New York Laws
Article 7 - Office of Mental Health
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.
(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.