[ THEME MUSIC ] WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

I'M SHANTEL DESTRA.

EVERY YEAR, ROUGHLY 1,070 PEOPLE DIE FROM SUICIDE IN NEW YORK STATE.

GIVEN THAT HARSH REALITY, THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH HAS FOCUSED ON SHARING RESOURCES TO SUPPORT NEW YORKERS BATTLING DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY.

DURING SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH IN SEPTEMBER, THAT MEANT FOCUSING LARGELY ON THE 988 CRISIS LINE.

RECENTLY, GOVERNOR KATHIE HOCHUL SIGNED LEGISLATION TO HAVE THE NUMBER PRINTED ON STUDENT I.D.

CARDS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES ACROSS THE STATE.

HOCHUL, ALONG WITH THE OFFICE, ALSO LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN TO BRING AWARENESS TO THE LINE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND STREAMING SERVICES.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THOSE EFFORTS AND THE WORKING DONE BEYOND SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH, WE SAT DOWN WITH DR. ANN SULLIVAN, COMMISSIONER WITH THE NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH.

HERE'S THAT CONVERSATION.

[ THEME MUSIC ] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY, COMMISSIONER.

WELL, IT'S A REAL PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ASKING.

OF COURSE.

NOW AT THE TIME THAT WE'RE FILMING THIS, WE'RE, OF COURSE, AT THE TAIL END OF SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH.

SO CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND THE WORK THAT THE OFFICE HAS BEEN DOING TO BRING AWARENESS AND RESOURCES TO NEW YORKERS WHO MAY BE BATTLING THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE?

THE AGENCY HAS BEEN DOING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT.

UNDER GOVERNOR HOCHUL'S GUIDANCE, WE HAVE PUT MAJOR EMPHASIS ON TRYING TO PREVENT SUICIDE.

AND PREVENTING SUICIDE, THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE IS HELP AVAILABLE.

SO HELP AVAILABLE, THE FIRST THING I WANT TO MENTION IS 988, WHICH IS A SIMPLE THREE-DIGIT NUMBER, WHICH WE ARE EXPANDING ALL ACROSS THE STATE.

WE'RE DOING A MAJOR CAMPAIGN THAT ANYONE CAN CALL 24/7, AND YOU GET TO TALK TO A TRAINED COUNSELOR.

SO BEING ABLE TO JUST ACCESS THAT IS CRITICAL.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE GOVERNOR SIGNED INTO LAW THAT COLLEGES WILL PUT THE 988 NUMBER ON THEIR IDS FOR STUDENTS SO IT'S ALWAYS THERE.

ALWAYS AVAILABLE.

THE FIRST IS TO GET OUT TO THE COMMUNITY THE AWARENESS THAT HELP IS THERE, AND THEN THERE'S LOTS OF SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR YOUTH IN SCHOOLS.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE STARTING GOING TO BE EXPANDING ACROSS THE STATE SOMETHING CALLED TEEN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID.

WHEN THE GOVERNOR DID LISTENING SESSIONS WITH YOUTH ALL ACROSS THE STATE, ONE OF THE THINGS THE TEENS SAID THEY NEEDED HELP WITH IS THAT WHEN A TEEN WAS FEELING UPSET, EMOTIONAL, WERE HAVING THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THEY WENT TO WAS EACH OTHER, TO PEERS, THOSE WHO THEY TALK TO.

SO TEEN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID HELPS TEENS KNOW HOW TO TALK TO TEENS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO BE EXPANDING UNTIL SCHOOLS, INCLUDING ALSO AN EXPANSION OF OUR SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH CLINICS.

ANY SCHOOL THAT WANTS A MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC CAN NOW HAVE ONE.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

THAT MEANS THAT THERE'S STAFF ON-SITE, WHICH IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT THE YOUTH ASKED FOR WHEN WE SPOKE TO THEM ACROSS THE STATE.

SOMEONE TRUSTED THAT THEY CAN TALK TO.

SO EXPANDING OUR WORK WITH YOUTH IS CRITICAL.

