STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 3607 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 29, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. KELLES, SHIMSKY, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, BICHOTTE HERME- LYN, EACHUS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the mental health educational opportunity program and the mental health higher educational opportunity program The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6457 2 to read as follows: 3 § 6457. Mental health educational opportunity program and mental 4 health higher educational opportunity program. 1. To provide additional 5 educational opportunities for students to enroll in academic programs 6 that lead to a degree or degrees required for licensure in any of the 7 mental health professions pursuant to articles one hundred fifty-three, 8 one hundred fifty-four and one hundred sixty-three of this chapter, a 9 participating college or university shall provide special programs for 10 the screening, testing, counseling and tutoring of, and assistance to, 11 residents of the state, (i) who are graduates of an approved high school 12 or individuals who have attained a New York state high school equivalen- 13 cy diploma or its equivalent, as determined by the commissioner, (ii) 14 who have potential for the successful completion of a post-secondary 15 program that leads to a degree or degrees required for licensure in any 16 mental health profession, and (iii) who are economically and educa- 17 tionally disadvantaged. 18 2. For the purposes of this section, for the mental health educational 19 opportunity program, a participating college or university shall be 20 defined as any college or university of the state university of New York 21 or the city university of New York. For the mental health higher educa- 22 tional opportunity program, a participating college or university shall EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD00070-01-5
A. 3607 2 1 be defined as a non-public college or university incorporated by the 2 regents. 3 3. A non-public college or university that participates in the mental 4 health higher educational opportunity program shall contract with the 5 commissioner to provide the services in this section pursuant to a proc- 6 ess promulgated by the commissioner for such purpose. 7 4. The commissioner, in consultation with the state university of New 8 York, the city university of New York, and non-public colleges and 9 universities chosen by the commissioner, shall formulate a general plan 10 for the organization, development, coordination and operation of the 11 mental health educational opportunity program and the mental health 12 higher educational opportunity program within the amounts made available 13 therefor by law. Such a plan shall include: 14 a. Definition of eligibility, 15 b. Procedures for the selection of students from among the eligibles, 16 c. Description of the contents of such proposed program including 17 counseling, tutoring and skill development, 18 d. Estimated costs, 19 e. Objectives, 20 f. Extent of other funds and resources to be utilized in support of 21 the program, 22 g. Procedures for the evaluation of student progress, and 23 h. Periodic reports. 24 5. The general plan shall be transmitted to the board of regents at 25 such time as the regents shall by rule require. Such plan shall be 26 reviewed by the regents and shall guide and determine the operation of 27 such program. 28 6. a. State appropriations made available for this program shall be 29 spent only for the following purposes: 30 (i) Special testing, counseling and guidance services in the course of 31 screening potential students, 32 (ii) Remedial courses, developmental and compensatory courses and 33 summer classes for such students, 34 (iii) Special tutoring, counseling and guidance services for enrolled 35 students, 36 (iv) Central services including evaluation and administrative costs, 37 and 38 (v) Any necessary supplemental financial assistance, which may include 39 the cost of books and necessary maintenance for such students, including 40 students without lawful immigration status provided that the student 41 meets the requirements set forth in subparagraph (ii) of paragraph a or 42 subparagraph (ii) of paragraph b of subdivision five of section six 43 hundred sixty-one of this chapter, as applicable; provided, however, 44 that such supplemental financial assistance shall be furnished pursuant 45 to criteria promulgated by the commissioner and approved by the regents 46 and the director of the budget. 47 b. No funds pursuant to this section shall be made available to 48 support the regular academic programs of any college or university 49 participating in this program, nor shall funds be provided for programs 50 which are incompatible with the regents plan for the expansion and 51 development of higher education in the state. 52 7. A participating college or university shall furnish to the commis- 53 sioner, the regents, the director of the budget, the chair of the senate 54 finance committee and the chair of the assembly ways and means commit- 55 tee, at least annually, a report in such form, at such time and contain-
A. 3607 3 1 ing such information as the regents and the director of the budget may 2 require, of the operations of such program. The report shall include: 3 a. A statement of the objectives of the program, 4 b. A description of the program, 5 c. The budgetary expenditures for such program, separately stating 6 academic credit instructional costs, other instructional costs, tutoring 7 costs, remediation, counseling, supplemental financial assistance and 8 central services, including evaluation and administrative costs, 9 d. The extent of other funds and resources used in support of such 10 program and their sources, 11 e. The progress of students, and 12 f. The extent and nature of the responsibility exercised over such 13 program by such trustees. 14 8. Contracts made pursuant to this section shall be subject to the 15 approval of the director of the budget. 16 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.