What's happening
This bill requires that inmates in solitary confinement be examined by a mental health medical professional after 24 hours.
Why it matters
Addresses mental health impacts of solitary. By mandating that a mental health professional examine inmates after 24 hours in solitary confinement, the bill recognizes and acts on the well-documented psychological risks associated with isolation.
Could lead to earlier interventions. Regular assessments by mental health experts may allow for quicker identification of inmates experiencing psychological distress, potentially preventing escalation or self-harm.
May influence facility practices. The required involvement of mental health professionals could lead correctional facilities to re-evaluate how and when they use solitary confinement, given the additional scrutiny and resources now needed.
Strengthens accountability and oversight. By making mental health evaluations a legal requirement, the bill increases the responsibility of prison administrators to ensure inmate wellbeing and could provide grounds for oversight or legal recourse if neglected.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Mental Health Checks for Inmates
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to crime victims, crime and correction
- Referred to crime victims, crime and correction
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5976
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 16, 2019
Introduced by Sen. LANZA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction
AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to requiring a mental health medical professional to examine inmates in solitary confinement
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 6 of section 137 of the correction law, as amended by chapter 490 of the laws of 1974, is amended to read as follows:
(c) Where such confinement is for a period in excess of twenty-four hours, the superintendent shall arrange for a medical professional with an expertise in mental health and for the facility health services director, or a registered nurse or physician's associate approved by the facility health services director to visit such inmate at the expiration of twenty-four hours and at least once in every twenty-four hour period thereafter, during the period of such confinement, to examine into the state of health of the inmate, and the superintendent shall give full consideration to any recommendation that may be made by the facility health services director for measures with respect to dietary needs or conditions of confinement of such inmate required to maintain the health of such inmate; and
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11743-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the correction law, in relation to requiring a mental health medical professional to examine inmates in solitary confinement
Purpose
To require a mental health medical professional to examine inmates in solitary confinement.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one amends paragraph (c) of subdivision 6 of section 137 of the correction law, as amended by chapter 490 of the laws of 1974.
Section two is the effective date.
Justification
This bill would require that any inmate that is to be placed in solitary confinement in excess of twenty-four hours shall be required by the superintendent to be evaluated by a medical professional with an exper- tise in mental health. While current law requires that a facility health services director, registered nurse or physician associate visit with an inmate in solitary confinement to examine the state of health of an inmate, there is no provision in law that evaluates their mental health. Evaluating an inmates mental health by a mental health expert will give prison officials information whether confinement is necessary for such individual.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.