AND THEN THERE ARE SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH THAT ARE PARTICULARLY AT HIGH RISK.

SO LATINA ADOLESCENCE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS OF YOUTH WHO ARE COMING INTO EMERGENCY ROOMS WITH SUICIDE IDEATION, LATINA ADOLESCENCE, ESPECIALLY GIRLS, ARE COMING IN AT A HIGH RATE WITH SUICIDE IDEATION.

WE HAVE A NEW PROGRAM DEVELOPED CALLED LIFE IS PRECIOUS.

LIFE IS PRECIOUS IS A PROGRAM THAT WORKS SPECIFICALLY WITH TEENS, LATINA TEENS WHO HAVE SUICIDAL IDEATION OR MADE SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AND WORKS WITH THEM.

THEY HAVE A THERAPIST.

THEY GO TO A CLINIC AND IT ALSOS WITH THEM IN THE PROGRAMMING ABOUT ART, MUSIC, GETTING INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY, WORKING WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND LIFE IS PRECIOUS BEGAN IN NEW YORK CITY, BUT WE HAVE NOW EXPANDED IT TO POUGHKEEPSIE, YONKERS AND A NEW ONE UP IN AMSTERDAM THAT WE'LL BE STARTING SOON.

SO THERE'S SUICIDE PREVENTION INVOLVES A WHOLE COMMUNITY.

IT INVOLVES SPECIFIC WORK WITH SPECIFIC GROUPS.

ALSO JUST LETTING COMMUNITY KNOW THAT HELP IS THERE SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TO GET THE WORD OUT ACROSS THE STATE.

AND AS YOU MENTIONED, THE OFFICE HAS BEEN PUSHING THE 988 CRISIS LINE.

SO I'M CURIOUS.

DID YOU SEE AN UPTICK OF USAGE OF THE LINE DURING SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH?

WE'VE SEEN A GRADUAL INCREASE ON AN ONGOING BASIS ACTUALLY.

SINCE, JULY OF 2022 WHEN THE 988 NUMBER BECAME LIVE, WE'VE HAD OVER 500,000 CALLS FROM NEW YORK STATE TO THE CRISIS LINE.

AND EVERY MONTH IT GOES UP.

EVERY MONTH, IT GOES UP.

I DON'T KNOW YET IF THIS MONTH WE'RE GOING TO SEE KIND OF A BIGGER JUMP THAN USUAL, BUT THERE'S BEEN A CURVE THAT HAS CONTINUED TO SHOW PEOPLE GETTING AWARE THAT THE NUMBER'S THERE AND THEY CAN CALL, WHICH IS TERRIFIC.

WE WANT EVERYONE WHO NEEDS-- IT'S AVAILABLE, OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU'RE IN A CRISIS AND FEELING SUICIDAL OR HAVING SUICIDAL IDEAS BUT IT'S THERE FOR ANY KIND OF MENTAL HEALTH QUESTION AS WELL.

SO A MOM WHO MAYBE IS CONCERNED ABOUT YOUTH IS NOT GOING TO SCHOOL OR NOT WANTING TO GO TO SCHOOL.

THEY CAN CALL.

YOU CAN CALL ABOUT A NEIGHBOR OR FRIEND.

YOU CAN CALL JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE HAD A CRISIS AT WORK AND YOU REALLY FEEL LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE IT AND YOU WANT TO CALL.

SO 988 IS THERE FOR THE WHOLE RANGE OF ISSUES THAT AFFECT OUR MENTAL HEALTH.

AS YOU MENTIONED, THE GOVERNOR RECENTLY SIGNED LEGISLATION REQUIRING COLLEGES ACROSS THE STATE TO PRINT THAT NUMBER ON STUDENT ID CARDS.

SO CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE LEGISLATION ON THE WORK THAT YOUR OFFICE IS CURRENTLY DOING?

YEAH.

