What's happening
This bill requires all SUNY and CUNY campuses to maintain at least one clinical, non-student mental health staff member per 1,000 students.
Why it matters
Guarantees a baseline of professional mental health support. at every SUNY and CUNY campus, ensuring that students have access to qualified, non-student clinicians rather than relying on peer counselors or interns.
Requires ongoing review and potential adjustment of staffing ratios. by an expert advisory board every five years, so the standard can evolve based on real campus needs, new research, or changing best practices—while maintaining a minimum floor for support.
Prohibits funding the mandate through new student fees,. aiming to prevent cost increases for students and instead encouraging schools to seek alternative sources like federal or private grants to meet staffing requirements.
Acknowledges the growing demand for mental health services. on college campuses and seeks to institutionalize a structured response, potentially improving student well-being, retention, and academic outcomes.
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Who cares
SUNY and CUNY administrators
Covered campuses would have to maintain on-campus staffing of at least one clinical, non-student mental health staff member per 1,000 full-time equivalent students.
SUNY and CUNY students
The bill would establish a minimum mental health staffing ratio and prohibit funding the requirement through student fees created on or after its effective date.
Campus mental health clinicians
The staffing minimum would count clinical, non-student staff, with advisory boards reviewing and updating the ratio two years after the requirement takes effect and every five years thereafter.
Headline styles
More Campus Mental Health Staff
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Print number 9746a
- Amend and recommit to higher education
- Referred to higher education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Hire More Campus Counselors
In Senate Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Andrew Gounardes
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
9746--A
IN ASSEMBLY
February 7, 2020
Introduced by M. of A. GOTTFRIED -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring at least a ratio of one clinical, non-student mental health staff member per one thousand students on all SUNY and CUNY campuses
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 355 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 20 to read as follows:
20. Through on-campus capacity, each state college or university center of the state university of New York and each state college and university center of the city university of New York shall have at least a ratio of one clinical, non-student mental health staff member per one thousand full-time equivalent students. Two years after the effective date of this subdivision, and once every five years thereafter, each state college and university shall establish a board of advisors and experts and have such board update such ratio based on actual ratios in this state and any new information related to appropriate benchmarks for clinician-to-student ratios; provided, however, such updated ratio shall be at least a ratio of one clinical, non-student mental health staff member per one thousand students. This subdivision shall not be funded by student fees created on or after the effective date of this subdivision. State colleges or universities may seek federal funding or private grants, if available, to support the provisions of this subdivision.
§ 2. Section 6206 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 20 to read as follows:
20. Through on-campus capacity, each state college or university center of the state university of New York and each state college and university center of the city university of New York shall have at least a ratio of one clinical, non-student mental health staff member per one thousand full-time equivalent students. Two years after the effective date of this subdivision, and once every five years thereafter, each state college and university shall establish a board of advisors and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14720-03-0
A. 9746--A 2
experts and have such board update such ratio based on actual ratios in this state and any new information related to appropriate benchmarks for clinician-to-student ratios; provided, however, such updated ratio shall be at least a ratio of one clinical, non-student mental health staff member per one thousand students. This subdivision shall not be funded by student fees created on or after the effective date of this subdivision. State colleges or universities may seek federal funding or private grants, if available, to support the provisions of this subdivision.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
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.