMBER: S6526
SPONSOR: CLEARE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to ensuring that the
office of mental health and the office for people with developmental
disabilities provide materials to individuals in different languages
 
PURPOSE::
To require the Office for Mental Health and the Office for People With
Developmental Disabilities to have materials printed in English as well
as other languages.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS::
Section 1 amends section 7.07 of the mental hygiene law by requiring The
Office of Mental Health to provide all materials, including documents,
instructions, applications, and forms, in English and also in the six
most common non-English languages in the state of New York, as deter-
mined by United States census data.
Section 2 amends section 13.07 of the mental hygiene law by requiring
The Office of People With Developmental Disabilities to provide all
materials, including documents, instructions, applications and forms, in
English and also in the six most common non-English languages in the
state of New York, as determined by United States census data.
Section 3 sets forth the effective date.
 
USTIFICATION:
The Office of Mental Health ("OMH") and The Office of People with Devel-
opmental Disabilities ("OPDD") provide valuable and necessary services
including suicide prevention, domestic violence prevention, career plan-
ning and assistance, and housing assistance. These necessary services
were implemented with the intention of serving all New Yorkers, regard-
less of language or national origin. However, by failing to provide
materials explaining these services in multiple languages, they cannot
be utilized by New Yorkers who are not comfortable reading English. This
bill is necessary to make the crucial services provided by the OMH and
OPDD available to all New Yorkers. This bill will rewire 6MH and OPDD
forms and materials to be made available in English as well as in six
more of the most commonly-spoken languages in New York, as determined by
the U.S. census.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::
2019-2020: S.7028, Died in Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
Committee.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS::
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE::
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S6526: 7.07 mental hygiene law, 13.07 mental hygiene law