I THINK THAT WE'LL SEE THAT SOON TO COME OUT TO THE COLLEGES, BUT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COLLEGES FOR A WHILE ON SUICIDE PREVENTION ON MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING FOR THE COLLEGE STAFF OR FACULTY FOR RESIDENT ASSISTANCE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH STUDENTS IN THE COLLEGES.

SO MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID IS A GREAT WAY FOR SOMEONE WHO WORKS WITH YOUTH TO KNOW HOW TO TALK TO YOUTH ABOUT ISSUES LIKE EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS, ISSUES LIKE SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, ISSUES LIKE DEPRESSION.

WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT WORK WITH COLLEGES.

WE ALSO HAVE A HANDBOOK FOR COLLEGES.

WE HAVE BEEN CONNECTING COLLEGES TO COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES AND SO ADDING THE 988 ON THE ID CARD MEANS IT'S EVER-PRESENT THERE FOR SOMEONE TO SEE.

EASY TO THINK ABOUT IF YOU ARE HAVING A BAD MOMENT AND YOU CAN LOOK AT IT SAY, AH, MAYBE I'LL CALL.

I THINK THAT'S BEEN GREAT TO BE ABLE TO GET THE WORD OUT, AND IT'S KIND OF A LITTLE MORE PERSONAL FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT.

RIGHT.

WHEN IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH, THERE SEEMS TO ALSO BE AN ACCESS ISSUE IN WHICH DIFFERENT INSURERS MAY NOT COVER DIFFERENT MENTAL HEALTH-RELATED SERVICES.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER FREE OR LOWER-COST RESOURCES THAT NEW YORKERS CAN ACCESS IF THEY'RE EXPERIENCING DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY?

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU CALL 988, THEY WILL TELL YOU AND IF YOU SAY TO THEM, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE INSURANCE, THEY WILL HELP YOU TO GO TO A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE BASICALLY CARE THAT-- FOR EVERYONE.

SO CERTIFIED COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HELP CENTERS, OUR CLINICS, THEY ARE ALL OPEN.

THEY HAVE SUBSIDIES FROM THE GOVERNMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN'T PAY.

ANY ONE OF OUR CERTIFIED COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTERS, ANY ONE OF OUR CLINICS, ALL OF THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR SOMEONE TO COME IN.

I ALSO WANT TO EMPHASIZE, THOUGH, THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY-- THE GOVERNOR'S BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH INSURERS TO BE SURE INSURERS PAY.

MOST PEOPLE WHO HAVE INSURANCE, SOME SORT WHETHER IT'S MEDICAID OR COMMERCIAL, SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS MENTAL HEALTH CARE, AND IF YOU'RE NOT AND THERE'S SOME DIFFICULTIES, THEN YOU NEED TO CALL SOMETHING WHICH WE HAVE IN THE STATE CALLED CHAMP, WHICH IS C-H-A-M-P, AND CHAMP WILL HELP YOU ACCESS THOSE THROUGH YOUR INSURER.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES NOW HAVE TO BE PAID FOR BY EVERY INSURER IN THE STATE.

THERE IS LEGISLATION THAT SAID THAT HAD TO HAPPEN.

OUR CRISIS SERVICES, AS OF 2025, EVERY INSURER IN THE STATE WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THOSE.

SO YOUR INSURANCE, ONE OF THE THINGS WHICH THE GOVERNOR HAS ALSO DONE IS MADE SURE THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS MORE ROBUST IN ITS COVERAGE FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND ENSURING THAT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE.

BUT ALL OUR SERVICES WITHIN THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM, ALL OF OUR CLINICS, ET CETERA, YOU CAN WALK IN AND GET SERVICES AND IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO GET THE SERVICES.

AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LEARNINGS IN THIS YEAR'S SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH THAT YOU'RE HOPING TO EXPAND ON OR HONE IN ON IN THE YEARS TO COME?

