N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law § 7.07: Office of mental health; scope of responsibilities

§ 7.07 Office of mental health; scope of responsibilities.

(a) The office of mental health is charged with the responsibility for

assuring the development of comprehensive plans, programs, and services

in the areas of research, prevention, and care, treatment,

rehabilitation, education, and training of the mentally ill. Such plans,

programs, and services shall be developed by the cooperation of the

office, the other offices of the department where appropriate, local

governments, consumers and community organizations and agencies. The

office shall provide appropriate facilities and encourage the provision

of facilities by local government and community organizations and

agencies.

(b) The office of mental health shall advise and assist the governor

in developing policies designed to meet the needs of the mentally ill

and to encourage their full participation in society.

(c) The office of mental health shall have the responsibility for

seeing that mentally ill persons are provided with care and treatment,

that such care, treatment and rehabilitation is of high quality and

effectiveness, and that the personal and civil rights of persons

receiving care, treatment and rehabilitation are adequately protected.

(d) The office of mental health shall foster programs for the training

and development of persons capable of providing the foregoing services,

and for the qualification of persons capable of providing peer services

as defined in subdivisions three, four, five, six, seven, and eight of

section 7.03 of this article and in accordance with criteria established

by the commissioner.

(e) Consistent with the requirements of subdivision (b) of section

5.05 of this chapter, the office shall carry out the provisions of

article thirty-one as such article pertains to regulation and quality

control of services for the mentally ill.

(f) The office shall establish, and provide technical and financial

support to establish two programs promoting culturally and

linguistically competent mental health services. Such programs shall be

operated in a collaborative manner with the Nathan S. Kline Institute

for Psychiatric Research, the New York State Psychiatric Institute,

academia, mental health care providers, communities interested in the

mentally ill and other interested private and public sector parties. The

programs, in consultation with the office's multicultural advisory

committee, shall investigate and report, to the commissioner on a

biannual basis recommendations as to best practices for the delivery of

culturally and linguistically competent mental health services to

underserved populations affected by disparities due to cultural,

linguistic and systemic barriers.

(g) The office of mental health shall have the responsibility for

assuring the development of plans, programs, and services in the areas

of research and prevention of suicide, to reduce suicidal behavior and

suicide through consultation, training, implementation of evidence-based

practices, and use of suicide surveillance data. Such plans, programs,

and services shall consider the unique needs of differing demographic

groups and the impact of gender, race and ethnicity, and cultural and

language needs. Such plans, programs, and services shall be developed in

cooperation with other agencies and departments of the state, local

governments, community organizations and entities, or other

organizations and individuals. The office shall prepare and submit a

written report to the governor, the speaker of the assembly, and

temporary president of the senate that sets forth the progress of the

office in the development of such plans, programs, and services by

December first, two thousand nineteen, and biennially thereafter. In

addition to delineating the progress the office has made, such report

shall also include information on specific suicide prevention services

and program initiatives developed and implemented to address the needs

of high risk minority groups or special populations, including but not

limited to latina and latino adolescents, black youth, individuals

residing in rural communities, veterans, members of the lesbian, gay,

bisexual and transgender community, and any other group deemed high risk

or underserved by the office.

(h) The office shall periodically review suicide prevention programs

established, licensed, certified, or funded by the office to ensure that

the needs of individuals at risk of suicide are being met and make

recommendations to improve such programs, which shall include but not be

limited to: (1) cultural and linguistic competency; and (2) best

practices for screening and interventions aimed at addressing suicide

risk factors for minority groups and other underrepresented populations.