Mental Health

Establishes a twenty-four hour, toll-free hotline and website for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning plus (LGBTQ+) individuals who are experiencing emotional distress, suicidal ideation, or crisis-related challenges, which shall provide immediate support, referrals, resource lists, and other information.

This bill (S 8082) requires New York's mental health commissioner to create regulations allowing family members to access specific records of deceased residents at mental health facilities upon written request. The records include basic details (name, dates of admission/discharge/birth/death, cause of death), treatment history, employment, and residential history. It prohibits releasing records if the deceased had previously and formally objected in writing, and allows a qualified person (as defined in existing law) to object on behalf of someone who lacked decision-making capacity. The bill also permits physicians to request records for family members with a demonstrated medical need related to their own health care.

Requires the establishment of community housing waiting lists within the office of mental health service system; directs each provider of housing services in the office of mental health system to provide, on a monthly basis, the office of mental health with a list of each person referred to, admitted to, applying for, withdrawing an application for and denied admission to housing provided by such provider; requires the community-based agency performing assessments of persons with a documented mental illness to provide the office with the names of such who have been assessed and who meet the eligibility criteria for the array of funded and/or licensed housing programs; requires such office to publish such waiting lists on a monthly basis.

Directs the commissioner of the office of mental health to promulgate rules and regulations prohibiting any suicide prevention or mental health services hotline operated or sponsored by the state from being automated.

Ensures that the office of mental health and the office for people with developmental disabilities provide materials to individuals in English and the top six languages spoken in the state.