WELL, GOING FORWARD, I THINK WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT IS THAT WE GET EVERYONE TO REALIZE THAT IF YOU HAVE AN EMOTIONAL PROBLEM, IF YOU'RE DEPRESSED, IF YOU'RE ANXIOUS, IF SUICIDE IS CROSSING YOUR MIND BECAUSE YOU'RE FEELING SO HOPELESS OR OVERWHELMED, YOU SHOULD ASK FOR HELP.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU FELL DOWN AND YOU HURT YOUR ARM AND STARTED TO SWELL AND YOU GOT CONCERNED, WOULD YOU HAVE NO HESITATION TO GO TO A DOCTOR OR AN EMERGENCY ROOM AND SAY, HEY, THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR ARM.

WELL, WHEN SOMETHING IS AFFECTING US EMOTIONALLY, WHEN IT'S AFFECTING OUR MENTAL HEALTH, SAME AS PHYSICAL HEALTH, WE SHOULD FEEL JUST AS COMFORTABLE GOING FOR HELP.

THAT'S THE BIGGEST PROTECTOR OF SUICIDE IS PEOPLE ASKING FOR HELP EARLY AND GETTING THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.

SO WE REALLY HAVE TO CHANGE OUR CULTURE, WHICH IS CHANGING.

IT'S HAPPENING.

IT'S HAPPENING.

MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL HEALTH ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT.

IN FACT, THERE WAS A SURGEON GENERAL WHO CLEARLY ONCE SAID WHO SAID THERE IS NO HEALTH WITHOUT MENTAL HEALTH.

YOU CAN'T BE HEALTHY WITHOUT MENTAL WELLNESS AS WELL.

AS WE MOVE TOWARD MENTAL WELLNESS, TO HAVE PEOPLE REALIZE IF YOU ARE IN A TOUGH SPOT, IF YOU ARE FEELING OVERWHELMED AND FEELING HOPELESS, TALK TO SOMEONE.

GET THE HELP.

IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT AS IF YOU HAD A SERIOUS COLD AND YOU WOULD GO TO THE DOCTOR OR THE FLU OR BROKE YOUR ARM, YOU WOULD GO SEE SOMEONE.

SAME THING FOR MENTAL HEALTH.

THE TIME THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN IS EXTREMELY POLITICAL WITH A FEW WEEKS AAHEAD OF ELECTION DAY, THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION AROUND EXTREME RHETORIC AND HOW THAT MIGHT INSIGHT POLITICAL VIOLENCE.

SO IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE OFFICE IS DOING TO HELP NEW YORKERS WHO MAY BE FEELING OVERWHELMED DURING THIS ELECTION CYCLE?

YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE ALWAYS EVENTS GOING ON AROUND US THAT CAN BE OVERWHELMING AND CERTAINLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING WITH THE GOVERNOR AS WELL IS JUST TELLING PEOPLE THAT ONE OF THE WAYS YOU CAN DEAL WITH FEELING OVERWHELMED IS TO TAKE SOME ACTION AND THE BEST ACTION YOU CAN TAKE IS GET OUT THERE AND VOTE.

IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE ELECTION, VOTE.

BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

BE PART OF GETTING YOUR VOICE HEARD.

SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S A CAMPAIGN ON PART OF NEW YORK STATE TO GET EVERYBODY OUT THERE TO VOTE AND HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD.

THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAN HELP RELIEVE ANXIETY THAT YOU'RE A PART OF DOING THINGS.

THE OTHER THING IS I THINK DEPENDING ON THE INDIVIDUAL, SOMETIMES THAT ANXIETY COMES FROM A PERSONAL PLACE AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON YOU COULD CALL 988 AND TALK TO A COUNSELOR AND SAY I'M REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THE ELECTION AND OFTEN, SOMETIMES THOSE WORRIES ARE VERY PERSONAL TO AN INDIVIDUAL AND HAVING SOMEONE TO TALK TO ABOUT IT CAN BE VERY, VERY HELPFUL.

THAT'S ANOTHER REASON YOU CAN CALL 988.

YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO HESITATE IS MY POINT.

I THINK WE'RE HERE TO SAY WHEN EVERYTHING IS IN SOCIETY IS ALSO AFFECTING YOU, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT.

