Bill > S03897

This bill requires the New York State Office of Mental Health to conduct a comprehensive study examining the mental health impacts of police shootings or killings of unarmed African Americans. The study must specifically identify mental health risks and harm by comparing self-reported mental health data across different racial and ethnic groups, utilizing data sources like the Centers for Disease Control's Prevention Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (PBRFSS) and the Mapping Police Violence (MPV) database. The research must also generate recommendations for improving mental health professional accessibility and affordability for racial and ethnic minorities, and strategies to reduce mental health treatment stigma in these communities. By January 1, 2026, the Office of Mental Health must submit a detailed report of its findings and recommendations to key state leadership, including the governor and legislative leaders. The bill aims to systematically understand and address the potential psychological consequences of high-profile incidents of police violence on African American mental health in New York state.

Health and Social Services

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3897