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
Establishes a minimum standard for mental health staffing. , ensuring all students at SUNY and CUNY campuses have improved access to qualified, non-student mental health professionals, which can help address rising mental health needs and crises among college populations.
Mandates ongoing review and adjustment of staffing ratios. by requiring campuses to convene boards of advisors and experts every five years (starting two years after the law takes effect) to assess and potentially update the ratio based on current data and best practices, while maintaining a floor for support.
Prohibits funding these positions through new student fees. , aiming to prevent additional financial burdens on students and encouraging institutions to seek federal or private funding sources, which may shape campus budgeting and resource allocation.
Promotes evidence-based mental health care. on campuses by tying future staffing decisions to statewide data and expert input, potentially making services more responsive to student needs and evolving standards in mental health care.
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Who cares
SUNY and CUNY campus administrators
Covered campuses would have to maintain on-campus capacity 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 set 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
Boards of advisors and experts would review and update staffing ratios after two years and every five years thereafter, without falling below the bill’s minimum.
- Likely support
SUNY and CUNY budget officials
Campuses could seek federal funding or private grants to support compliance, while newly created student fees would be off limits.
Headline styles
Hire More Campus Counselors
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- 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.
More Campus Mental Health Staff
In Assembly Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Richard Gottfried
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7317
IN SENATE
January 17, 2020
Introduced by Sen. GOUNARDES -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
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 experts and have such board update such ratio based on actual ratios in
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14720-02-0
S. 7317 2
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.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
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
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill will require all SUNY and CUNY campuses to maintain a ratio of at least one certified mental health professional to every one thousand students.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends section 355 of education law to require each SUNY or CUNY campus to maintain a ratio of one clinical, non-student mental health staff member to every one thousand students within two years of enactment. Each campus will be required to establish a board of experts and advisors within two years to study and make updates to the clini- cian-to-student ratio, and make recommendations every five years to update the ratio based on average national ratios and best-available practices. Updated ratios cannot fall below a minimum of a one to one thousand clinician-to-student ratio. Maintaining the minimum clinician- to-student ratio cannot be funded by the imposition of any new student fees created on or after the date of enactment of this subdivision.
Section 2: Makes the above changes to section 6206 of education law.
Justification
Mental health is a pressing issue on college campuses across the state. Approximately 75% of mental health conditions are diagnoses prior to age 24, yet young adults are least likely to receive mental health coun- seling. Mental health issues can have dire impact for college students academic successes, and in more serious cases can lead to physical harm from suicide and depression. College students on SUNY and CUNY campuses currently pay a fee for mental health services, but the reported staff- ing ratios, particularly on CUNY campuses, are in excess of one mental health clinician to over 2000 students. The national average across campuses is approximately 1-to-1250. Research shows that low-income students are more likely to suffer from mental health illnesses, and CUNY and SUNY campuses have a higher share of low-income, urban students than their national counterparts. This bill ensures that campuses are required to staff an adequate number of licensed clinicians in order to meet the specific needs of their unique student populations.
Prior legislative history
None.
Fiscal implications
To be determined
Effective date
First of July after passage
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.