REACH OUT AND TALK ABOUT THEM.

THE WORST THING IN SOME WAYS IS TO KEEP THEM ALL INSIDE AND TO YOURSELF.

BECAUSE THEN IT'S NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS TALKING IT OUT AND REALLY GETTING-- BEING ABLE TO EXPRESS WHAT'S GOING ON.

AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, YOUR OFFICE HAS ALSO BEEN PUSHING FOR THERE TO BE A MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC IN EVERY SCHOOL IN THE STATE.

SO CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE ON THAT FRONT?

WELL, I THINK NOW WE HAVE OVER 1,200-- GETTING CLOSE TO 1,300 MENTAL HEALTH CLINICS IN THE SCHOOLS AND I JUST MET RECENTLY WITH A NUMBER OF THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS, ET CETERA, THE ORGANIZATIONS TO GET THE WORD OUT AND SO WE'RE HAVING PEOPLE COME.

IT'S A ROLLING APPLICATION.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO APPLY AT A PARTICULAR TIME.

WE WILL BE TALKING TO ALL THE DISTRICTS TO PLEASE TALK WITH US.

WE WILL HELP FACILITATE, WORK WITH YOU TO FIND A PROVIDER, IF YOU DON'T KNOW ONE, WHO WILL COME AND DO THE WORK IN THE SCHOOLS.

WE REALLY ARE HOPING TO ADD HUNDREDS OF NEW SCHOOL-BASED CLINICS EACH YEAR ESPECIALLY IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS.

AND LASTLY, WHAT WILL BE YOUR PRIORITIES HEADING INTO THE NEXT YEAR?

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO GET ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING AND WHAT WILL LIKELY BE AN INTENSE BUDGET SEASON?

THIS GOVERNOR HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE OF MENTAL HEALTH.

I MEAN, THE BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET.

WE HAVE NOW PLACED ALL THE RFPS, ALL THAT MONEY IS ON THE OUTSIDE.

WE'VE BEEN AWARDED THREE-QUARTERS OF IT HAVE BEEN AWARDED IT BUT THE MONEY IS ALL OUT THERE IN RFPS.

THAT WAS A BILLION DOLLARS.

IN THE LAST BUDGET, I WANT TO SAY ABOUT HALF, 500 MILLION THAT CAME IN VARIOUS WAYS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH.

I THINK THAT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF SEEING THE FRUITS OF THAT.

IT TAKES A WHILE FOR THOSE SERVICES TO COME UP AND TO BE AVAILABLE, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS OF WHAT-- THERE MIGHT STILL BE SOME GAPS IN TERMS OF SERVICES.

WE'RE ALWAYS WORKING WITH THAT.

BUT I CAN'T THANK THIS GOVERNOR ENOUGH FOR INVESTMENT THAT'S BEEN HISTORIC IN MENTAL HEALTH OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND I BELIEVE WE'LL REALLY TRANSFORM THIS SYSTEM, ALL THE WAY FROM THE PREVENTION THINGS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WITH SCHOOL-BASED CLINICS AND WORKING WITH TEENS TO COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS THAT HAVE BEEN TRIPLED, CERTIFIED COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTERS TO THE INTENSIVE SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY NEED A HOSPITAL BED OR INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY NEED HELP BECAUSE THEY'RE LIVING ON THE STREETS.

DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN SPENT ACROSS THE SYSTEM SO WE'VE HAD A LOT OF INVESTMENT.

I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT WHERE WE MAY STILL NEED SOME MORE.

YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE MAKING OUR CASE TO THE BUDGET.

BUT THERE'S LOTS OF NEEDS.

SO YOU KNOW, THAT WILL ULTIMATELY BE MADE-- THOSE DECISIONS WILL BE MADE BY THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE.

WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR NOW.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO CONNECT WITH US TODAY, COMMISSIONER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME AND PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT 988.

