STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2758 2019-2020 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 25, 2019 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. ORTIZ, RAMOS, CUSICK, BARRETT, COLTON, WEPRIN, SEAWRIGHT -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ABINANTI, MAGNARELLI, PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to creating a public education initiative designed to eliminate stigma and misinformation about mental illness and chemical dependence among military service members; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expira- tion thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 7.09 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding 2 a new subdivision (l) to read as follows: 3 (l) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the 4 commissioner, in conjunction with the commissioner of alcoholism and 5 substance abuse services and the director of the division of veterans' 6 affairs shall develop a public education initiative designed to elimi- 7 nate stigma and misinformation about mental illness and chemical depend- 8 ence among service members, veterans, and their families, improve their 9 understanding of mental and substance use disorders and the existence of 10 effective treatment, and provide information regarding available 11 resources and how to access them. These public education initiatives may 12 include the use of the internet, including the use of social networking 13 sites. 14 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire on June 15 30, 2022 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed 16 repealed. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD07368-01-9