What's happening
This bill requires colleges to provide a notice and consent form allowing parents to be notified if a student is identified as at-risk for suicide.
Why it matters
Empowers students and families. By requiring colleges to offer a clear choice at the point of admission, the bill gives students and their families more control and awareness over how mental health crises are communicated, potentially fostering more open discussions about mental well-being.
Standardizes parental notification. The state would create a uniform consent process for all public and private colleges, aiming to reduce confusion and inconsistencies in how at-risk situations are handled across different institutions.
Involves professionals in decision-making. The requirement for consultation with a mental health professional before notifying parents helps ensure that decisions are made thoughtfully and with clinical input, balancing student privacy with safety concerns.
May influence campus mental health culture. By formalizing the process for identifying and reporting at-risk students, colleges may be encouraged to invest more in mental health training for staff and in developing supportive environments for students in distress.
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Who cares
Colleges and universities
They would provide the notice and consent form with acceptance materials, and their presidents or chief administrative officers would notify parents or guardians after consulting a mental health professional.
Prospective students and their parents or guardians
The form would ask the student, parent or guardian to choose whether the college may notify parents or guardians about the student's mental well-being.
College employees and affiliated personnel
The form would authorize those positioned through their work to identify potential suicide risk to report their concerns to the college president or chief administrative officer.
State education and mental health commissioners
The education commissioner would develop the form in consultation with the mental health commissioner.
Headline styles
Notify Parents of At-Risk Students
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to higher education
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
10873
IN ASSEMBLY
May 25, 2018
Introduced by M. of A. EPSTEIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring the commissioner of education to develop a notice and consent form for the notification of parents and guardians of college students that are identified as potentially at-risk for suicide
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 59 to read as follows:
59. The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of mental health, shall develop a notice and consent form to be provided to students and parents by colleges and universities in the state upon acceptance of prospective students to college or university, authorizing permission to contact the parents or guardians of students identified as potentially at-risk for suicide. Such form shall:
a. be included in a clear and conspicuous manner and in the same size type as the other documents provided with the college acceptance letter sent to the prospective student;
b. request that the student or the parent or guardian of the student indicate whether the college may notify the parents or guardians of the student as to such student's mental well-being by checking either the box "notify parents" or "do not notify parents"; and
c. authorize any employee who is employed by, or affiliated with the college, and who through their employment is in a position to identify a student who is potentially at risk for suicide, to report such belief to the college president or chief administrative officer. The college president or chief administrative officer of the college shall, after consultation with a mental health professional, notify the parents or guardians of such student's mental well-being.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15988-01-8
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.