PLEASE LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT HELP IS AVAILABLE WITH THREE SIMPLE-- TEXT OR PHONE, TEXT OR PHONE, THREE SIMPLE NUMBERS, THREE SIMPLE NUMBERS.

AND WE WERE SPEAKING WITH DR. ANN SULLIVAN, COMMISSIONER OF THE NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH.

[ THEME MUSIC ] AND FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE WORK OF THE OFFICE AND THE 988 CRISIS LINE, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

NOW TURNING TO ANOTHER IMPORTANT TOPIC.

SOME COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE INCLUDING NASSAU COUNTY AND BALLSTON SPA ARE IMPLEMENTING MASK BANS OVER WHAT THEY SAY ARE PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS.

MEANWHILE, THE NEW YORK CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION IS ACTIVELY CONDEMNING THE LOCAL LAWS.

THE UNION IS ARGUING THAT THE BANS WILL IMPEDE ON THE RIGHTS OF NEW YORKERS.

WE SAT DOWN WITH BETH HAROULES, SENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY WITH THE UNION, TO UNDERSTAND MORE.

[ THEME MUSIC ] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY, BETH.

GREAT.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

NOW AS WE KNOW, BOTH NASSAU COUNTY AND BALLSTON SPA IN NEW YORK HAVE ANNOUNCED LAWS PROHIBITING MASK WEARING ACROSS THE STATE.

SO CAN YOU UNPACK THE CIVIL LIBERTY'S UNION CURRENT POSITION ON THE BAN?

BALLSTON SPA IS A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO ADDRESS.

THEY ACTUALLY ENACTED THEIR MASK BAN LITERALLY DAYS BEFORE NASSAU COUNTY ENACTED THEIRS.

THEY ARE DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF BRAZENNOLOGY.

BALLSTON SPA'S MASK BAN IS BASED ON A GLENS FALLS MASK BAN STATUTE, AND IT FALLS INSIDE OF A PARADE PERMITTING SCHEME.

SO BASICALLY, BALLSTON SPA WANTS ANY PERSON WHO WANTS TO ENGAGE IN A PARADE, WHICH INCLUDES PROTESTS, TO GET A PERMIT AND AS PART OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS, THERE'S A BAN ON ANY FACE COVERINGS, WHICH ALSO INCLUDE GAS MASKS.

SO INTERESTINGLY, WE BELIEVE THAT BALLSTON SPA IS REACTING TO PROUD BOYS MARCHING THROUGH THEIR DOWNTOWN AREA LAST YEAR AND THEY'RE ATTEMPTING TO BAN ANOTHER PROTEST WHERE MASKED PROUD BOYS ARE PARADING AROUND.

THE PROBLEM IS THEY COMPLETELY BASE THEIR STATUTE ON THE GLENS FALLS STATUTE, WHICH WAS CHALLENGED BY OTHER MAGA ADJACENT ACTIVITY PEOPLE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, FEDERAL COURT, STRUCK DOWN THAT STATUTE.

WE'RE NOT QUITE SURE WHY BALLSTON SPA WENT WITH A STATUTE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN FOUND TO BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL, BUT THERE IT IS.

SO WE'RE NOT AWARE THAT ANYTHING HAS, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE ENFORCED IT AS OF YET, BUT WE'RE WATCHING IT.

NASSAU COUNTY HAS TAKEN A DIFFERENT TACT.

THEY HAVE ENACTED A MASK BAN THAT THEY CLAIM CONTAINS A RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION AS WELL AS A HEALTH EXEMPTION.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HEALTH EXEMPTION IT RELATE ONLY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE WEARING A MASK TO PROTECT THEIR OWN HEALTH.

SO IF, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU LIVE IN A MULTIGENERATIONAL FAMILY SETUP AND YOUR MOTHER OR GRANDMOTHER HAS SOME SORT OF, YOU KNOW, ILLNESS THAT MAKE THEM PARTICULARLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO COVID OR AS WE COME INTO PNEUMONIA AND RSV SEASON, YOU KNOW, THE WINTER SEASON OF RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES THAT TAKE DOWN A LOT OF OLDER PEOPLE, YOU WEARING THAT MASK TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS, YOU WOULD NOT BE ENTITLED TO THAT EXEMPTION.

