7.07 Office of mental health; scope of responsibilities.(a) The office of mental health is charged with the responsibility for assuring the development of comprehensive plans, programs, and services in the areas of research, prevention, and care, treatment, rehabilitation, education, and training of the mentally ill. Such plans, programs, and services shall be developed by the cooperation of the office, the other offices of the department where appropriate, local governments, consumers and community organizations and agencies. The office shall provide appropriate facilities and encourage the provision of facilities by local government and community organizations and agencies.
(b) The office of mental health shall advise and assist the governor in developing policies designed to meet the needs of the mentally ill and to encourage their full participation in society.
(c) The office of mental health shall have the responsibility for seeing that mentally ill persons are provided with care and treatment, that such care, treatment and rehabilitation is of high quality and effectiveness, and that the personal and civil rights of persons receiving care, treatment and rehabilitation are adequately protected.
(d) The office of mental health shall foster programs for the training and development of persons capable of providing the foregoing services.
(e) Consistent with the requirements of subdivision (b) of section 5.05 of this chapter, the office shall carry out the provisions of article thirty-one as such article pertains to regulation and quality control of services for the mentally ill.
(f) The office shall establish, and provide technical and financial support to establish two programs promoting culturally and linguistically competent mental health services. Such programs shall be operated in a collaborative manner with the Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, the New York State Psychiatric Institute, academia, mental health care providers, communities interested in the mentally ill and other interested private and public sector parties. The programs, in consultation with the office's multicultural advisory committee, shall investigate and report, to the commissioner on a biannual basis recommendations as to best practices for the delivery of culturally and linguistically competent mental health services to underserved populations affected by disparities due to cultural, linguistic and systemic barriers.
Last modified: February 3, 2019