Public Hearing Set On Gov. Cuomo’s Mental Hygiene Proposals

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Gov. Andrew Cuomo's spending proposals for New York state's mental hygiene programs are the subject of a public hearing in Albany.

The Democratic governor's $175 billion spending plan for the next fiscal year includes his ongoing efforts to reduce the number of New Yorkers who die by suicide each year. Cuomo says federal statistics show that New York state's suicide rate rose by nearly 30 percent from 1999 to 2016.

The governor's also is seeking to pass legislation that will require insurers to apply the same treatment and financial guidelines to autism spectrum disorders as those used for medical and surgical benefits.

A joint Assembly and Senate public hearing on Cuomo's mental hygiene proposals will be held Thursday at the Legislative Office Building in downtown Albany.