IT'S CLEAR THAT THE CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION IS, OF COURSE, AGAINST THE MASK BAN.

SO WHAT WILL THE UNION BE DOING TO POTENTIALLY ROLL BACK THE BANS OR STOP OTHER COUNTIES FROM FOLLOWING SUIT?

WE KNOW AT THE END OF LAST SESSION, A BILL-- A FEW BILLS WERE INTRODUCED IN ORDER TO REINSTATE A MASK BAN IN NEW YORK STATE.

WE'RE OBVIOUSLY WATCHING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS THERE.

WE'RE PART OF A VERY LARGE COALITION OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S PUBLIC HEALTH PEOPLE, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, FREE SPEECH FIRST AMENDMENT FOLKS, PRIVACY TECH PEOPLE, HIV/AIDS FOLKS WHO WERE TARGETED AND LGBTQ FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN TARGETED BEFORE, TRYING TO ENGAGE WITH AND WATCH WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN ALBANY.

IT'S BEEN VERY UNCLEAR AS TO WHETHER THOSE BILLS WILL MOVE THIS SESSION.

THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND CONGESTION PRICING AND WHETHER ALBANY WOULD COME BACK INTO SESSION.

SO WE'RE EXPECTING THAT EITHER A MASK BAN OF SOME SORT WILL BE INTRODUCED AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS OR IT WILL COME ACROSS EVERYBODY'S TABLE AS PART OF THE ORDINARY COURSE OF THE SESSION.

WOULD YOU SAY AWARENESS IS AN ISSUE?

LIKE, DO YOU THINK NEW YORKERS UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY AND THE HISTORY OF THE MASK BAN IN THE STATE?

I THINK PEOPLE ARE COMING TO UNDERSTAND THAT.

I DO THINK PEOPLE IN NASSAU COUNTY HAVE GOTTEN VERY FAMILIAR VERY QUICKLY WITH WHAT ALL OF THE ISSUES ARE.

I THINK PEOPLE IN VARIOUS IMPACTED COMMUNITIES ALREADY UNDERSTAND, WHICH IS WHY WHEN THIS BAN WAS CONSIDERED FOR THE END OF JULY, IT WAS LITERALLY WITHIN A WEEK, THEY CONSIDERED IT ON THE 29TH OF JULY.

IT WENT FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE TO THE FULL LEGISLATURE AND THEN BY THE 15TH, IT WAS SIGNED INTO EFFECT.

RIGHT.

FROM JULY, YOU KNOW, AND TO THE POINT IT WAS ACTUALLY SIGNED, THERE WAS AN AWFUL LOT OF, YOU KNOW, SORT OF PRE-SIGNING COALITION WORKING DONE.

PEOPLE HAD STARTED TO ACTIVATE PUBLIC HEALTH, LGBTQ, HIV COMMUNITY, PRIVACY TECH PEOPLE BACK IN JUNE WHEN THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, THE BIG HOOHA WITH I THINK IT WAS THE ADL MAYBE AND ANOTHER SORT OF NATIONAL ORGANIZATION CAME TO NEW YORK AND HAD A REALLY SPLASHY PRESS CONFERENCE UP IN COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ABOUT MASKED BEHAVIOR.

IN NASSAU AS SOON AS THEY STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT, PEOPLE CAME TOGETHER.

I THINK-- I THINK THERE'S ALREADY A FAIR AMOUNT OF FOLKS WHO UNDERSTAND THE RAMIFICATIONS HERE AND WHAT ALL OF THE COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES ARE.

WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE EDUCATED.

WE HAVE A KNOW YOUR RIGHTS.

WE HAVE AN FAQ ON OUR WEBSITE.

YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AS I SAY, WE'RE TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER SOME SIGN-ON LETTERS TO GO UP TO THE LEGISLATORS IN ALBANY.

