BILL NUMBER: S7504
SPONSOR: CLEARE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to including policies and
procedures for responding to students having mental health crises in
school safety plans
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To reduce the instances where schools resort to police intervention in
mental health emergencies.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Amends § 2801 of the education law relating to school board
safety plans to preclude the use of summoning of police for a mental
health crisis where there is no perceived or expected threat of
violence.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
As schools plan and prepare for emergencies, it should not be the case
that police, whose job is to enforce the law, should be "go-to" to
respond to mental health emergencies. As can be the case in the wider
public, law enforcement training and methods are almost never the
correct response to mental health emergencies. This bill requires school
districts to prepare for mental health emergencies more appropriately.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to state.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.