New York A 3607: Establishes the mental health educational opportunity program and the mental health higher educational opportunity program

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A03607 Summary:

BILL NOA03607A

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SAME ASNo Same As

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SPONSORKelles

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COSPNSRShimsky, Gonzalez-Rojas, Bichotte Hermelyn, Eachus, Meeks, Santabarbara

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MLTSPNSR

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Add §6457, Ed L

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Establishes the mental health educational opportunity program and the mental health higher educational opportunity program to provide additional educational opportunities for students at certain universities and colleges in the state to enroll in academic programs that lead to a degree or degrees required for licensure in any of the mental health professions.

Go to top A03607 Actions:

BILL NOA03607A

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01/29/2025referred to higher education

01/07/2026referred to higher education

04/15/2026amend and recommit to higher education

04/15/2026print number 3607a

Go to topA03607 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topA03607 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topA03607 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 3607--A

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN ASSEMBLY

 January 29, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. KELLES, SHIMSKY, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, BICHOTTE HERME-
 LYN, EACHUS, MEEKS, SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the
 Committee on Higher Education -- recommitted to the Committee on High-
 er Education in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee
 discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
 to said committee

 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the
 mental health educational opportunity program and the mental health
 higher educational opportunity program

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6457
 2 to read as follows:
 3 § 6457. Mental health educational opportunity program and mental
 4 health higher educational opportunity program. 1. To provide additional
 5 educational opportunities for students to enroll in academic programs
 6 that lead to a degree or degrees required for licensure in any of the
 7 mental health professions pursuant to articles one hundred fifty-three,
 8 one hundred fifty-four, one hundred sixty-three and one hundred sixty-
 9 seven of this chapter, a participating college or university shall
 10 provide special programs for the screening, testing, counseling and
 11 tutoring of, and assistance to, residents of the state, (i) who are
 12 graduates of an approved high school or individuals who have attained a
 13 New York state high school equivalency diploma or its equivalent, as
 14 determined by the commissioner, (ii) who have potential for the success-
 15 ful completion of a post-secondary program that leads to a degree or
 16 degrees required for licensure in any mental health profession, and
 17 (iii) who are economically and educationally disadvantaged.
 18 2. For the purposes of this section, for the mental health educational
 19 opportunity program, a participating college or university shall be
 20 defined as any college or university of the state university of New York

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD00070-02-6

 A. 3607--A 2

 1 or the city university of New York. For the mental health higher educa-
 2 tional opportunity program, a participating college or university shall
 3 be defined as a non-public college or university incorporated by the
 4 regents.
 5 3. A non-public college or university that participates in the mental
 6 health higher educational opportunity program shall contract with the
 7 commissioner to provide the services in this section pursuant to a proc-
 8 ess promulgated by the commissioner for such purpose.
 9 4. The commissioner, in consultation with the state university of New
 10 York, the city university of New York, and non-public colleges and
 11 universities chosen by the commissioner, shall formulate a general plan
 12 for the organization, development, coordination and operation of the
 13 mental health educational opportunity program and the mental health
 14 higher educational opportunity program within the amounts made available
 15 therefor by law. Such a plan shall include:
 16 a. Definit