PUBLIC EDUCATION, I THINK, IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

AGAIN, THIS IS A THIRD RAIL, MASKS.

DO YOU BAN THEM?

DO YOU WEAR THEM?

DO YOU MANDATE THEM?

AND FROM YOUR PURVIEW, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE STATE COULD OR SHOULD BE DOING TO STOP THESE DIFFERENT COUNTY LEGISLATORS FROM IMPLEMENTING THE MASK BANS OR EVEN HELP TO GUIDE THEM?

WELL, YOU KNOW, I MEAN THAT'S-- THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

I THINK THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF STATE IS SORT OF COUNSEL TO LOCALES, TO COUNTIES TO LOCAL TOWNS AND CITIES.

THEY ISSUE GUIDANCE MATERIALS.

FOR EXAMPLE, THEY HAVE A WHOLE MEMO ON POLITICAL SIGNS AND WHAT KIND OF ZONING ORDINANCES YOU CAN ENACT AS A LOCALE TO, YOU KNOW, CONTROL PROLIFERATION OF SIGNS, VISUAL CLUTTER, POTENTIAL, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC HAZARDS AND THE LIKE.

YOU KNOW, HE COULD ISSUE, I THINK, A MEMO, A GUIDANCE DOCUMENT TO LOCALES AROUND THE STATE.

THEY COULD SAY YOU'RE PREEMPTED.

YOU CAN'T DO THIS.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A WAY TO ACTUALLY PASS A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT GIVES A LOCALE AND A POLICE DEPARTMENT THE RIGHT TO ENFORCE A MASK BAN BECAUSE IT DOES REQUIRE ENGAGEMENT.

SO YOU HAVE FOURTH AMENDMENT ISSUES ABOUT SEARCHES, SEIZURES, TRAFFIC STOPS, STOP AND FRISK.

YOU HAVE DISABILITY ISSUES BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EXEMPTION, IT REQUIRES SOME INTERROGATION AND UNDER DISABILITY LAW, NO ONE WITH A DISABILITY WHETHER IT'S A PARENT OR INVISIBLE IS OBLIGATED TO DISCLOSE UNLESS THEY'RE SEEKING FOR AN ACCOMMODATION FOR SOMETHING.

YOU KNOW, I CAN'T GET INTO THIS SHOP.

I NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A RAMP, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT POLICE TO INTERROGATE, IT'S INAPPROPRIATE.

SAME THING FOR RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION.

YOU CANNOT PERMIT THE POLICE TO INTERROGATE SOMEBODY ABOUT THEIR RELIGIOUS PRACTICES.

SO HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT CRAFTING THIS?

THE STATE VERSION OF THE LAW, WHICH WE UNDERSTAND, IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE AMENDED INDICATED THAT THERE'S A HEALTH EXEMPTION ONLY A DECLARED STATE OF PUBLIC EMERGENCY, WHICH IS SORT OF FOCUSED ON HOCHUL WITH TRIPLE E. I DON'T THINK WE'RE EVER GOING TO HAVE A DECLARED STATE OF EMERGENCY BECAUSE IT WAS SO CONTROVERSIAL AND DIVISIVE.

RIGHT.

THERE'S NO EXEMPTION, RIGHT, IN THE STATE LAW AS IT WAS WRITTEN.

CERTAINLY A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH US TODAY, BETH.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON.

HOPEFULLY, WE'LL TALK AGAIN WHEN WE HAVE MORE TO DISCUSS ON THIS.

AND WE WERE SPEAKING WITH BETH HAROULES, A SENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY WITH THE NEW YORK CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION.

[ THEME MUSIC ] FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE COUNTY-LED MASK BANS AND FOR EXCLUSIVE CONTENT, YOU CAN SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AT NEWSLETTER.NYNOW.ORG, OR BY SCANNING THE QR CODE ON YOUR SCREEN.

WELL, THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

[ THEME MUSIC ] ANNOUNCER: FUNDING FOR "NEW YORK NOW" IS PROVIDED BY WNET.