S5518
An act to amend the Education Law — 2023-05-18 · Calendar #810
The New York State Senate passed S5518, sponsored by Sen. Brouk, requiring ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion training for psychologists. The bill, which amends the Education Law, passed on a 56-1 roll call vote, with only Sen. Walczyk voting in opposition. Sen. Brouk explained that the legislation addresses mental health care disparities by ensuring psychologists receive training in cultural competence, cultural humility, and linguistic competence. She noted that psychologists themselves requested the changes to better serve their clients and patients. The measure aims to ensure that individuals seeking mental health support encounter providers who understand their backgrounds and can effectively help them. The bill takes effect immediately.
Passed Senate
Ayes: 56
· Nays: 1
Debate Summary
Sen. Brouk explained the bill would require ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion training for psychologists to improve cultural competence, cultural humility, and linguistic competence in mental health care. She noted that psychologists themselves requested these changes to better serve their clients and patients. The bill aims to ensure that individuals seeking mental health support encounter providers who understand and can effectively help them.
Transcript Mentions
These votes were extracted from the floor transcript by AI. NYS Senate roll calls are read in full, but AI extraction may not capture every senator — so this list is incomplete and skews toward named dissenting votes. Use the Official API Data table above for the complete roll call.
| Senator | Vote | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Walczyk | nay | Republican |